Furniture Medic Restores and Reupholsters Water Damaged Vintage Sofa
Water can be a source of significant damage in homes and buildings, whether from a flood, leak, or overflow. The reason water can cause serious damage is because it can get absorbed into porous building materials and furnishings which puts these materials at risk for warping, staining, rotting, structural damage, and mold growth. Furniture is especially susceptible to water damage because the wood, upholstery, and padding or cushions are all porous and will quickly absorb water.
When furniture is affected by excess water or flooding, it may experience serious damage. Moisture can cloud the finish, damage veneers, destroy adhesives, penetrate the wood, ruin cushions and padding, and stain upholstery fabric. Water damaged furniture is also at risk of mold growth which can quickly lead to permanent damage. If water damaged wood furniture is not restored right away, the damage to the wood and upholstery may become irreversible.
At Furniture Medic by MasterCare Experts, we were recently contact by a water damage restoration professional to restore a vintage sofa that had been damaged in a water loss. The water damage compromised the original finish on the wood components of the sofa, broke off the veneers, and damaged the original velvet upholstery. This project called for full furniture restoration of the sofa including stripping and refinishing of the wood, fabrication of the veneers, and complete reupholstery. Our craftsmen at Furniture Medic by MasterCare Experts are experts when it comes to wood furniture refinishing and reupholstery and we took the project knowing we could fully restore this vintage sofa.
Water damaged wooden sofa before restoration
Disaster Wood Furniture Refinishing and Restoration
The wood that formed the frame of the vintage sofa was significantly damaged by the water. The wood stain and finish were compromised and needed to be removed for refinishing. The first thing we had to do was completely remove the existing finish and original color from the wood on the sofa. We were able to preserve the original character and ornate designs of the wood by carefully stripping all of the existing finish and original color by hand.
Once the original finish and wood stain was removed, our craftsmen duplicated the missing veneers by hand and attached them to the wood frame. After re-attaching the veneers, we color matched the new stain to the original wood stain to restore the original appearance of the wood frame. We offer a range of different wood stains and colors for refinishing furniture and we provide color matching to match the original color of antique and vintage pieces like this sofa. The wood frame of the sofa was stained by hand to match its original appearance and a clear coat of satin finish was applied for protection.
As you can see in the “before” and “after” picture, the original color and wood stain was replicated to preserve the original look and character of the piece. Our wood furniture stripping and refinishing services consist of the following steps:
- Complete stripping of the original stain, paint, and finish
- Hand sanding to remove the finish, stain, and paint from intricate designs
- Repair of minor surface damage and blemishes including dents, stains, watermarks, and scratches
- Color matching to match the original stain, paint, or finish of the piece
- Application of the water-based factory stain by hand
- Application of the finish in our spray booth
Water damaged wooden sofa after restoration
Furniture Reupholstery
The next step after the stripping and refinishing of the wood frame of the sofa was to replace the stuffing and upholstery. The original velvet upholstery was stained and damaged by the water and it needed to be removed. We removed the damaged upholstery as well as the stuffing and foam that had also been damaged by the water. We then re-tied the old springs as needed and installed the new cushion. The new blue velvet upholstery was chosen by the customer and installed over the new cushioning. Two new accent cushions were made to go with the new upholstery and a coordinating gimp was installed around the perimeter of the new fabric.
At Furniture Medic by MasterCare Experts, we are known for our wood furniture refinishing and restoration work, but we are also experts when it comes to reupholstery. Furniture upholstery can become worn out over time and it is highly vulnerable to damage from water, smoke, and mold. Having your furniture reupholstered will restore the original comfort and appearance of the furniture. You have the option of new upholstery to match the original look of the furniture, or you can choose new upholstery to change its look like our customer did in this case.
Disaster Furniture Restoration
It is very common for furniture to experience damage from water as materials such as wood, padding, and upholstery are porous. In many cases, the damage from water can become permanent if the damaged furniture is not restored quickly. In this case, we were able to save and restore the wood frame of the vintage sofa, but the water had ruined the upholstery. However, we were able to reupholster the sofa and give it a fresh look.
We can take care of the following when restoring furniture affected by water damage:
- Cloudiness caused by moisture trapped under the finish
- Finish that has separated from the wood is stripped and the piece is refinished
- Cracking, splitting, and delamination of the wood
- Swelled or expanded composite materials are re-veneered
- Water stains are stained to match existing color and finish
We are happy that we were able to salvage this vintage sofa and give it new life with fresh upholstery. The customer will be able to continue to use this sofa for years to come. If you have furniture ruined by water, fire, or smoke, our experts at Furniture Medic by MasterCare Experts can likely salvage your furniture with our disaster furniture restoration services. You can reach us by calling (630) 653-3131 or send us your project through our Submit Your Project feature.
