A customer came to me with antique Captains’ chairs that were in need of some love. The leather was greenish and the beautiful cherry wood was covered with layers of dark red lacquer. Basically, they reminded me of some chairs you’d see in your grandparents’ house that you know were very expensive and weren’t allowed to touch. My customer was going to be using these chairs on a stage while filming a performance, so they need to be camera ready.
A LITTLE HISTORY ABOUT CAPTAIN’S CHAIRS
Captain’s chairs are called so because this was the style of chair sea captains had in their quarters. These chairs are known for being sturdy, yet having simple frames constructed from cherry wood and comfortable, genuine leather seats. Restoring them is a way of preserving a little piece of history.
THESE CHAIRS WERE A PERFECT CANDIDATE FOR REFINISHING
One of the reasons why these chairs were a perfect candidate for refinishing is because they were made from solid cherry wood 100% genuine leather. Because these chairs were not made from a composite or plywood (like in cheaper furniture), this allowed me to use heavy duty strippers, sanding and scraping without ruining the integrity of the furniture. The genuine leather also withstood some clean up and conditioning.
So now you get all of the rich grain and characteristics of the wood. Had it been made from cheaper construction, this refinishing would have been impossible. The best option for those types would be to just slap some paint on it.
