Vintage furniture, lovingly restored

If you have some tired old furniture lying around, why not see if we can make it fabulous again!

We offer a repair and restoration service for most types of wooden vintage furniture. Our restoration process involves stripping the old finish, sanding to remove any scratches or stains, colouring the wood if required and finally re-finishing the piece in a modern, ecologically-friendly finish. We typically use oils or waxes for finishing (available in a range of tints and sheens), although we can also paint furniture on request.

before shot - worn, dark coloured chest of drawers — Before – drab

after shot - restored chest of drawers in a natural oak finish — After – fab! Full strip and refinish

before shot - worn out rocking chair with a broken arm and broken cane seat — Before – arm and cane broken

After shot - restored rocking chair with new cane seat — After – repaired, stripped and refinished, new cane

We can also work with pieces with metal, plastic or rush/cane elements. We can do simple fabric coverings, such as seat covers, but do not offer a full upholstery service. We can work with local upholsters if your piece combines wood and fabric.

We do not offer services typically offered by antiques restoration companies, e.g. french polishing, retouching and scratch removal. We can work with antique pieces, but will still offer the full strip and refinish service described above – if you require any sections of your piece to be left with their ‘patina’, please let us know.

Pricing: We charge by the hour for a restoration, as each piece is different and can bring up its own challenges. Before agreeing to begin a restoration we will provide an estimate of total cost, including materials. We aim to estimate on the high side so that there are no surprises, and will update you as we go along if there have been any unforeseen problems. We will never carry out any work without updating you on the likely cost. All being well, the restoration should end up being cheaper than quoted.

Collection/delivery: If you are unable to bring your piece to our workshop yourself we can arrange collection and delivery. The cost of this will depend on your location, the size of the item and where it is to be collected from – e.g. if it requires two people. We will discuss this cost with you when you contact us for an estimate.

Get in touch with us for a chat or estimate for your piece. Below are some examples of our restorations.

before shot - scuffed brown chest of drawers — Before

after shot - revitalised brown chest of drawers — After – stripped and refinished

After - strip, refinish, upholster — After – stripped, refinished, new seat cover

before shot - chipped orange chair — Before

After shot of orange chair, following strip, refinish, upholster — After – stripped, refinished, upholstered

Before shot of a chest of drawers with its veneer ruined — Before – veneer ruined

After shot of chest of drawers with its veneer removed, sanded and refinished — After – veneer removed, sanded and refinished

Before shot of wooden frame chair with round seat — Before

After shot of round seat chair following ebonising and waxing — After – ebonised and waxed

Before shot of broken shelving unit with glass doors — Before

After - shelves fitted with reclaimed glass doors, painted, lighting added — After – shelves fitted with reclaimed
glass doors, painted, lighting added

Before - a sideboard saved from the tip! — Before – saved from the tip!

After - the sideboard painted with a new top and doors — After – painted with a new top and doors

After - coffee table following strip and refinish — After – strip and refinish

Before - an old storage box from someone's shed! — Before – from someone’s shed!

After - made into a storage box on casters — After – made into a storage box on casters

Before - water damaged glass front shelving unit — Before – with water damage

After - shelving unit with complete refurb with new shelf and ply sliding doors — After – complete refurb with new shelf and
ply sliding doors

Before - a treasured family table with damaged surface — Before – a family treasure

After - cherished family table following strip and refinish — After – strip and refinish

Before - a mouldy chest! — Before – mouldy!

After - the chest following a full refurb and paint — After – full refurb and paint

before - sad unit for hanging clothes and storing umbrellas — Before – sad

After - fab! With new stand and umbrella holder, and brass polished — After – fab! With new stand and umbrella
holder, and brass polished

Before - coffee table with damaged surface — Before

After - strip and refinish — After – strip and refinish

Before - a storage unit with cupboard and shelves — Before

After - storage unit following strip and refinish — After – strip and refinish

Before - a storage chest needed repair — Before – needed repair

After - storage chest following strip and refinish — After – strip and refinish

Before - dismantled storage unit — Before – dismantled

After - storage unit repaired, stripped and refinish — After – repaired, stripped and refinish

Before - bed frame with veneer damage — Before – veneer damaged

After - bed frame following strip and refinish, veneer repaired — After – strip and refinish, veneer repaired

After - white table stripped and painted — After – stripped and painted

Before - white chest of drawers — Before

After - chest of drawers following strip and refinish, with painted sections — After – strip and refinish, with painted sections

Before - bureau with ruined veneer — Before – veneer ruined

After - bureau after veneer removed, strip and refinish with ebonised sections — After – veneer removed, strip and refinish
with ebonised sections

Before - cupboard with extensive woodworm damage — Before – extensive woodworm damage

After - cupboard having been repaired and painted, with changes made to door and customer fixings attached — After – repaired and painted, with changes
made to door and customer fixings attached

Before - damaged rush seat rocking chair — Before

After - rush seat replaced, back repaired — After – rush seat replaced, back repaired

Before - table with damage to top — Before

After - table following strip and refinish — After – strip and refinish

Before - tile topped table, dark, sagging and wobbly — Before – dark, sagging and wobbly

After - tile topped table following strip and refinish, repaired and reinforced, re-tiled — After – stripped and refinished, repaired and
reinforced, re-tiled

After - corner chair repaired + new rush seat — After – repaired + new rush seat

Before - broken cane — Before – broken cane

After - new cane seat — After – new cane seat

Before - chest of drawers with battered varnish — Before – battered varnish

After - chest of drawers following strip, stain and refinish — After – strip, stain and refinish

Before - bench with rotten wood, chipped paint — Before – rotten wood, chipped paint

After - bench following new reclaimed wood slats, paint stripped and resprayed — After – new reclaimed wood slats,
paint stripped and resprayed

Before - table with fading, scratched finish — Before – fading, scratched finish

After - table with new, light coloured finish — After – new, light coloured finish

Before - mid century coffee table — Before – mid century coffee table

After - restored table almost like new — After – almost like new

Before - chest with drawers and cupboards — Before

After - chest following repair, strip, refinish — After – repair, strip, refinish

Before - varnished table — Before – varnished

After - table following deeper finish — After – deeper finish

In progress - ornate bureau undergoing paint stripping — In progress – paint stripping

After - ornate bureau with paint removed but original patina left intact — After – paint removed but
original patina left intact

hello@woodandsteele.co.uk