How to restore, rejuvenate & rehydrate Mid-century furniture

How to restore, rejuvenate & rehydrate Mid-century furniture

The Mid-century modern style is as popular as ever, and based on how the style has remained popular over the years, it’s obvious that it’s here to stay. But how do we ensure the furniture physically survives the next few decades? You may think your worn and dry teak furniture needs a full restoration to return it to its former glory, but usually all it needs is some rehydration, and we have just the product for that.

Why doesn’t the finish on mid-century furniture last?

You may be wondering why rehydrating your mid-century furniture is necessary in the first place, and to put it simply, mass production is responsible for the finish that is commonly found on the MCM classics that we love today. French Polish was very popular until the 1930s-1940s, but the process was time consuming and impractical for the increasing speeds of production during the time. As a result, oiled and thin wearing lacquer furniture quickly gained popularity, resulting in the thousands of amazing MCM designs we see today.

Although the matt finish looked great on teak, it simply didn’t last. Chemical cleaning products can dissolve the finish over the years, exposing the bare timber and reducing the lifespan of the furniture. Without the extra protection, the timber is exposed to damage from water, food, and scratches, so it shouldn’t stay in this condition for longer that is has to.

Rehydrating & refinishing MCM furniture

There are few ways to fix the problem, but some are easier than others. After 50 years in the industry, we’ve found that the best DIY way of rehydrating the timber is a Beeswax based spray wax. Our beeswax furniture polish spray is made from a mixture of high-quality beeswax and oils, perfect for long lasting rejuvenation and protection. The pressurised spray-can makes application as easy as possible, simply spray on and buff off, repeat as many times as necessary. It’s important the spray wax is SILICONE FREE as silicon-based products will cause complications for future restorations on the furniture.

This product isn’t just for oiled teak finishes, it also cleans, polishes, and restores a huge range of other finishes too. From French polish to polyurethane, the Beeswax spray polish will work wonders as a general cleaning product in your home. Unlike other chemical cleaning products, its slightly solvent characteristics will gently dissolve grease and grime without the risk of damaging the furniture. Don’t just take our word for it, try it for yourself, take advantage of Australia wide shipping with Restorers Choice.