One of the most important things when restoring or refurbishing an old piece of furniture is to preserve as much of the original item as possible.
I am constantly on the lookout for beautiful DIY projects and restorations. And I particularly like restoration projects that keep the piece's integrity intact. So when I saw what one man was able to do to refurbish an old trunk from the 1800s, I was absolutely floored.
I found this project on Instructables from user beanmeasley. His friend's mother had found an old trunk in her basement and asked if he would be able to restore it to its original glory. The trunk was a true historical item, having travelled from London to Boston in 1867 with a family looking to start a new life in America.
This DIY aficionado decided that he would refurbish the trunk, but that his first priority would be using as much of the original materials as he could. What he was able to accomplish is truly impressive!
Please SHARE if you think this refurbished trunk from the 1800s is as amazing as I do.
This skilled DIYer set out to restore this historical trunk to its former glory. He wrote, "On all projects I take on, preserving the originality of a piece is crucial."
No matter what the current deteriorated condition of a piece, "salvage as much original character as possible."
He began by removing the outer "skin" from the trunk. In its current state, the outside was dry and flaking.
He used paint scrapers, putty knives, and a sander "to remove this heavy layer of crusty, dry paper-like material."
And in his effort to remain true to the original trunk, "every single original nail was salvaged." He also used several new nails "for strength purposes, and they were distressed to match the look of the older nails."
"The original metal banding on the front, back, and sides of the trunk was unable to be salvaged, which was too bad. It was too rough, sharp, broken, and too much of a hazard."
He decided to mimic the look and replace the banding with thin strips of pine wood cut in the exact same dimensions.
With a keen eye for detail, he even matched the original decoration with these upholstery pins.
He was able to salvage the metal banding on the corners of the trunk and used Stove Black to restore its color.
To achieve the same original color, he mixed several different colors of stain. "I got a great Mahogany/Cedar/Walnut custom combination stain."
Even the inside needed attention, as the paper lining was cracking and peeling. He replaced the fabric of the walls of the trunk, as well as the fabric on the inside of the lid.
"After many hours, it's finally time to sit back and enjoy the piece of history you have brought life back to." The year may not be 1867 any longer, but incredibly, now we can enjoy the trunk as it was back then!
Please SHARE if you think this refurbished trunk from the 1800s is as amazing as I do.
