Wooden furniture restoration · Germany

Restoration and repair of wooden furniture.

Riverhearth House documents how solid wood tables, cabinets and chairs are restored: reviving worn finishes, replacing aged hardware and carrying out the basic repairs that keep everyday pieces in use across German households and workshops.

Updated June 1, 2026 · Based in Berlin

A restorer working on a wooden piece at a bench
A conservator at a workbench. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

What restoration covers

Three areas of work on older furniture.

Most restoration on domestic wooden furniture falls into a few recurring tasks. The notes below describe each in plain terms, without promising any specific outcome for a given piece.

Surface revival

Cleaning built-up grime, easing water rings and re-amalgamating old shellac or lacquer so the original finish reads evenly again, before any decision to strip and refinish.

Hardware fitting

Removing, cleaning and refitting hinges, escutcheons, handles and drawer runners. Original brass is often reused; replacements are matched to period and screw spacing.

Basic repair

Re-gluing loose chair joints with reversible hide glue, laying down lifted veneer and filling small losses so a piece is sound enough for daily use.

Articles

Practical notes on restoration and repair.

Each article focuses on one task, with the materials involved, the order of steps and the points where caution matters most on antique or veneered work.

Cabinet making and furniture restoration bench work

Restoring Worn Surfaces

Cleaning, reviving and refinishing, and how to tell which a given surface actually needs.

Read the article
Wooden cabinet with drawers and carved handles

Replacing Hardware

Matching hinges, handles and runners on older German cabinetry without altering the carcass.

Read the article
Veneer patching with a repair scrap

Basic Repair Methods

Re-gluing joints and laying lifted veneer so everyday furniture stays in service.

Read the article

Contact

Send an enquiry or reach us directly.

The form below is a front-end demonstration: it validates your entries in the browser and confirms receipt locally. It does not send or store data on a server.