Antiques & Heirlooms Perhaps you are the lucky recipient of some very nice family heirlooms and antiques, but they are in need of cleaning and restoration to be made presentable for their new home. Care must be taken in order to maintain their antique value. The first and most important issue is that the piece must be solid and working properly. Loose joints will only break over time and tight drawers will wear down delicate wooden parts with use, resulting in a more costly repair because of replacement of those broken parts. The second issue is cleaning and perhaps some touch up of worn areas. The piece can be safely cleaned with special chemicals to remove dirt and grime and then touched up with a glazing stain or a small artist’s brush and colors. Larger dents and scratches can be filled in and touched-up.  The item can then be coated with a new finish and receive a nice fresh clean appearance. If the item has been stored outdoors, in a basement or exposed to time and the elements, it may be in need of stripping and complete refinishing. However, this is the last resort and we try everything we can to avoid this extensive process.