Our Blog
5 Tips for Preserving Furniture in Storage
February 13, 2019 04:27:26pm
Furniture that is not stored correctly can become damaged while in storage. Before moving your fine furniture to a basement, garage, or offsite storage unit, check out our tips to help ensure your dining room table and chairs, chest, dresser, antique chair, and other furniture stays in great shape.
- Determine the best place for storage. Be sure first and foremost that the storage unit is climate controlled. Here in humid, warm northeast Florida, it is especially important that your furniture is not stored in rooms or areas that are damp and hot, or where the temperature can fluctuate greatly. The area you decided on for storing your favorite furniture should be monitored for moisture, protected against flooding, and should have safety measures in place to prevent break-ins.
- Clean the furniture. Wipe away all dust and cobwebs, and be sure to clean away excess body oil from areas such as the arm rests of chairs. Make each item as clean as possible, otherwise the dust, oils, and debri can settle into the fibers of the material and degrade or damage it over time. You might also choose to treat certain materials. For example, depending on the type of wood used in your antique wood furniture, as well as its condition, you might choose to apply a high quality oil, or ideally, to have a good professional wood refinishing service clean and repair the furniture before it is placed in storage.
- Disassemble furniture. It’s often recommended that you take apart furniture items, when possible, at least partially. For example, unscrew the legs from dining room tables and chairs, and detach the mirror from on top of the dresser, etc. This will allow you to wrap individual pieces, if necessary, and configure all items in storage in the best possible way. Put screws, bolts, locks and keys in a small plastic bag and keep it near the furniture in order to make the furniture easier to reassemble when the time comes.
- Wrap or protect furniture. Smaller glass items or mirrors should be wrapped in packing paper and then in bubble wrap or put into a box. Sharp edges of furniture can scratch other items or get broken off in transit or storage, and therefore should be wrapped in moving quilts or packing paper. You can even choose to loosely drape a covering over furniture to simply protect it from sunlight or dust. However, be sure you do not use plastic wrap when covering furniture even loosely, as this can create condensation, mildew, and a host of other conditions that can cause great damage to your furniture.
- Raise your furniture off of the floor. It’s also highly recommended that you raise your furniture off of the floor using cinder blocks, planks, or palettes so that your items are protected should the area flood unexpectedly. You might choose to line the floor of the storage area with plastic. This can seal moisture away from your furniture.
Jax Furniture Refinishing & Upholstering is the best furniture refinishing service to trust with your treasured pieces. We specialize in restoring furniture to its original splendor, whether it is an antique dining room set you recently got out of storage, a contemporary coffee table that was damaged, or your family’s favorite sofa that is in need of a facelift. We serve clients throughout the First Coast in downtown Jacksonville, Mandarin, Southside, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, and more. Call on us for your refinishing, restoration, or reupholstery project, and you’ll love the results!
