Cost

What furniture refinishing costs

We quote per piece, not from a list. Here is what actually moves the number.

In short Furniture refinishing is quoted per piece rather than from a price list, because the work varies more than the furniture does. What drives the number is the size of the piece and how much surface there is to finish, the finish being applied, how much of the existing finish has to come off, whether there is damage — structural or veneer — to repair before finishing can start, and whether color has to be matched to other pieces. Our workshop gives a free estimate from photographs, and storage is available during a project for a fee if you need the piece out of your space.

What drives the price

Size and surface area

A dining table has many times the surface of a side chair, and most of the work is surface work — stripping, sanding, and finishing all scale with area.

The finish being applied

Finishes differ in how many coats they need and how long each has to cure before the next. A sprayed lacquer, a catalyzed commercial topcoat, and an oil finish are three different amounts of work.

How much has to come off

A piece whose existing finish is sound enough to scuff and recoat is a much smaller job than one that has to be stripped back to bare wood.

Damage and repair before finishing

Loose joints, lifting veneer, and other damage all have to be repaired before any finish goes on. Structural repair is separate work that happens first.

Color matching

Matching an existing color and sheen — so one repaired piece disappears into a set — takes testing and staged build-up that a straightforward refinish does not.

Quantity and consistency

A full set or a commercial inventory has to end up identical across every piece, which changes how the work is sequenced and sampled.

Common questions about cost

Why not publish a price list?

Because it would be misleading. Two dining tables of the same size can be very different jobs depending on the finish on them now, whether the joints are sound, and what you want them to look like at the end. A list would either be so wide as to be useless or so narrow as to be wrong for most pieces.

Is the estimate free?

Yes. Send photographs and a description of what you would like, and we will come back with an estimate and our recommendations. There is no charge for that and no obligation.

What photographs should I send?

The whole piece from a couple of angles, any damage close up, and — if you can — a drawer pulled out or the back panel, which show what the piece is actually made of. Those tell us more than a single flattering photograph.

How long will it take?

It varies by piece and by what the work involves, so we will not quote a general figure. The estimate for your piece will include a realistic timeframe for that specific job.

Do you offer storage?

Yes, for a fee, during a project. It is most often useful when a property is phasing work in batches or when a piece needs to be out of a room for longer than the work itself takes.

Is restoring cheaper than replacing?

Often, when the comparison is against a new piece of the same construction quality rather than against the cheapest item of a similar shape. Sometimes it is not, and when a piece is not worth restoring we say so.

Free estimate

Send photos of your piece and we'll tell you what it takes.

Request an Estimate