Antiques and their Care Tips

An antique is something that is old but has great value because of aesthetic or historical reasons pertaining to it. Antique are generally more than 100 years old. Antiques that have their original finish intact are often of greater money value. If the original finish is lost an antique becomes less valuable since this is only factor that makes it an antique. An antique which is in the identical shape as it was in the past would fetch good money. If any rework is done on an antique for design purposes its originality is lost completely.

While buying an antique you must buy something that looks unique and is not necessarily cheap. If it is a good piece it could be a sensible investment in case you ever want to sell it in the market in future. Once the antique is delivered at your place there are a few tips how you can take care of it's originality for years to come.

If your antique is something made in wood you may follow the steps for its care as described below. Wooden artifacts are susceptible to damages from sun, termites, scratches, liquids, wax, etc. Since we are using the artifact to showcase or store our household items they are bound to come in contact with all types of things. Care needs to be taken to maintain its polish at regular interval of time.

Placing the antique is the most important part of its maintenance. The question of where to place the antique in your house should be given a lot of thought. Wooden antiques can damage if exposed to a lot of humidity. An area where air is quite fresh must be opted for the antiques placement. Humidity leads to expansion and contraction within the wood causing it to loose its finished look. It also degrades the quality of wood. Sunlight can cause equal harm to a wooden antique. Take into account both these factors before deciding a suitable place for the antique.

Termites are a common problem with wooden antiques. Termites are wood beetle which are capable of eating away the wood making it brittle and porous. If your antique is affected with termites the only solution is to dry them during winters (when the sun is not so hot) as a lot of sunlight could harm the antiques finish.

Make it a practice to make use of cloth mats and coasters when making use of wooden antiques for household purposes. This will help to minimize the surface damages caused due to scratches or spilled liquids and wax onto the surface of the antique. Minor damages caused due to these can be taken care of but if the problem is grave then you will require some professional help. It is advisable to use it carefully then to indulge in any repairs.

If you take good care of your antiques they will serve you for more number of years. You should not mishandle them just like any other furniture of your house. They are work of art and need to be given special care time and again. Even while you move a antique don't just drag it. This will make its foundation loose and will not last long.