Know-How

Restoring your Mid-Century Furniture

August 3, 2025

At Zander & Co, we’re passionate about thoughtful and sympathetic furniture restoration. We don’t believe in painting over beautiful old timbers or coating pieces in thick, glassy finishes that erase their character. To us, restoration is about preserving the integrity of a piece while giving it a new life for modern living.

Over the years, we’ve restored hundreds of pieces of mid-century furniture, particularly Parker Furniture, and one of the questions we’re asked most often is how we approach restoration. I wanted to share some of the things I’ve learned along the way, what to look for, what to avoid, and the kinds of damage or wear that can become major headaches later on.

Restoring Parker Furniture: What To Do (And What To Avoid)

Since its very beginnings, Parker Furniture has become synonymous with quality Australian furniture.
People often come into the showroom sharing stories about their family homes or grandparents’ homes, where the Parker pieces
were always considered the “good furniture”.

Parker represented quality craftsmanship and families often purchased it for its status value within the home.
Some families bought entire Parker lounge suites with matching dining tables and chairs, carefully protecting and maintaining
them over decades.

We love how much shared history Australia has with Parker and other major mid-century manufacturers such as Chiswell,
FLER and Tessa.
Beyond the nostalgia, Parker furniture is genuinely well made. The clean Scandinavian-influenced design, quality materials and solid construction are why these pieces are still around today.

Should You Restore Parker Furniture Or Keep It Original?

If a piece is in good condition, we generally prefer to preserve the original finish. Old finishes develop a beautiful depth and patina over time and often create a durable protective surface.
That said, every piece is different, and the decision to restore or preserve is very personal.

Some of our clients love the lighter honey tones revealed when old finishes are removed. Others prefer the darker patina, marks and wear that reflect the history of the piece.
Because Parker furniture is veneered, every full restoration removes a tiny amount of material. Each time a surface is sanded, the veneer becomes slightly thinner, making future restorations more difficult.

Solid timber components such as Blackwood chair frames and bases can generally tolerate multiple restorations if done skilfully.

For many people, scratches, dents and wear are part of the charm. They show authenticity and separate original Parker furniture from newer Scandinavian-style reproductions.

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What We Avoid When Purchasing Mid-Century Furniture

When purchasing mid-century furniture, there are three things we generally avoid:

1. Bubbling Or Water Damage
Pieces with swelling, bubbling or raised areas caused by water entering the substrate are extremely difficult to properly repair without replacing the veneer entirely. Once moisture reaches the particle board or plywood beneath the veneer, it can permanently distort the surface.

2. Sanded Through Veneer
We also avoid pieces that have been aggressively over-sanded or where the veneer has been burnt through to the substrate underneath. Once veneer has been sanded through, the piece generally cannot be restored again without replacing the veneer entirely.
This most commonly happens around edges and corners during DIY restorations.

3. Pieces Treated With Howard Restor-A-Finish
We’re cautious of pieces that have been “restored” using Howard Products Restor-A-Finish or similar products.
While these products can work well for minor touch-ups on certain pieces, in our experience they can create problems on some mid-century finishes, particularly when a full restoration is later attempted.
They can be difficult to fully remove and may leave an uneven or oily surface that complicates sanding and refinishing.

How To Restore Parker Furniture

Cleaning & Assessment

Every restoration begins with a thorough clean. Over decades, furniture can accumulate waxes, smoke residue, grime and old cleaning products that hide the true condition of the piece.

Once cleaned, we assess the furniture for veneer damage, loose joints, sun fading, water damage and previous restoration work. This stage helps determine whether a piece can be lightly restored or requires more significant repairs.

Veneer Repairs & Sanding

Mid-century furniture is often finished in very fine timber veneer, which requires a careful approach. Sanding too aggressively can permanently damage a piece, particularly around edges and corners.

Where needed, we repair chipped or lifting veneer before carefully sanding the surface to even out wear, remove old finish and prepare the timber for refinishing.

Finishing

We prefer finishes that preserve the natural warmth and texture of the timber rather than creating a thick glossy coating.

For most Parker furniture, we use hard wax oil finishes that provide durability while still allowing the timber grain and character of the piece to remain visible.

Every piece presents different challenges. Some require only light restoration, while others may have extensive water damage or previous repairs that complicate the process. Many of the techniques we use today have been developed through years of restoring mid-century furniture.

We’ll share a more detailed look into our restoration process in an upcoming journal post.

And finally, one of the questions we’re asked most often: how do you know if a piece is worth saving?

Parker produced furniture from the 1950s through to the 1980s, and while some pieces are highly collectible, others are simply good functional furniture. We often see unrealistic expectations around value simply because a piece carries a Parker label.”

Ultimately, furniture doesn’t need to be rare or highly valuable to be worth restoring. If a piece functions well, suits your home and is something you genuinely enjoy living with, then restoration can absolutely be worthwhile.

If you’re considering restoring or reselling your Parker furniture, we’re always happy to offer advice, appraisals and restoration assessments. Feel free to get in touch.

We hope this guide helps you better understand what goes into restoring mid-century furniture and how to approach buying vintage pieces with confidence.

- Amelia
Zander & Co.