Refinishing and restoration is a highly specialized field utilizing the talents of artisans who specialize in several trades. Choosing the best company to do the job is a decision not to be made lightly. The decisions you make will have an effect for many years to come.

How much work goes into each project is determined by many factors such as age, construction, joinery, species of wood and lamination, just to name a few. There are always economic tradeoffs.

The value of refinishing and restoration is very subjective, and there are many factors to consider. The question you must ask is, “If we bought the exact same quality woodwork today, how much would it cost compared to refinishing what we have now?” And, when you take into consideration the hidden intrinsic value of your woodwork, the decision gets much more complicated.

Consider the history of your pews. Are they original from the day the building was built?

Also, consider the craftsmanship. Perhaps the pews were handmade by artisans, making each piece unique. The wood is well cured, has less knots and blemishes and probably will not warp unless exposed to extreme conditions.

Furthermore, refinishing or restoring your existing woodwork might improve the overall quality. Joints can be tightened, and modern finishes are more durable and less likely to yellow.

Disassembly
Some items must be worked on fully assembled. Perhaps their construction is such that disassembly will do more harm to the structural integrity of the item than it is worth to repair the damage.

Sometimes, full disassembly will not harm the wood, and reassembly will make it stronger. The disassembly will also make the rest of the job go smoother because the items are easier to handle.

Stripping
Many churches ask us why they can’t just sand down the old finish and put on a new coat. In some instances, you can safely do this, but our experience has shown that the risk of failure of the new finish is too great. The only way to be sure that the new finish will hold up is to strip off the old finish and start over. A finish is only as good as the substrate to which it is bonded. Also, some finishes are incompatible with others and won’t bond at all. Most finish manufacturers will not guarantee a job that has been recoated.

Finishing
A good finisher not only has to have a steady hand, but also needs an eye for color and the ability to learn and understand the chemistry involved with the finish. There are many problems that can arise during the finishing process related to chemical incompatibility with not only the finishes being used but also polishes that may have been used prior to the finishing.

Some species of wood will look better if the grain is filled prior to finishing. Softwood species need to be pre-conditioned prior to staining to prevent blotchiness. When evaluating a bid, it is important to know whether or not the company you are considering is including this in the price.

Glazing is a technique that can enhance the look of the finish and is an extra step. It will cost more to glaze an item, but sometimes it is necessary to hide a problem in the wood and achieve a certain color. Again, is the company you are considering going to do glazing?

Two basic types of finish are stain and clear or pigmented. Stain and clear brings out the natural beauty of the wood, whereas pigmented can be used to hide blemishes or to lighten dark wood. With stain and clear, it is easier to go from light to dark than it is to go from dark to light. Attempting to do so will be more costly and may not be successful. If your budget does not allow for this, but you want to go lighter, consider a pigmented finish with glazing for effect.

There are different quality finishes from which to choose. The three main types of finish are lacquer, pre-cat lacquer and conversion varnish. Each has its own place in the world of finishing.

Lacquer is an inexpensive finish that has a “close to the wood” look. It comes in a variety of sheens and colors from clear to black. It does not wear as well as some other finishes. Lighter colors have a tendency to yellow over time.

Pre-cat lacquer is similar to regular lacquer but has been modified to better withstand chemicals, moisture and wear. It is slightly more expensive than regular lacquer. It touches up nicely.

Conversion varnish is in the same family as the other two finishes but does not contain nitrocellulose. This finish is recommended for bright whites and lightly colored wood. Although the material is not as expensive, its “pot life” is short, making the application more labor intensive.

Touching up the various finishes presents different problems. The more durable the finish, the harder it is to touch up and is less forgiving of mistakes in the finishing process.

Pricing
Some general rules of thumb for pricing are:
1. Is the item to be stripped, painted or varnished?
2. If painted, what kind of paint is it?
3. If painted, was it painted over raw wood or over varnish?
4. Is it flat or does it have fancy carving?

Every job is unique, and there is no way to price a job completely sight unseen. However, with good pictures and measurements, many companies can price a job without having to go to the site.

Steven P. Shultz is the owner of Shultz Refinishing.