Services & rates
What we do at the bench — and roughly what it runs.
The prices below are honest starting points for a typical piece in sound shape. The moment we see veneer loss, old glue repairs or a tabletop someone already sanded through, the number moves — which is why we quote in person.
On the bench
The full list.
Strip & refinish
Chemical stripping, grain-filling where it is needed, stain match, then a hand-rubbed oil, shellac or conversion-varnish topcoat.
From $385 / piece
Antique repair & joinery
Re-gluing loose joints, replacing broken rails and stretchers, dutchman patches and honest structural fixes.
From $75 / repair
Veneer & inlay
Lifting and blistered veneer re-laid, missing sections patched in matching stock, marquetry made whole again.
Quoted per piece
Hand-caning & seat weaving
Hand-woven cane, pressed-cane spline, Danish cord, rush and splint seats on chairs, rockers and settees.
Hand-cane from $0.95 / hole
French polish
Traditional shellac French polish for fine pieces — the deep, soft glow you cannot get from a spray gun.
Quoted per piece
Color match & touch-up
Burn-in fills, color matching and in-home touch-up for dings, heat rings and the odd dog-chewed leg.
From $60
Chair re-gluing (sets)
The classic: a set of dining chairs that all wobble. We take them apart, clean the joints and glue them up square.
From $45 / chair
Pickup & delivery
Cannot fit the armoire in the car? We pick up and deliver across greater Grand Rapids and most of West Michigan.
From $35 each way
How a piece moves through the shop
Five steps, no surprises on the invoice.
1 · Look & quote
We inspect the piece together, flag anything hidden, and write a clear estimate before anything happens.
2 · Disassemble & strip
Hardware off, joints opened where needed, old finish removed by the gentlest method the wood will take.
3 · Repair & re-glue
Joinery re-glued, breaks mended, veneer and surface damage made right and leveled.
4 · Finish by hand
Color matched, sealed and built up in thin coats, then rubbed out to the sheen you asked for.
5 · Fit & return
Hardware back on, drawers waxed to glide, and a final once-over before you pick up or we deliver.
Materials & the fine print
What we put on your furniture.
We finish with shellac, tung and linseed oils, waxes and — where a piece has to stand up to daily abuse — a catalyzed conversion varnish. Our shellac flakes and lacquers come from suppliers like Mohawk Finishing Products, and we pick up abrasives and shop supplies from Woodcraft.
On painted pieces built before 1978 we follow lead-safe work practices under the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Program. If your piece falls in that window we will walk you through it.
One honest caveat: some finishes — milk paint, certain old lacquers, water-rotted veneer — do not come back the way people hope. We will tell you the realistic outcome before we start, not after.
Not sure which of these your piece needs?
That is what the free estimate is for. Send photos or bring it by — we will tell you honestly.
Request an estimate