Antique Appliance Restoration Process

Once your antique arrives at our facility, or you've chosen a stove or refrigerator from our very large selection of Unrestored Stoves and Refrigerators, your vintage appliance gets every attention to detail. Our 100 Point Restoration process begins with a complete photographing of the stove or refrigerator from every angle, inside and out, behind and underneath if necessary. The unit is then carefully dismantled with each part cataloged and tagged. Further photos are taken when necessary for specific units depending on uniqueness and complexity of design. Once the unit is completely dismantled, all old insulation is discarded. Electrical wiring is diagramed and inspected. 

Now your restoration project is split into two different stages: exterior refinishing and internal parts refinishing. If the exterior finish is porcelain, in the case of virtually all stoves and some refrigerators, every precaution is taken to preserve the original surface. Small chips or damaged areas of porcelain are repaired using professional acrylic enamel surface repair products. Minor scratches or abrasions are best left untreated as they lend to the authenticity of the vintage appliance as well as enhance its natural beauty. When porcelain cabinets or panels are severely abraded or damaged, they are removed and sent to a professional porcelain refinishing company where they are sandblasted and re-fired with a new porcelain coating. 

For refrigerators, when the cabinet (exterior shell) finish is originally a painted surface, the cabinet and all associated panels are sandblasted to remove not only years of dirt and debris, but often times layers and layers of paint where the item may have been painted different colors. It is very common to find refrigerators that were painted with the most current decorating color from past decades (pink or turquoise in the 1950's, avocado green in the 1960's and harvest gold or coppertone brown in the 1970's). Once the cabinet has been cleaned to the original metal surface, we begin repair work. This includes removing dents, repairing rusted or corroded areas, and in worst cases, actually fabricating a replacement panel or section of the appliance. When the body work is complete, the cabinet and all panels are sprayed with two coats of industrial primer to seal and protect the metal from future deterioration. The painting process involves the application of up to 6 coats of solvent based enamel paint. Although the most common color for appliances, prior to the 1950's, was white, we will gladly color match to suit your decorating needs.

While all of the cabinet restoration is being performed, the detailing crew is hard at work refinishing each and every component of the appliance. All cabinet hardware, shelving, controls, knobs, logos, etc., are refinished by hand with the utmost attention to detail. Chrome hardware is cleaned and buffed. If upon inspection of the hardware, it is determined that the original finish is discolored or too corroded to use, the item is sent to a professional re-plating company to be re-plated. Many times, the lettering on control knobs or clock faces has been worn away from years of use. Our painting experts, meticulously, re-letter these pieces by hand. Gas valves for gas ranges are disassembled and cleaned, then reassembled with gas valve grease for a “like new” control operation. Thermostats for stoves are inspected and sent off for rebuilding when necessary. Damaged plastic or fiberglass door liners on refrigerators are repaired with fiberglass repair products and epoxy resins. Many times we have to completely refashion severely damaged door liners.

Refrigeration systems are closely inspected and determined to be either re-useable or replaced. Our refrigeration specialist are AHAM-NARDA certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and are qualified to either overhaul and re-use the original refrigeration system or, when necessary, refit the refrigerator with a new refrigeration system using new environmentally friendly refrigerants.

After the external and internal restoration takes place, all of the parts are layed out and the reassembly process begins.  Each stove and refrigerator, with a few exceptions on specific units, receive new internal insulation. All of the original electrical wiring and components are inspected, and any material determined to be unsafe is replaced with new. Because the original wiring is typically a better grade wire, as a general rule we do not replace all of the wiring unless it is necessary for safety concerns. External power cords are always replaced.  As refrigerators are reassembled, they receive a new, custom door gasket.  The new door gasket in conjunction with the new insulation, insures a positive airtight seal for the appliance. These features create a super insulated cabinet that result in an extremely energy efficient machine.

The final assembly process addresses the fine-tuning of cosmetic as well as operational details. The re-assembled appliance is carefully inspected for door alignment, levelness, ease of drawer, control knob and shelf operation, as well as finished surface appearance. The appliance is then connected to the proper power source and tested for performance. Refrigerators are allowed to operate for a full 10 days with temperatures and running times being monitored on a regular basis. Gas and electric stoves are connected to their respective power sources and tested for effective heating and consistency of oven temperatures. Calibration adjustments are made to ensure the appliance operates at an optimum performance level when it reaches its new home. Gas stoves are converted and set for natural gas or propane gas, depending on the requirements of the owner. Oven safety control valves are installed on all restored vintage gas stoves. For electric stoves, we re-calibrate each oven and burner control. In the event that we are unable to use a switch or control that was original to the appliance, we seek out the most suitable new replacement part, or new, old stock if it is available then refit the original knob to the new control to ensure a proper cosmetic finish. One last detail cleanup takes place and final photos complete our process. Prior to shipment, pickup, or delivery we draw up a "Use & Care Guide" for each project inclusive of any specific directions or suggestions that we noted as we restored the appliance. A copy of this guide is given to each client and one is kept in the project file here in our office. Some clients want to see the journey their vintage treasure takes as we give it new life. As such, we're happy to take detailed photos throughout the restoration process and create a photo CD for you upon request. (Please know that additional charges apply for this service.)

Our complete restoration process is a labor intensive effort. The average vintage refrigerator takes approximately 84 hours to restore. The average time spent on gas or electric stoves involves some 78 hours of work. Although, we have undertaken projects that required as many as 140 hours to complete, each appliance we restore is a piece of our American heritage and fully deserving of our attention. Therefore we take the time necessary to give you the final project that you expect. As each appliance we restore is different, the above process includes the general steps each project will go through. We're happy to discuss the details of your project's restoration with you, so please feel free to contact us with any questions that you have.

As of March 2008, we have approximately 120 antique appliances under contract for restoration. At this time, our turn around time for restoration of antique and vintage stoves and refrigerators is/was 20 months for refrigerators, 27 months for gas stoves and 10 months for electric stoves. For an updated restoration schedule, please contact our office. If you can't wait, be sure to check our “Featured Items” section as periodically we have a few items that has been restored and are available for immediate shipment.

We pledge to restore your vintage appliance, whether it be a family heirloom or one you have selected from our inventory, with the utmost attention to detail. Your satisfaction is our satisfaction.