Care & Repair of Furniture

This book is packed with diagrams; photos and practical methods to mend those boo-boos in both old and new furniture. This has become on of my "go to" books for repairs. It covers upholstery and caning in addition to repairs to the structure of furniture. Since it's a little pricey, check your library or go for a used copy. I think you'll find it helpful.

After inheriting some old furniture that had belonged to my late grandmother, I invested in 2 books about repairing/restoring furniture...this one and the one written by Brian Hingley. Both are good books, but this one was written by Albert Jackson and David Day, who live in England. Some of the terms are different than what we are used to in America. For example, the authors explain how to make your own cleaning solution using linseed oil and 'white spirit'. I'm not sure if their reference to white spirit means regular mineral spirits or something else like acetone or naptha. In another section, they cover the repair of cracks, dings, holes and other surface imperfections using 'stopper'. Most folks will easily recognize this as what we call wood putty or filler. This isn't to slam the British, just to point out that some of the terminology and names used in this book may throw some people off. Even some of the terms used for various parts of a piece of furniture are different. Not to worry, since there's lots of four-color illustrations to guide you, although I prefer the color photos used in Hingley's book. One final note: Most of this work seems centered around the repair and restoration of chairs and tables, although many of the tips and methods can be applied to many types of furniture. If chairs and tables are your particular forte or speciality, this might be the book to go with. Hope this info helps. Furniture Repair & Refinishing (Creative Homeowner Ultimate Guide to...)

This book is a great place to start for anyone either wishing to resurrect fantastic old pieces or just make the most of the ones they already have. It's packed full of diagrams and should have something for both amateurs and the experienced alike. It basically tells you how to deal with furniture restoration and maintenance from simple polishes to complete overhauls. A great resource to have around.