Uncovering Forgotten Past of this 150 year old Antique | Furniture Restoration
JRut Studio
31,105 views
Learn professional wood restoration techniques to bring old furniture back to life. See how sanding wood properly creates a smooth, rich surface.
This demonstration covers the complete process of preparing a large wooden slab for a new finish. Whether you are working on a damaged tabletop or a weathered project, you will see exactly how to remove imperfections and apply oil or stain for a professional-grade appearance. This guide is designed for hobbyists looking to improve their woodworking skills and achieve better results on their DIY wood projects.
By following these steps, you will learn how to handle wood finishing with confidence. We focus on the essential sanding wood stages required to prepare the grain, followed by the application techniques that maximize the natural beauty of the material. Proper woodwork repair relies on patience and the right methods, which are detailed clearly throughout the restoration steps shown here.
Videos that helped me prepare to repair
Bubble in Veneer - The Fix with Jory Brigham
Repairing Buckled Veneer - Thomas Johnson ...
Wood Finish Identification & Finish Repair...
How to Match Stain and Wood Finish | Woodw...
10 Furniture Restoration Basics You Should...
Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:26 How I came about this desk
03:34 The Desk
04:39 Secret Compartment
05:28 Disassembly
06:13 Knobends
06:26 150 Years of Gunk
07:49 Repairing the Top Veneer
09:06 Removing the bottom shelf
09:40 Repairing the bottom shelf
10:17 Wood Repair Tip
11:20 Advice for First Time Restorers
13:15 Sanding Tip # 1
14:09 Sanding Tip # 2
16:15 Sanding Tip # 3
16:52 New Tool Day
19:13 Saving this Walnut from its plastic tomb
20:37 Mysterious Hardware Holes Uncovered
21:00 Restoration Safety
22:57 Sanding Tip # 4
23:30 Finishing the Top
25:51 Making Shop Sawn Veneers
26:36 Tips for removing old veneer
29:18 We've go a real lead!
31:06 Staining the legs
33:15 My Biggest Regret
34:52 Fixing uneven Drawer Stops
35:25 Major Breakthrough!
35:59 Repairing Stripped out Drawer Knob
36:41 Getting the perfect sized drawer liner
37:20 The Reveal
20 Comments
I clicked on your video because it looks like a square grand piano my dad and I bought in the mid-70s. It was hand-carved rosewood, and I fell in love with it. I had some money saved towards a trip to England when I graduated high school, but I used that money to buy the piano and Dad made up the difference. It travelled from Indianapolis to Idaho in a refrigerated meat truck from the company my dad worked for that just happened to be in the area. The neighbors were standing around trying to figure out what it was when friends unloaded it from the truck. About thirty years ago, I donated it to BYU-Idaho’s music department, and I think it’s still in the entryway to their fine arts building.
I’m looking forward to seeing what you do with it. (If you do paint it white, I’m clicking the dislike button 😂)
Uncovering Forgotten Past of this 150 year old Antique | Furniture Restoration
JRut Studio
31,105 views
Learn professional wood restoration techniques to bring old furniture back to life. See how sanding wood properly creates a smooth, rich surface.
This demonstration covers the complete process of preparing a large wooden slab for a new finish. Whether you are working on a damaged tabletop or a weathered project, you will see exactly how to remove imperfections and apply oil or stain for a professional-grade appearance. This guide is designed for hobbyists looking to improve their woodworking skills and achieve better results on their DIY wood projects.
By following these steps, you will learn how to handle wood finishing with confidence. We focus on the essential sanding wood stages required to prepare the grain, followed by the application techniques that maximize the natural beauty of the material. Proper woodwork repair relies on patience and the right methods, which are detailed clearly throughout the restoration steps shown here.
Videos that helped me prepare to repair
Bubble in Veneer - The Fix with Jory Brigham
Repairing Buckled Veneer - Thomas Johnson ...
Wood Finish Identification & Finish Repair...
How to Match Stain and Wood Finish | Woodw...
10 Furniture Restoration Basics You Should...
Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:26 How I came about this desk
03:34 The Desk
04:39 Secret Compartment
05:28 Disassembly
06:13 Knobends
06:26 150 Years of Gunk
07:49 Repairing the Top Veneer
09:06 Removing the bottom shelf
09:40 Repairing the bottom shelf
10:17 Wood Repair Tip
11:20 Advice for First Time Restorers
13:15 Sanding Tip # 1
14:09 Sanding Tip # 2
16:15 Sanding Tip # 3
16:52 New Tool Day
19:13 Saving this Walnut from its plastic tomb
20:37 Mysterious Hardware Holes Uncovered
21:00 Restoration Safety
22:57 Sanding Tip # 4
23:30 Finishing the Top
25:51 Making Shop Sawn Veneers
26:36 Tips for removing old veneer
29:18 We've go a real lead!
31:06 Staining the legs
33:15 My Biggest Regret
34:52 Fixing uneven Drawer Stops
35:25 Major Breakthrough!
35:59 Repairing Stripped out Drawer Knob
36:41 Getting the perfect sized drawer liner
37:20 The Reveal
In the mid-1800s, piano design changed significantly with the introduction of stronger iron frames, higher string tension, overstringing, and more efficient upright and grand designs. Earlier square and cabinet pianos quickly became outdated. Because their cases were substantial pieces of fine cabinetmaking, often made from expensive imported woods, many were later repurposed into desks, tables, and sideboards.
The wood also appears to be Brazilian rosewood, which was commonly used on higher-quality 19th-century pianos. It is particularly recognizable by its rich reddish-to-chocolate brown colour, dramatic dark, almost black veining, and irregular “spider-web” or landscape-like grain.
I’d date it around 1840, based on its styling and details.
Great job bringing it back to life!