StretchLearn Course

Rescue Real Furniture, From Wobbly Wreck to Heirloom

Wood and finish identification, stripping, joint and veneer repair, staining, and durable finishing, taught the way restorers actually work.

Preview Curriculum Back to Catalog

Beginner9 hr 45 minSelf PacedRegistered

Course Overview

What this course is designed to develop

This course takes a tired, wobbly, or damaged piece of furniture and walks it through the full restoration arc: diagnosis, stripping, surface repair, color, and a lasting finish. You will learn how professionals identify wood species and existing finishes, re-glue chairs with hide glue, flatten and patch lifted veneer, and choose correctly between varnish, oil, and wax. No software or design tools are required, just furniture, hand tools, abrasives, and finishing materials, plus the judgment to know when to restore and when to leave the patina alone.

Learning Outcomes

What the learner should be able to understand, build, or execute.

Identify common furniture wood species and date a piece from its joinery and hardware

Test and identify an existing finish with solvents, then choose strip, refinish, or revive

Strip old finish safely with chemical, heat, and abrasive methods and dispose of waste correctly

Sand through a correct grit progression to 180 or 220 without leaving scratch marks or flat spots

Repair loose mortise-and-tenon joints and re-glue chairs using reversible hide glue

Flatten, patch, and re-glue lifted or missing veneer and fill losses invisibly

Apply stain and a durable topcoat in varnish, wipe-on oil, or wax to a smooth, even finish

Curriculum Preview

Inside the curriculum: a structured path from fundamentals to execution.

Preview the course structure, see how the modules build on one another, and understand the path this program is designed to take you through.

Module 1

Module 1: Reading the Piece: Wood, Finish, and Whether to Restore

Before you touch a single tool, learn to identify the wood, date the piece, test the existing finish, and make the restore-versus-refinish decision that protects value.

3 lessons

Identifying Common Furniture WoodsContent · 45 min

Preview Enabled

Dating a Piece from Joinery and HardwareContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Testing and Identifying the Existing FinishContent · 50 min

LMS Access

Module 2

Module 2: Stripping and Surface Preparation

Remove old finish safely and bring the wood to a clean, smooth, even surface ready to accept color and a topcoat.

3 lessons

Chemical, Heat, and Abrasive StrippingContent · 50 min

LMS Access

Sanding Through a Correct Grit ProgressionContent · 50 min

LMS Access

Cleaning, Reviving, and the No-Strip RefreshContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Module 3

Module 3: Structural and Veneer Repair

Make the piece sound again: re-glue loose joints, fix breaks and chairs with reversible hide glue, and flatten, patch, and fill veneer.

3 lessons

Re-Gluing Loose Joints and ChairsContent · 50 min

LMS Access

Working with Hide Glue and Reversible RepairsContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Flattening, Patching, and Filling VeneerContent · 55 min

LMS Access

Module 4

Module 4: Color and Finish: Staining, Topcoats, and Distressing

Lay down the look and the protection: stain or dye for even color, a durable topcoat in varnish, oil, or wax, and optional distressing for an aged look.

3 lessons

Staining and Dyeing for Even, Controlled ColorContent · 50 min

LMS Access

Choosing and Applying a Topcoat: Varnish, Oil, or WaxContent · 55 min

LMS Access

Distressing and Aging for an Authentic LookContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Built for Application

A complete learning path, not a one-off inspiration hit.

This program is designed around progression: focused lessons, structured modules, applied resources, assessments, and a course rhythm that turns information into usable capability.

furniture restorationwood refinishingveneer repairhide gluewood stainingfinishingantique furniturewoodworking