FURN I TURE CARE AN D H AN D LI N G
Ta ble of Con t e n t s
I n t r odu ct ion
Pr e ve n t a ble D a m a ge
Th e Envir on m e n t
Light
Relat ive Hum idit y Biopredat ion
I nsect I nfest at ion Rodent s
Mold, Mildew and Fungi
Fu r n it u r e Use a nd Ca r e
H a ndling a n d M oving Fu r n it u r e
General Concerns
Seat ing Furnit ure Tables
Case Furnit ure Large Clocks
Fu r n it u r e M a in t e n a nce
Cleaning Surfaces Cleaning Upholst ery Met al Hardware Reupholst ering
Sum m a r y
Appe ndix
Fu r n it u r e Polish e s
Aerosols Liquids Sem isolids
Furnit ure and w ooden obj ect s are part of our lives every day. Som e are ut ilit ar ian, such as a chair at t he dining t able; ot hers are aest het ic, such as an ant ique sculpt ure or carving; st ill ot hers m ay have an em ot ional or sym bolic im port ance as m em ent os, such as a chest t hat has been in t he fam ily for years. What ever t heir nat ure or purpose, if t hey are im port ant t o us t hey deserve t he best care we can provide for t hem - unlike t he chair illust rat ed on t he cover of t he video case, which is being gent ly m isused.
The inform at ion in t his booklet is not about rest oring or repair ing furnit ure and w ooden obj ect s; it is about caring for and prevent ing dam age t o t hem . Underst anding and dealing w it h t he causes of dam age are w ell w it hin t he abilit ies of nearly all car et akers of valued wooden obj ect s, whet her a collect ions m anager at a m aj or m useum or an individual safeguarding fam ily heirloom s. The aim of t his booklet is t o explain how t o m inim ize t he prevent able dam age t o furnit ure.
Pr e ve n t a ble D a m a ge
Dam age t o and dest ruct ion of furnit ure t akes m any form s and pat hs. We use t he t erm " prevent able dam age" t o describe t hose condit ions and event s over w hich a furnit ure caret aker has som e influence. By far t he m ost predom inant dam age t o furnit ure is caused by poor choices it s users and caret akers m ake t hrough m isunderst anding t he nat ure of wooden obj ect s.
Consider t he m aj or causes of prevent able dam age:
• Poorly cont rolled am bient environm ent ( light , relat ive hum idit y and t em perat ure)
• Careless use, handling, and m aint enance
• I nadequat e packing for t ransport or shipping
This booklet and t he accom panying video discuss t he first t wo of t hese t hree causes of prevent able dam age. ( A subsequent booklet and video, Furnit ure Packing and Transport , will deal wit h t he pract ical aspect s of packing.) While all t hings degrade, t he process can be slow ed t hrough applicat ion of principles of care and m aint enance based on underst anding t he nat ure of wood and art ifact s m ade of wood.
Th e Envir on m e n t
I n t his cont ext " environm ent " m eans t he condit ions under w hich t he art ifact exist s. I n all cases, t he " best " environm ent for furnit ure depends on t he caret aker's priorit ies and resources and is oft en a balancing act bet ween t hem . There is never a " perfect "
Ligh t
Probably t he easiest environm ent al issue t o underst and and resolve for furnit ure is dam age from light . What w e norm ally call " light " is really j ust a very narrow port ion of t he
phenom enon called " elect rom agnet ic radiat ion" t hat corresponds t o t he sensit ivit y of our eyes.
Sim ply put , light is a source of energy. Light int eract s w it h everyt hing it illum inat es, and light energy is direct ly t ranslat able t o dam age t o furnit ure surfaces. The am ount of t hat dam age depends on t he int ensit y and color. Bright light is m ore dam aging t han dim light , blue light is m ore dam aging t han red light .
For t he m ost part , light dam age t akes t he form of discolorat ion, usually bleaching. Light induces bleaching and degradat ion in m ost com ponent s of furnit ure: coat ings, whet her t ransparent or polychrom e; t he w ood it self; and especially upholst ery t ext iles. Generally, light dam age is cum ulat ive and perm anent .
Responding t o t he pot ent ial for light dam age is relat ively sim ple and can also be st raight forward: when t he furnit ure is not in use, it is best left in t he dark. Even when furnit ure is in use and in t he light , dam age can be reduced t hrough com m on devices like window shades, curt ains, and screens for prot ect ion from direct sunlight or elevat ed light levels. Ult raviolet filt er film s can be used t o block t he m ost dam aging light frequencies if t here is concern over t he color of t he light , for exam ple light from fluorescent bulbs or ult raviolet radiat ion from sunlight . For ext ended periods of non- use, opaque dust covers are recom m ended.
The m ost im port ant t hing t o keep in m ind is t he relat ionship bet w een light and dam age t o furnit ure surfaces. As long as t here is light , t here will be light dam age proport ional t o it s int ensit y and exposure t im e. But t he applicat ion of sim ple m easures can go a long w ay t o reducing dam age.
Re la t ive H u m idit y
Perhaps t he great est environm ent al dam age t o furnit ure com es from wide sw ings in relat ive hum idit y ( RH) . Wood absorbs and desorbs w at er as relat iv e hum idit y rises and falls, and in doing so it sw ells and shrinks. Making m at t ers worse, it expands and cont ract s unequally along different grain direct ions. This charact erist ic rem ains as long as w ood exist s, whet her it is new from t he lum beryard or t housands of years old from an ancient t om b.
As hum idit y changes, t he com ponent s of w ooden obj ect s are cont inually pushing and pulling against each ot her. This pressure oft en result s in part s of furnit ure no longer fit t ing t oget her closely or becom ing dist ort ed or breaking from t heir own int ernal st resses.
The response t o relat ive hum idit y changes begins w it h det erm ining t he annual average RH for your part icular clim at e. Then t ry t o keep t he RH in t he space where your furnit ure is a close t o t hat average as possible, generally w it hin about 10% up or down. This st abilit y can be achieved t hrough de- hum idifying in t he sum m er and hum idifying in t he wint er.
Be aware t hat raising t he t em perat ure lowers t he hum idit y and vice versa. Thus, m odern heat ing syst em s, which can drive dow n int erior RH in t he w int er, alm ost invariably cause problem s for furnit ure. To count eract t heir effect , you can m odify t he RH by keeping furnit ure- cont aining spaces cooler in t he wint ert im e. A hum idist at aut om at ically adj ust s t em perat ure t o m aint ain a st able relat ive hum idit y.
Biopr e da t ion
The t hird, and m ost oft en overlooked environm ent al problem is biopr edat ion. Wood is subj ect t o at t ack by bot h anim als and m icro- organism s, including insect s, rodent s, and fungi. The best prot ect ion against biopredat ion is t o m onit or your furnit ure regularly and keep food separat e from your furnit ure, or at least st ored in sealed cont ainers.
I n se ct infe st a t ion
I nsect infest at ion, in part icular, can dest roy a furnit ure collect ion in a short t im e. Term it es, carpent er bees and ant s, powder post beet le larvae, and ot her insect s can severely dam age wood by eat ing channels beneat h t he surface.
The larvae t unnel t hrough t he wood unt il t hey are ready t o em erge t hrough exit holes at t he appropriat e t im e in t heir life cycle. At t hese exit holes t he chewed and digest ed wood is oft en pushed out as t he insect exit s. These are im port ant clues for you in m onit oring furnit ure, as t he sides of recent exit holes have t he color of new ly- cut w ood.
Piles of insect excrem ent and wood dust , called fras ( or frass) , under or on your furnit ure m ay indicat e an act ive infest at ion. Quarant ine t he suspect obj ect im m ediat ely. I f t he infest at ion is confirm ed, fum igat ion w ill be necessary. I n addit ion, you w ill need t o increase m onit oring of obj ect s near t he affect ed furnit ure, for likelihood of t heir being infest ed is now great ly increased.
Rode n t s
Rodent s usually do not eat t he wood for it s ow n sake but rat her gnaw t hrough it t o get t o t he food on t he ot her side. The best way t o prevent rodent dam age is t o not st ore any food, including condim ent s, in w ooden furnit ure. Since food also at t ract s insect s, it is a good idea t o keep food as far from your collect ion as possible.
The presence of rodent s in a piece of furnit ure are m ore sym pt om at ic of problem s w it h t he building envelope, which m ust be sealed t o keep rodent s out .
M old, M ilde w a n d Fu n gi
encourage t he rapid growt h of t hese organism s. Molds and m ildew grow ing on t he surface of wood m ay st ain it . Ot her fungi can com plet ely dest roy wood.
The cont rol of m old and m ildew is quit e sim ple: do not let t he relat ive hum idit y rise above 70% . Even if an act ive infest at ion exist s, low ering t he RH w ill cause t he m old and m ildew spores t o becom e dorm ant . Sim ilarly, cooler t em perat ures w ill also reduce fungi grow t h. Lowering t he RH in a dam p area should be done very slowly t o prevent excessive st ress and possible warping and split t ing of wooden furnit ure.
Once t he room is allow ed t o dry out t o a hum idit y level below 70% , t he dried, inact ive m old residues can t hen be carefully vacuum ed off furnit ure surfaces. Be careful not t o breat he or scat t er t he dust , and clean t he vacuum aft er use.
I t is also im port ant t o locat e any source of excess m oist ure and det erm ine what can be done t o rem ove it . Underground w alls should be sealed and vapor- proofed. Leaks should be repaired in roofs and walls.
Fungal dam age, or rot , can only occur in areas of ext rem e dam pness at m oderat e t em perat ures. Unless your furnit ure get s w et and st ays wet , t his t ype of dam age is not norm ally a severe problem . How ever, if your furnit ure is st ored in areas where wat er
incursion is a com m on problem , such as basem ent s or at t ics, t hese areas m ust be surveyed every t im e it rains or snows.
Fu r n it u r e Use a nd Ca r e
Careless and uninform ed t reat m ent of furnit ure is t he second m aj or cause of prevent able dam age. Dam age t o furnit ure is t ellt ale: it is eit her caused by poor const ruct ion ( over which t he caret aker has no cont rol) or it is t he result of im proper use or care. You don't have t o be a specialist or scholar t o t reat furnit ure properly, all it t akes is a basic underst anding of t he nat ure of wooden obj ect s and of what furnit ure is and is m eant t o do, com bined wit h com m on sense.
Here are som e com m on- sense point ers:
• Prot ect surfaces from fire and excessive heat
• Sit only on st ruct ures designed for t hat purpose
• Be careful about w hat you place on a piece of furnit ure
Hot it em s, such as irons, coffee m ugs, and st eam ing t ureens can lit erally m elt a finish away. Wat er from spills and condensat ion from vases and cold drink glasses can dam age and deface coat ings t hrough " bloom ing," an effect t hat m akes t ransparent coat ings whit e or m ilky. Dam age is even worse when t he liquid it self st ains t he surface, such as when ink or coffee or t ea is spilled, or if t he coat ing is penet rat ed and t he st aining liquid ent ers t he wood it self.
Organic solvent s, such as fingernail polish and rem over, perfum es, and alcoholic drinks can behave as paint and varnish rem overs on m any kinds of coat ings.
H a ndling a n d M oving Fu r n it u r e
I n addit ion t o using furnit ure w isely, it is im port ant t o handle it carefully. Safe handling and m oving of furnit ure begin wit h a basic underst anding of how a piece is const ruct ed. The second st ep is t o plan carefully.
Ge n e r a l Con ce r n s
Before picking up a piece of furnit ure, det erm ine how it is put t oget her and if any of it s part s are rem ovable or det achable. Make sure you know where t he furnit ure is it s st rongest - generally along a m aj or horizont al elem ent - and t ry t o carry it from t hese point s.
Then exam ine t he room and t he rout e whereby t he furnit ure is t o be m oved. Look around t o m ake sure you know where everyt hing is. I dent ify pot ent ial t rouble. Light fixt ures t hat hang low, for exam ples, or t hat ext end out from t he wall m ay be dam aged or cause dam age. Glass t able t ops are also easily dam aged if bum ped. I f necessary, clear t he way by m oving or rem oving fragile or obst ruct ive it em s. Prot ect t he furnit ure t o be m oved wit h soft padding or w rap it in a blanket pad. Padding, which w ill provide ext ra insurance against bum ping and gouging, is especially im port ant if an it em is going int o st orage.
Before m oving an it em , m ake sure you know exact ly where it goes next . Plan ahead t o adj ust t he t em perat ure and relat ive hum idit y in t he new locat ion so t hey are t he sam e as where t he furnit ure present ly is. Ext rem e changes in t em perat ure and hum idit y can cause split t ing of j oint s and veneers.
Never hurry when you are m oving furnit ure. Scrat ches, dent s, and gouges from bum ps against hand t ruck, doorw ays, and ot her furnit ure are always m ore likely in hast e. Each it em needs t o be approached individually, w it hout hast e, and w it h sufficient m anpow er present .
Make sure you have a firm grip on t he piece wit h bot h hands. Do not wear cot t on gloves. I t is essent ial t hat hands not slip from a piece of furnit ure w hile it is being m oved.
Never slide or drag furnit ure along t he floor. The vibrat ion can loosen or break j oint s, chip feet , break legs, et c., t o say not hing of what dragging does t o t he carpet ing or finish on t he floor. Whenever possible, use t rolleys or dollies for t ransport ing heavy pieces.
Handling valuable furnishings requires a special at t it ude: in general, m ovem ent should be carried out at a slower pace. Here are som e quick t ips for m oving furnit ure properly. Rem em ber: I f you don't break it , it doesn't have t o be fixed!
• Just as gym nast s w ork w it h " spot t ers" t o cat ch t hem w hen t hey m isst ep, have helpers on hand t o guide t he m overs so t hey don't crash int o w alls or ot her pieces of furnit ure
• Ant icipat e t rouble; t hink t hrough every st ep; plan ahead; and do everyt hing w it h care
• Make sure t he rout e is clear and has no obst ruct ions, such as narrow doorways or hanging chandeliers t hat m ight hinder t he safe passage of furnit ure and m overs
Se a t in g Fur n it u r e
When lift ing a chair, rem em ber t hat t he seat rail is it s st rongest part , not t he chair back. Frequent ly lift ing by t he back, especially t he crest rail, w ill event ually result in breakage. For sm all chairs, lift by t he side seat rails, one hand near t he front on one side, t he ot her near t he rear on t he ot her side.
When lift ing a large chair or sofa, t he principles are t he sam e. Grab underneat h t he side fram e, m aking sure t o lift w it h your legs rat her t han your back. For upholst ered chairs or sofas, place your hands underneat h t he fram e t o avoid t ouching t he upholst ery. I f
upholst ery m ust be t ouched, use cot t on gloves. For chairs w it h slip seat s, rem ove t he slip seat and w rap and m ove it separat ely t o prevent it s being soiled or falling out during t he m ove.
Ta ble s
The st rongest part of a t able is generally t he apron. Whenever possible, lift t he t able carefully from t he apron, never by t he t op or legs. Lift ing on t he t op rat her t han t he apron m ay break t he glue- blocks t hat hold t he t op t o t he fram e or st rip out t he screw s t hat hold t he t op on. Grabbing t he legs, part icularly t ables wit h long, unsupport ed legs, will cause unnecessary st ress on t he leg and t he j oint connect ing it t o t he apron. Whenever possible, wrap padding around a t able's legs before m oving it t o prevent chipping or breakage during t he m ove.
I f you are m oving a drop- leaf t able, first det erm ine which support m em bers m ove. I s t he t able leaf support ed by a bracket or by a swing- leg? Fold t he leaves dow n, and rest rain t hem wit h padding and a t ie band. I f t he support is provided by a sw ing- leg or gat e- leg, t ie it in place as well. The only safe place t o grab a drop- leaf t able is underneat h t he end aprons. Grabbing by t he legs, especially sw ing- legs, w ill increase t he chance of dam age t o t hem , and grabbing t he t able by t he side leaves w ill oft en result in fract uring t he long rule j oint t hat allows t he leaves t o drop.
Ca se Fur n it u r e
While case pieces, especially large ones, m ay appear very different from t ables and chairs, t he sam e rules apply. Never t ry t o m ove a large piece by yourself. A case piece requires at least t w o people. While a case piece requires can be m oved by carrying it carefully, holding on t o t he bot t om as you would a t able or chair, it is bet t er t o m ove t he piece on a dolly. A dolly m akes t he m ove safer for bot h t he m overs and t he obj ect , and t hat is all t he m ore t rue for large obj ect s.
First , exam ine t he piece. How was is put t oget her? And how can it com e apart ? Take t he piece apart as m uch as is possible. That is, rem ove t he t op piece of a cabinet from it s base; rem ove t he cornice or pedim ent , if t here is one.
I f t he piece has handles, wrap t hem wit h padding. Padding prot ect s t he handles, t he furnit ure surface ( if t he handles have swinging bales or drops) , t he m overs, and t he surroundings in case you bum p up against anyt hing.
Never grab a heavy piece like a chest of drawers or bookcase by t he cornice at t he t op. The at t achm ent of t he t op t o t he base m ay be loosened and pull apart from t he rest of t he piece.
Lift t he piece st raight up, using your legs, not your back. Don't let it t ilt , and do not grab it by it s hardware or any ot her prot rusions.
La r ge Clock s
The m oving proj ect becom es increasingly difficult w it h obj ect s t hat are large and com plex. Obj ect s t hat com e apart int o m any pieces or are unwieldy require ext ra care and
preparat ion. Because of t heir m any part s grandfat her and grandm ot her clocks are very difficult t o m ove.
Always rem ove t he pendulum and weight s from w it hin t he clock before doing anyt hing else. These pieces are heavy and w ill dam age t he clock case if t hey sm ash int o t he side of t he case. They m ay also cause dam age t o t he m echanism it self. Wear cot t on gloves when you rem ove t he pendulum and weight s, t o avoid corroding t he m et al pieces from skin cont act .
Rem ove t he hood from t he t op of t he clock ( t hey oft en slide forward) , and lay it down t o pack and m ove separat ely. Make sure t he door t o t he case is locked or securely closed before m oving t he clock. Use bare hands, not gloves, for m oving and packing t he carcass of t he case. For short m oves, like t hose of only a few feet , it is perm issible t o lift by grabbing t he narrow case from t he underside of t he m olding at t he t op of t he waist , or cent er port ion of t he case, provided t hat t he m olding is firm ly at t ached t o t he case it self. For longer
m oves, or if t hat m olding is not secure, t he clock case should be carried flat like a coffin.
Fu r n it u r e M a in t e n a nce
The guidelines for furnit ure m aint enance are pret t y sim ple. I f t he furnit ure is used wisely and handled carefully, it w ill need very lit t le in t he w ay of rout ine m aint enance. But in cleaning and polishing furnit ure surfaces and hardw are, and in re- upholst er ing, som e w ell-int ent ioned caret akers ell-int roduce dam age. I n fact , a lot of w hat furnit ure conservat ors do is respond t o dest ruct ive m aint enance pract ices.
Cle a n in g Su r fa ce s
For t he m ost part , m aint aining furnit ure sim ply m eans keeping it clean, carefully. Wood furnit ure usually needs t o be cleaned only when t here is a buildup of w ax or dirt . Only unfinished wood, paint ed wood, or w ood w it h a st urdy finish should be cleaned. The finish on gilt w ood is oft en applied w it h a w at er- soluble size, or adhesive; it should be carefully dust ed, not cleaned, or cleaned only by a professional.
Aft er t he soundness of t he surface has been est ablished, t he next st ep is t o find out w hat t he dirt is and what t he surface is. I f you can't det erm ine t hese exact ly, find out what rem oves t he dirt wit hout affect ing t he surface underneat h it . Oft en, dust can be rem oved w it h t he careful w ipe of a dam p clot h. Oily dirt or waxy residue can be rem oved wit h a m ild det ergent and w at er solut ion or w it h m ineral spirit s. How ever, it is vit al t o m ake sure t hat t he cleaning solut ion does not affect t he underlying surface. Even when you det erm ine a cleaning m et hod t hat works successfully, proceed caut iously.
Loose dust on t he surface can be rem oved wit h a soft , lint - free clot h, gent ly rubbed over t he surface. Dust is an abrasive and can scrat ch t he surface, so be careful. Uneven areas can be dust ed w it h a clean, nat ural brist le paint or art ist 's brush. Again, do not t ry t o dust a surface t hat is severely det eriorat ed. Clot h fibers can cat ch and t ear aw ay pieces of t he finish, veneer or loose part s. Even rough edges can splint er. Carving, fret work, and ot her delicat e work can be dust ed wit h a soft brist le brush, wit h a vacuum cleaner host held close enough t o t ake in t he dust one it is dislodged by t he brush. Do not use feat her dust ers, as t hey can scrat ch and pull off loose fragm ent s of veneer.
Surfaces in good condit ion but w it h a heavy accum ulat ion of dust can be cleaned very carefully wit h a vacuum cleaner. Use t he lowest suct ion available and t he round brush at t achm ent . Don't let t he m et al or hard plast ic part s of t he vacuum bum p int o t he surfaces; t hey can scrat ch t he finish or wood. Much dam age, in fact , occurs as t he feet and bases of pieces are hit wit h t he vacuum cleaner.
Dirt t hat cannot be sim ply vacuum ed off m ay be rem oved wit h cleaners m ixed in a dilut e solut ion, but only if t he finish is in good solid condit ion. First , det erm ine which solvent rem oves t he dirt w it hout rem oving t he finish. Those t o be t est ed include m ineral spirit s Then, wipe t he cleaned surface wit h a clean dam pened clot h t o rem ove any cleanser residues, followed by a dry soft clot h.
Follow ing sim ple cleaning, furt her prot ect ion and aest het ic enhancem ent can be obt ained t hrough t he applicat ion of a st able, hard furnit ure polish, such as a hard past e w ax. The hard wax surface can be dust ed m ore easily because it will be m ore sm oot h, and t he dust w ill not be im bedded in it as it w ould in an unw axed surface. Waxing need only occur infrequent ly because t he w ax it self is not readily rem oved and it does not degrade chem ically. Waxing t oo oft en can result in a built - up, clouded surface.
This sim ple approach avoids t he problem s creat ed by popular m et hods of " furnit ure polishing" - such as sprays and oily polishes - t hat m ay result in cum ulat ive dam age t o furnit ure. Many polishes and residues cont inue t o be a vexing problem for furnit ure
conservat ors, as t hey can build up over t im e and w it h num erous applicat ions, t rapping and adhering airborne dirt ont o t he surface.
Cle a n in g Uph olst e r y
Dust ing upholst ery can be accom plished by a vacuum cleaner. Place a soft screen on t he surface t o prevent any snagging or abrasion from t he vacuum t ip, and using a brush at t achm ent , carefully vacuum t he surface.
St ains and ot her dam age t o upholst ery should be referred t o an upholst ery or t ext ile conservat or for furt her t reat m ent .
M e t a l H a r dw a r e
One never- ending concern of furnit ure caret akers is for t he hardware, including handles, bracket s, hinges and escut cheons at t ached, usually wit h nails, t o t he out er surface of a piece. The m et al in hardware m ight be brass, silver, gold- plat ed bronze, depending upon t he st yle, dat e and count ry of origin. Cont em porary hardware at t achm ent s som et im es have a clear lacquer finish t hat gives t hem a shiny appearance. Ant ique hardware is also
som et im es coat ed by rest orers and conservat ors t o elim inat e t he need for const ant polishing. There is current ly a lot of debat e in t he conservat ion field as t o whet her m et al hardware should be lacquered or polished. Neit her is an opt ion if t here is evidence of an original varnish or if abrasive polishing w ould rem ove som e ot her original surface t reat m ent .
Furnit ure hardware m ay becom e dirt y and t arnished wit h use and exposure t o t he at m osphere. I n such cases, polishing it can be j ust ified. How ever, even t his st ep is som et im es a poorly inform ed one. One com m on exam ple of t he dam age is creat ed by polishing hardw are supposed t o be brass, when it is really gilded bronze t hat is sim ply dirt y. Polishing rem oves t he gold, dam aging t he surface of a beaut iful sculpt ural elem ent .
I f you choose t o polish, rem ove t he hardware from t he piece, not ing t he exact locat ion of each screw and nut . Polishing t he hardw are while on t he piece dam ages t he surrounding finish and also allow s polishes t o run beneat h t he hardware t hat can furt her dam age bot h t he m et al hardware and t he finish.
Clean hardware carefully wit h a 50/ 50 m ix of acet one and alcohol t o rem ove any dirt and oil residue, scrubbing t he piece wit h a soft brist le brush. Aft er drying, t he surface can be polished wit h a fine, lint - free clot h of felt block charged wit h a very fine abrasive, such as calcium carbonat e or j ew eler's m icr o polish, in an alcohol or m ineral spir it s slurry.
Com m ercial polishes can cont ribut e t o t he det eriorat ion of t he hardware, as t hey frequent ly cont ain harsh cleaners t hat corrode t he m et al.
I f t he hardware cannot be rem oved safely from t he furnit ure it can be polished and coat ed on t he obj ect provided t he following precaut ions are scrupulously follow ed. First , t he surface of t he w ood and varnish m ust be com plet ely prot ect ed. Acet at e sheet s, such as t hose found in office supply st ores, can be not ched and slid under t he hardware from bot h sides t o form an overlapping barrier. Wit hout t his precaut ion, at t em pt s t o polish t he hardw are w ill likely end in disast er.
Aft er polishing, rem ove all residues. The surface of t he hardware t hat has been rem oved from t he furnit ure can be easily coat ed wit h a t ransparent resin before t he hardware is replaced on t he piece. Part icular care m ust be used in applying any coat ing when t he
hardware cannot be rem oved, t o m ake sure t hat no prot ect ive varnish for t he hardware get s on t he furnit ure piece it self.
Re upholst e r in g
One final considerat ion of m aint enance is reupholst ering. Upholst ering, by definit ion, alw ays causes som e dam age t o t he fram e from t he t acks and nails driven int o it . I f repeat ed oft en enough, t he dam age from t radit ional upholst ering m et hods is event ually dest ruct ive t o t he obj ect .
A new field in furnit ure conservat ion - m inim ally int rusive upholst ery - is dedicat ed t o
developing alt ernat ive upholst ery m et hods t hat elim inat e or dim inish t he dam age caused by using nails and t acks. For a descript ion of t hese alt ernat ive m et hods, see Upholst ery
Conservat ion, list ed in t he bibliography at t he end of t his booklet .
Sum m a r y
Preserving t he furnit ure cont ribut es t o t he fut ure underst anding of our part icular m om ent in hist ory. Furnit ure preservat ion is not always exot ic specialized act ivit ies by " expert s," but is m ore oft en t he result of careful use and m aint enance. I n m any inst ances t his care is
Appe ndix
Fu r n it u r e Polish e s
There are several fact ors t o weigh when deciding t o use polishes and w axes on furnit ure and ot her wooden obj ect s. One crit ical fact or is t hat t he ingredient s in com m ercial polishes and cleaning product s are rarely disclosed. Moreover, t hese ingredient s can be, and
frequent ly are, changed w it hout w arning or not ificat ion. These ingredient s m ay be harm less or harm ful t o t he furnit ure ( and t o you) and you have no w ay of know ing in advance.
Polishing product s are available in t hree form s: aerosol ( spray) ; liquid; and sem isolid. Here is a quick look at t heir benefit s and drawbacks.
Ae r osols ( Spr a y Polish e s)
Aerosols ar e convenient . However, t hey have been am ong t he worst offenders in int roducing silicone oils and ot her cont am inant s ont o furnit ure. I n addit ion, t hey m ay cont ain solvent s t hat at t ack varnishes and lacquers. While som e of t he " dust ing" aerosols appear t o be benign when applied t o a clot h and not t he piece of furnit ure, t he result is sim ilar t o using a dam p, clean dust clot h.
Liqu ids
Like aerosols, liquid polishes are easy t o use. There are t wo prim ary form s of com m ercial liquid product s for " furnit ure care" : em ulsion cleaner or polishes and " oil t ype" polishes. Em ulsion polishes are waxes, oils, det ergent s, organic solvent s, and ot her m at erials suspended in w at er for ease of applicat ion. These product s can be ext rem ely powerful cleaners t hat leave a desirable sheen on t he surface. However, t he visual effect usually dim inishes as t he liquid dries. Moreover, like aerosols, em ulsion polishes can int roduce cont am inant s ont o t he furnit ure, but because t hey are liquids t hey place m uch m ore volum e t han sprays on t he furnit ure surface.
Oil polishes are even m ore t roublesom e. Much like em ulsion polishes, oil polishes can be a com plex blend of ingredient s including oils, w axes, perfum es, colorant s, " cleaners," and organic solvent s. They can render ext rem ely pleasing surfaces and are used frequent ly as final finishes by t hem selves. How ever, oils used as polishes or cleaners can be very dam aging.
Nondrying oils ( paraffin, m ineral, and " lem on oil," w hich is usually m ineral oil w it h colorant s and perfum es added) t end t o be m ore benign t han drying oils, but even so som e oil rem ains as a liquid on ( or in) t he obj ect . Dust and ot her airborne cont am inant s readily st ick t o w et surfaces, especially oils. But nondrying oils don't undergo chem ical react ions or direct ly dam age t he furnit ure.
Drying oils, on t he ot her hand, such as linseed, t ung, or walnut oil, are a different m at t er alt oget her. These m at erials solidify, or " dry" t hrough a chem ical react ion w it h t he air called oxidat ion. Over t im e t his react ion m akes t hem increasingly difficult t o rem ove. Their
perm anence is fine if t he oil is em ployed as t he finish, but not good if it is used as a m aint enance polish. By it self, having a polish t hat is difficult t o rem ove w ould be an
yellow and in t he presence of acids t hey are chrom ogenic ( becom e Colored) , t urning a dark, m uddy brown or opaque black.
Tradit ionally, cleaning and polishing concoct ions com prised of linseed oil, t urpent ine, beeswax, and vinegar ( acet ic acid) were widely used even in t he m useum field unt il recent ly. They t urned out t o be a disast er w ait ing t o happen. The result s of t heir use are readily apparent t o even t he casual observer: a t hick incrust at ion of chocolat e- colored goo t hat is neit her hard enough t o be durable nor soft enough t o w ipe off easily. The furnit ure is left w it h an unsight ly coat ing t hat is very difficult t o rem ove w it hout dam aging t he
underlying surface.
Se m isolids
By virt ually any m easure sem isolid polishes are t he least dam aging t o w ooden obj ect s. Frequent ly called " past e waxes," t hese product s are act ually a very concent rat ed solut ion of w axes. Provided t he ingredient s do not include undesirable cont am inant s like silicone or high concent rat ions of dam aging organic solvent s such as alcohol, xylene, or t oluene, past e waxes are an excellent polish for t he surfaces of m ost wooden obj et s. Because waxes are exceedingly st able and don't cause m any of t he problem s inherent in t he previously m ent ioned polishes, t hey are t he m at erial of choice for furnit ure conservat ors and ot her caret akers of furnit ure and wooden obj ect s. But past e waxes have t heir fault s t oo: unfort unat ely, t hey require t he m ost act ive cont act w it h t he surface of t he furnit ure, and also need t he m ost physical labor for proper applicat ion. Buffing out a w ax polish can be very hard work, and in general, t he bet t er qualit y t he wax, t he harder t he buffing t hat is needed. However, t he result s and benefit s t o t he furnit ure are wort h t he ext ra effort .
Fort unat ely, as t he m ost durable and st able polishing m at erial, past e wax needs t o be applied m uch less oft en t han aerosols or liquids. I deally, w ax polishing should be conduct ed no m ore t han t wice a year for areas of ext rem ely heavy wear ( deskt ops, chair arm s, et c.) and once every t hree or four years for t able and chair legs, cabinet s, and sim ilar areas.
Se le ct e d Bibliogr a phy
Gill, Kat hryn. " Upholst ery Conservat ion." Papers Present ed at t he Wooden Art ifact s Group, New Orleans, 1988. Washingt on, D.C.: Am erican I nst it ut e for Conservat ion, 1988.
Landrey, Gregory and Helen St et ina. " The Care of Period Hardware." Fine Woodworking # 75, March/ April 1988: pp. 70- 71.
McGiffin, Robert F. Furnit ure Care and Conservat ion. Nashville, TN: Am erican Associat ion of St at e and Local Hist ory , 1983.
St ory, Keit h O. Approaches t o Pest Managem ent in Museum s. Washingt on, D.C.: Conservat ion Analyt ical Laborat ory, Sm it hsonian I nst it ut ion, 1985.
Thom son, Garry. The Museum Environm ent ( 2nd edit ion) . St oneham , MA: But t erwort hs, 1986.
