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Restoration of two wood chairs

December 13, 2001

• Received two wood chairs from Paula Little, Sherman, Texas to be restored and used at my drop leaf dining table.

December 14, 2001

• Performed initial inspection to see what work was needed.
  • First chair:
    • Structural problems - minor warping of the rear uprights; loose joints
    • Finish problems - dust and cobwebs; spots of foreign material; nicks and scratches; water stains and dark stains on fiber seat; tobacco odor
  • Second chair:
    • Structural problems - as first chair but with more pronounced warping; missing stretcher
    • Finish problems - as first chair
  • Finish reacts to shellac thinner (alcohol).
  • Wood is rough.
• Composed restoration plan:
  1. Dust
  2. Disassemble
  3. Cleaning
     • rub wood with dry baking soda and borax powder to remove surface tobacco tar and deodorize
     • wash entire piece with warm dilute TSP and bleach to clean, degrease, and deodorize
     • wipe mineral spirits on and off to remove any remaining waxes and oils
  4. Strip finish with alcohol and steel wool
  5. Get replacement stretcher - Brenna?
  6. Fill nicks and scratches
  7. Reassemble
  8. Finish with shellac (best to fill rough spots)
• Dusted. Disassembled. Pulled or drilled out all pegs. Scrubbed wood of first chair with dry baking soda and borax powder.

December 18, 2001

• Mixed 1/3 cup TSP powder, 1 cup chlorine bleach, 1 gallon hot water. Washed wood of first chair, rinsed immediately and dried.
• Scraped paint spots off seat and back.
• Washed with alcohol and steel wool to remove finish.