Things to do · Arts and crafts
Learn furniture restoration and French polishing
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
Bringing a tired chest of drawers or a broken chair back to life means learning to repair, strip, colour and polish wood in keeping with its period. Most courses have you bring a piece of your own, so you leave with a new skill and a restored piece of furniture.
Moderate£100 to £500 / $130 to $650MonthsIndoorsWith othersUK and US
What you learn
Restoration is part repair, part finishing. Kent Adult Education's introduction covers writing a condition report, taking the piece apart and stabilising it, repairing or reproducing broken parts, and restoring the surface finish.
French polishing is a traditional hand finish of several coats of shellac worked into the wood, which Fine Woodworking says gives exceptional depth and clarity but suits display rather than hard use. West Dean College's three-day course covers stripping, staining and grain fillers, shellacs, waxes and brush and rubber techniques, and asks students to bring two pieces of furniture, ideally already stripped.
Ways in compared
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| City of Glasgow College | Tuesday evenings, 6pm to 9pm, for 17 weeks (February 2026 run); traditional polishing on a small piece of your own; beginners | £319, plus your furniture and some materials |
| Kent Adult Education, Sevenoaks | Furniture Restoration, Surface Finishing, 25 hours over ten Monday mornings (2025 run); repairs, removing old polish, colour matching and French polishing on your own project | Not shown on the course page |
| North Bennet Street School, Boston | Finishing 101, two days, 8.30am to 4.30pm (June 2026); stains, dyes, glazes, shellac, oils and varnish; no prerequisite; bring a card scraper | $350 |
| Dearborn Community Education, Michigan | Furniture Repair & Refinishing, Wednesday evenings 6.30pm to 8.30pm, September to November 2026; repairs, stripping, stains and finishes on your own pieces | $40 lab fee, paid on the first night |
West Dean College's French polishing course supplies stripping agents, shellacs, rubbers, stains and waxes; its page did not show the fee when last checked. Dearborn asks students to bring their project every week, as there is no storage.
How to start
- Look for a furniture restoration or furniture finishing course at an adult education centre, a further education college or a craft school.
- Choose a small, sturdy piece to work on, such as a small table, a chair or a footstool, and send the tutor a photo before the course if asked.
- Wear clothes you do not mind spoiling and closed-toe shoes, and ask what materials you need to buy.
Where to go
- City of Glasgow College: Furniture Restoring, Polishing UK
- West Dean College: Traditional French polishing and restoration UK
- Kent Adult Education: furniture restoration courses UK
- North Bennet Street School: Finishing 101 (Boston) US
We opened these links on 12 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
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Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
What is French polishing?
A traditional hand finish made by working several coats of shellac into the wood, according to Fine Woodworking. West Dean College teaches shellacs and rubber techniques alongside stripping and staining.
Do I need woodworking experience for a furniture restoration course?
No. City of Glasgow College's polishing course is for beginners, Kent Adult Education's introduction is suitable for beginners, and North Bennet Street School's Finishing 101 has no prerequisite.
What furniture should I take to a restoration class?
Something small and sturdy. West Dean suggests a chest of drawers, a small table or dining chairs, and Dearborn lists chairs, tables, small dressers, footstools and trunks.
What should I wear to a furniture restoration class?
Old clothes or an apron and closed-toe shoes. West Dean also asks for thick chemical-resistant gloves for stripping and sanding.
Where this comes from: City of Glasgow College, Furniture Restoring, Polishing; West Dean College, Traditional French polishing and restoration with Oliver Piepereit; Kent Adult Education, Furniture restoration; Kent Adult Education, An Introduction to Furniture Restoration; Kent Adult Education, Furniture Restoration, Surface Finishing; North Bennet Street School, Finishing 101; Fine Woodworking, A Traditional French Polish; Dearborn Community Education, Furniture Repair & Refinishing (Fall 2026). Opened 12 November 2026.
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