Furniture Restoration course for all ability levels

With expert tuition you will work at your own pace towards fully restoring your pieces using traditional methods. Once accepted onto the course, you should contact Philip Hodge prior to the start of the course to discuss the actual pieces that you would like to restore. This is not an upholstery course and although simple upholstery tasks may be possible, they do not really come within the remit of this course.

All projects will be discussed as a group & students will learn new skills and techniques such as French Polishing, veneering, and blending repairs, from both their own and other students` pieces as well as tutor demonstrations. As a group we will discuss the problems thrown up by each project. Following expert advice and help from the tutor, each student will then work towards getting their two projects to a finish by the end of the week. While no guarantee can be given that projects will be finished within the week, if they are not over ambitious it should be infinitely possible.

You will learn new skills and techniques both from your own and other people`s projects. The actual details of this will vary according to what repairs are necessary on the pieces brought to the course. However, it would be usual for it to include woodworking repairs, veneer repairs, French polishing, and the blending of repairs. If you are looking to learn particular skills then it is important that you choose projects that would incorporate those elements of restoration.The reason for you having 2 projects on the go is that there may be times when one of the projects is untouchable because of drying glue, polish, etc. So, to save standing around, you will be able to work on your other project.

All tools will be provided by the tutor. If you have any "favourite" tools that you like to use then you are welcome to bring them along (no power tools please). This might also help if by coincidence all students want to perform the same repair at the same time.

Most materials should be available on site or can be ordered. These will be charged at cost to the individual student.