I decided this is the week to begin work on the linen press… the sun is shining and there is no chance of rain!

The overall condition of the wood wasn’t too bad but there were certainly bits of veneer falling off and a couple of front strips that had come off altogether (although thankfully they had been left inside the furniture). Oh, and a small case of woodworm that needed treating.

The first thing to do was give the draws and box frame a good clean with a damp cloth and a bit of elbow grease; after that I used wood glue, clamps and masking tape to fix back the veneer. Having left the glue to dry overnight, I then waxed everything so that the wood was better protected and shone.

The drawers also needed cleaning inside as there was a warn blue lining in each made of paper. I used a similar method to removing old wallpaper while trying not to make the wood too wet. I am very happy with the result; the wood has a zebra-like grain running through it which makes for an interesting effect! SCH