1900's Mahogany Desk Restoration 2023
The Experience
This wonderful piece of furniture came into my possession via donation from a kind stranger on Facebook Marketplace. The man had actually posted some wood storage shelving online that I was interested in. The shelving was free to anyone willing to help move it out of his basement. I was the first to respond. As we loaded the shelving into my trailer, we talked about our woodworking hobbies. After the job was finished, the man brought me into his garage and just started pointing at stuff that he no longer wanted. One of the items was this desk which he said was passed down from his wife's great aunt. After some research I found that the desk was built in Rockford, Illinois by Skandia Furniture Company in the early 1900's. He said it has been sitting in this garage for decades. He had intentions of restoring it, but lost interest in favor of other hobbies. I didn't need another project at the time, but couldn't pass on the opportunity. Even then, it was not difficult to see the beauty within.
The piece sat in the barn for 9 months before I had the energy to start restoring it. It was another 2 months before the piece was fully restored. Like all of my restoration projects, the process was tedious and tested my patience many times. As the various steps were completed I received glimpses of the final product which propelled me forward. I am thrilled with how this piece turned out and am proud to show case it in my home. The rich mahogany and polished brass create a beautiful contrast. Below are some pictures and comments on the process. Enjoy!
The restoration of the hardware was a very satisfying process. The brass pieces unscrewed easily from the drawers. I soaked them in hot water mixed with vinegar for an hour and then took took a beat-up scouring pad to remove most of the tarnish and debris. Next, I sprinkled on Bar Keepers Friend, massaged it in to all the crevices thoroughly and let sit for 15 minutes. I then scrubbed out the cleaner with a wet Magic Erase sponge which brought the hardware back to it's original bright brass color (pictured right). After this, I polished the hardware with Brasso and an old T-shirt. The final result is the bright brass color with a subtle uniform sheen that is soft to the touch.
BEFORE
MIDDLE
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
The most challenging part of the restoration was the counter top. A century of use, UV damage, and improper maintenance had left the top faded and dry. There was also an indelible scratch several millimeters deep blazed across the top. To restore the top, I first filled the scratch with wood filler, then sanded down the entire top (220 grit) to get back to raw wood. At this point the top would accept stain uniformly. I stained the entire top and then gave special attention to the wood filler areas using various stains and feathering to blend. In retrospect, I should have used a darker wood filler which would have saved time in the stain matching process (and probably looked better). I applied at least three coats of stain and even tinted a couple coats with Kona stain to get that deep mahogany color just right. After the stain dried I sanded lightly with 320 grit and applied two coats of matte oil based polyurethane, denibbing between coats. Finally, I applied two coats of Howards Feed and Wax to give the top additional protection and sheen.
BEFORE
MIDDLE
AFTER
The most time intensive part of the project was cleaning and refinishing the drawers. I used Scrubbing Bubbles foaming cleaner along with a rag and razor blade to clean. Once dry, I applied Howard's Feed and Wax inside and out. The restored luster cannot be understated, truly beautiful grain and color. Actually better than new because the originals were unfinished!
The base on the right side was completely separated. Some of the pieces were completely split and needed to be glued and pressed prior to reattaching to the main body. I reattached using wood glue, brad nails and so many clamps.
Most of the legs had moisture damage which causes the wood to swell and contract. This movement in the wood movement leads to widening of the seams. The seams were filled with wood filler, then sanded and stained to match the surrounding grain.
Mahogany stain was applied to the entire piece to fill in any worn, nicked or marred areas. After drying the entire piece was rubbed with a generous coat of Howard's Feed and Wax and bufffed to subtle sheen.