An antique wardrobe is a jewel for your home. Combine antiques with modern furniture, such as a modern couch or glass table. The symbiosis of antique and modern looks elegant and individual.
Restoring an antique wardrobe - that's how it works
First, get an overview of all necessary work: Are all parts of the cabinet available? Is the cabinet stable? Is the antique furniture covered with old varnish? Are all fittings OK? Can you lock the closet? Once you have completed the inventory, you can plan the individual steps. First of all, remove old paint from your old furniture by applying a paint remover evenly, allowing it to work and then removing the old paint. It is best to carry out the stripping process in a garage or cellar. The room should be well ventilated. If pickling is too tedious for you, you can also have your antique wardrobe pickled; for example, you can find pickling in the Yellow Pages. You can have missing parts such as a strip or a leg cut to size in a hardware store or at a carpenter's shop. Fasten the parts with wood glue; if you want more stability, you can - depending on your craft skills - also use hammer and nail. If the antique wardrobe is not veneered, it should be sanded well after stripping, first with coarse sandpaper and finally with very fine sandpaper. Of course you can grind by hand, but if you want to restore antiques more often, the purchase of a small sander is worthwhile.
Now replace missing fittings. In DIY stores you can obtain fittings, locks and keys that are modelled on the originals. Attach the fittings to the cabinet with small nails. Treat the surfaces with shellac to give your wardrobe a light sheen. Apply the shellac solution evenly and thinly. Allow the shellac to dry and then apply a thin layer of shellac at least five more times. The subsequent polishing is one of the most important steps. The more time you take, the more beautiful your antique wardrobe will shine. You can also restore other antiques such as antique chests, grandfather clocks or sewing machine cabinets.
Why it is worth to restore an antique wardrobe
Antique taverns in need of restoration can be bought for little money at a flea market or antique market. If you restore an antique wardrobe well, you can sell it at a profit. Buying antique furniture is worthwhile because it does not lose value.
But even if you keep the antique wardrobe, you have fun restoring it and a beautiful piece in your apartment, which you have made yourself with love and care.