Taking Care Of Your Prized Antiques By Benedict Smythe At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Antique furniture is undoubtedly considered as a highly prized possession. Most people view it as something of great value that needs to be showcased and displayed to the eyes of the entire world while still keeping its value as high as ever. The main goal is to keep the antiques from unnecessary scratches and damages that may cause it to loose its beauty and its value in the long run. In this article you will find exactly what you need to keep your antique furniture in tip top shape.

Antiques are amazing pieces of furniture and history, which is why, it is understandable that the first impulse would be to display the object for everyone to see. And what better way to showcase something than to place it in an area flushed with sunlight so that people are easily drawn to admire the object, right? Wrong! It may do wonders for the look of your antique, with the rays of sunlight highlighting its’ best features but the fact is that, direct light can damage the piece. It can lead to damage such as minute cracks and fading of color. The heat from the sunlight can also dry out the material making it prone to damage. So, keep you antique items in a shady room, not necessary a damp and dark one but at least keep it away from the reaches of the sun’s rays.

Humidity is also an important factor when taking care of antiques. The right balance of humidity and heat must be achieved to maintain the integrity of your antique objects. Just think of this: Too little humidity can cause antiques like paintings to dry up and crack, too much humidity on the other hand results in the formation of rust and mold, making a good breeding ground for insects and other critters – something you don’t ever want to see in your antiques. The degree of light and humidity can be easily measured with tools that are readily available in photography and local hardware stores. A light meter can be very helpful in monitoring the degree of light affecting your antiques, while a hygrometer, found in hardware stores, can be used to measure the humidity in the room you are keeping your items. As a rule, the amount of light should be fairly low for antiques and humidity levels should be kept at an ideal 50% to get the most “shelf life” of your antiques.

Temperature is also a very important factor for antiques. Rooms with antique objects should be generally kept at a 64 degree level. This temperature is perfect for antique objects as it is not too high and not too low. There is no need for temperature measurement here, you can go by feel. If you happen to have a room that you have observed as being cooler than the rest of the house, then you can keep your antiques there. When moving your items, move them from areas of varying temperatures gradually. Never shock them by exposing them to quick temperature changes. If you follow these steps, then you are closer to preserving the quality of your items with ease.

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