RecruitingVRMRF

Furniture Restoration for a Vintage Reseller

Restore a batch of vintage furniture pieces for resale.

Furniture Restoration for a Vintage ResellerPhoto: Tima Miroshnichenko / PexelsTool Restoration · 1 Month
CategoryTool Restoration
DifficultyBeginner
Time1 Month
Commitment4 hrs/week
TypeTeam
LocationOn-site · Bristol
Team4 people
ScheduleFlexible, async-first

The Brief

What you'd be taking on

Restoration of 3–5 vintage furniture pieces to a resale-ready standard. The reseller has stock sitting unsold due to condition issues. Unrestored stock is tying up shop space and capital.

The Programme

100 tasks across six phases

Every phase below carries its own tasks and the line that decides when each one is done. Nothing is left to interpretation.

Discovery

Get inside the problem before touching the work: scope, constraints, and who you're building for.

What you need coming in

  • Beginner-friendly
  • Able to attend on-site sessions
  • Comfortable with hands-on work
  • Willingness to commit 3–5 hours per week
Discovery tasks10
  1. 001Read the full project brief and note why the reseller's stock is sitting unsold.Done whenSummary written in your own words.
  2. 002Visit the Bristol shop and view the unrestored stock with the reseller.Done whenSite visit completed and notes taken.
  3. 003Agree with the reseller which 3–5 pieces are in scope for restoration.Done whenPiece list confirmed in writing.
  4. 004Ask the reseller what resale-ready means, including target price for each piece.Done whenQuality expectations logged per piece.
  5. 005Walk around each piece and note visible faults: wobble, water marks, missing hardware.Done whenInitial fault list recorded per piece.
  6. 006Confirm the on-site workspace, access times and storage space with the reseller.Done whenWorkspace arrangements confirmed in writing.
  7. 007Clarify the materials budget and who pays for consumables with the reseller.Done whenBudget confirmed in writing.
  8. 008Agree team roles: project lead, site crew, health and safety, and documentation.Done whenRoles assigned and logged.
  9. 009Set up the Slack channel and Trello board and invite the team and the reseller.Done whenBoth tools live with all members added.
  10. 010Write a one-page scope summary and share it with the reseller for sign-off.Done whenScope summary approved.

Research

Gather the evidence the decisions will rest on.

The objectives to work against

  1. Assess condition of each piece
  2. Restore to resale standard
  3. Photograph before and after
  4. Complete within 4 weeks
Research tasks15
  1. 011Identify the wood and construction of each piece from grain, joints and weight.Done whenMaterial noted per piece.
  2. 012Check each piece for maker's marks, labels or stamps and research its likely era.Done whenEra and any maker recorded per piece.
  3. 013Research when restoration adds value and when original patina should be preserved.Done whenKeep-or-refinish note written per piece.
  4. 014Compare stripping methods (chemical, sanding, heat) and note which suits each piece.Done whenPreferred method noted per piece.
  5. 015Research lead paint risk on older painted pieces and source a test swab kit.Done whenTest kit chosen and risk note written.
  6. 016Research finish options (wax, oil, shellac, lacquer) and shortlist one per piece.Done whenFinish shortlist written.
  7. 017Research repair techniques for the faults found: loose joints, lifting veneer, dents.Done whenTechnique notes written per fault type.
  8. 018Research period-appropriate replacement hardware sources for any missing fittings.Done whenSupplier shortlist saved.
  9. 019Check whether any piece needs upholstery or caning work and decide if it is in scope.Done whenScope decision logged with the reseller.
  10. 020Research the PPE needed for stripping, sanding and finishing work.Done whenPPE list written.
  11. 021Check Bristol council rules for disposing of chemical stripper waste and used rags.Done whenDisposal route documented.
  12. 022Price the likely materials list across two or more suppliers.Done whenCost comparison saved.
  13. 023Collect 10 reference photos of well-shot vintage furniture listings.Done whenReference folder created.
  14. 024Research a simple photo setup (light, backdrop, angles) achievable at the shop.Done whenPhoto setup notes written.
  15. 025Share the research summary with the reseller and note any early reactions.Done whenReseller feedback logged.

Planning

Split the work, pick the tools, agree the dates.

Who does what · 4 roles

Project Lead

Coordinates the on-site team and schedule.

Project management, communication · 4 hrs/week

Site Crew

Carries out the hands-on physical work.

Practical/hands-on skills · 5 hrs/week

Health & Safety Lead

Checks the work meets basic safety standards.

Attention to detail · 2 hrs/week

Documentation Lead

Photographs and logs progress for the record.

Photography, note-taking · 2 hrs/week

Tools the team runs on

NotionSlackGoogle WorkspaceTrello
Planning tasks15
  1. 026Create a condition report template covering structure, surface, hardware and pests.Done whenTemplate saved in Notion.
  2. 027Complete a condition report for every in-scope piece.Done whenAll reports completed.
  3. 028Decide the treatment route per piece: clean and wax, repair first, or full refinish.Done whenTreatment plan written per piece.
  4. 029Agree with the reseller which pieces keep their original patina.Done whenPatina decisions confirmed in writing.
  5. 030Write the full materials and PPE shopping list and check it against the budget.Done whenList costed within budget.
  6. 031Order or buy all materials, consumables and PPE.Done whenEverything purchased and receipted.
  7. 032Write a risk assessment for the stripping, sanding and finishing work.Done whenRisk assessment signed off by the team.
  8. 033Plan the workspace layout: dirty zone, finishing zone, drying area and ventilation.Done whenLayout sketch agreed.
  9. 034Build a week-by-week schedule that allows for glue and finish drying times.Done whenSchedule shared with the team.
  10. 035Load the Trello board with per-piece cards for every restoration stage.Done whenBoard populated.
  11. 036Write the resale-ready quality checklist the reseller will sign against.Done whenChecklist agreed with the reseller.
  12. 037Write a shot list for the before-and-after photos of each piece.Done whenShot list saved.
  13. 038Agree how rework will be handled if a piece fails the quality check.Done whenRework process agreed.
  14. 039Set the weekly check-in agenda and the progress-logging routine.Done whenFirst check-in booked.
  15. 040Walk the reseller through the full plan and get written go-ahead to start.Done whenGo-ahead received in writing.

Execution

The build. Most of the hours on this project live here.

Skills you'll practise here

Project ManagementTeamworkProblem SolvingPhysical CoordinationCommunicationTime Management
Execution tasks40
  1. 041Set up the workspace: dust sheets, ventilation, tool station and first aid kit.Done whenWorkspace ready and photographed.
  2. 042Assign each piece an ID label and open its progress log.Done whenAll pieces labelled and logged.
  3. 043Shoot the full before photo set: all angles plus close-ups of every fault.Done whenBefore set captured for every piece.
  4. 044Test all painted surfaces with lead swabs before any sanding or stripping.Done whenResults logged per piece.
  5. 045Deep-clean every piece with a suitable cleaner to reveal its true condition.Done whenAll pieces cleaned.
  6. 046Re-inspect after cleaning and update each condition report with new findings.Done whenReports updated.
  7. 047Remove hardware, drawers and doors; bag and label the fixings by piece.Done whenAll fixings bagged and labelled.
  8. 048Check for active woodworm (fresh frass) and treat any affected piece.Done whenTreatment done or absence confirmed.
  9. 049Re-glue the loosest joints first: clean out old glue, apply fresh, clamp square.Done whenFirst joints clamped and curing.
  10. 050Work through the remaining structural repairs, clamping each overnight.Done whenAll joints solid after cure.
  11. 051Glue down lifting veneer and patch any veneer losses.Done whenVeneer repairs completed.
  12. 052Steam out dents and treat water marks and rings.Done whenMarks removed or noted as character.
  13. 053Strip the old finish from the refinish pieces, wearing the agreed PPE.Done whenRefinish pieces stripped.
  14. 054Neutralise and wash the stripped surfaces per the stripper instructions.Done whenSurfaces neutralised.
  15. 055Dispose of stripper waste and used rags via the documented route.Done whenWaste disposed of safely.
  16. 056Fill cracks, holes and losses with colour-matched filler.Done whenFills flush and dry.
  17. 057Sand the stripped pieces through the grits, 120 to 240, always with the grain.Done whenSurfaces smooth and scratch-free.
  18. 058Vacuum and tack-cloth every surface, then inspect under a raking light.Done whenDust-free surfaces confirmed.
  19. 059Test stain on a hidden area of each piece before committing.Done whenTest patches approved.
  20. 060Apply stain where planned and wipe back evenly.Done whenStain even with no lap marks.
  21. 061Apply the first finish coat to the first refinish piece.Done whenFirst coat on and drying.
  22. 062De-nib between coats and build the remaining coats across all refinish pieces.Done whenFinal coats applied.
  23. 063Revive and wax the clean-and-wax pieces, then buff.Done whenWaxed pieces buffed to agreed sheen.
  24. 064Run a mid-point check against the quality checklist and log gaps on Trello.Done whenGap list on the board.
  25. 065Host the reseller for a mid-point look at progress and note reactions.Done whenFeedback logged.
  26. 066Action the reseller's mid-point feedback on colour, sheen or detail.Done whenChanges made and logged.
  27. 067Clean and polish the original hardware without stripping its age.Done whenHardware cleaned and set aside.
  28. 068Buy and fit period-appropriate replacements for any missing hardware.Done whenReplacements fitted and matching.
  29. 069Refit hardware, drawers and doors; wax the runners so drawers glide.Done whenEverything refitted and moving freely.
  30. 070Check each piece sits level; trim or pad the feet and add felt pads.Done whenNo wobble on a flat floor.
  31. 071Clean out the drawer interiors and treat any musty smell.Done whenInteriors clean and odour-free.
  32. 072Apply the final wax or topcoat to every piece and allow a full cure.Done whenFinal coats complete.
  33. 073Do a final once-over: remove glue residue and touch up any misses.Done whenTouch-ups complete.
  34. 074Measure every piece and record dimensions and approximate weight.Done whenMeasurements logged per piece.
  35. 075Stage and shoot the after photo set, matching the before angles.Done whenAfter set captured for every piece.
  36. 076Edit the photos and pair before and after shots with consistent file names.Done whenPaired set organised in the shared folder.
  37. 077Write a short listing description per piece: era, materials, work done, dimensions.Done whenDescriptions drafted for every piece.
  38. 078Compile a restoration log per piece listing repairs made and products used.Done whenLogs complete.
  39. 079Deep-clean the workspace and store leftover materials safely.Done whenWorkspace returned to order.
  40. 080File all documents and photos into the agreed shared folder structure.Done whenFolder complete and tidy.

Quality Assurance

Check the work against the standard before the client ever sees it.

How the founder judges done

  • Pieces meet resale condition
  • Reseller approves final quality
  • Delivered within timeline
QA tasks10
  1. 081Inspect every piece in daylight against the resale-ready checklist.Done whenChecklist scored per piece.
  2. 082Test every drawer, door, hinge and lock for smooth operation.Done whenAll moving parts pass.
  3. 083Stability-test each piece under load and check it again on a flat floor.Done whenNo movement or creak found.
  4. 084Check all finishes under raking light for runs, misses and dust nibs.Done whenDefect list written.
  5. 085Have the safety lead check for sharp edges, splinters and loose fixings.Done whenSafety check signed off.
  6. 086Confirm the finishes are fully cured with no lingering solvent smell.Done whenCure confirmed on every piece.
  7. 087Fix everything on the defect list and re-check each fix.Done whenDefect list cleared.
  8. 088Ask a teammate who did not restore each piece to review it with fresh eyes.Done whenPeer review completed.
  9. 089Check the photo set is complete, sharp and correctly paired for every piece.Done whenPhoto set verified.
  10. 090Verify each restoration log matches the work actually done.Done whenLogs verified accurate.

Delivery & Reflection

Hand it over properly, then write down what the team learned.

What the client walks away with

Resale-ready pieces with before-and-after documentation for the shop's marketing.

Handed over

  • 3–5 restored pieces
  • Before-and-after photo set
Delivery tasks10
  1. 091Agree a handover date and time with the reseller.Done whenHandover booked.
  2. 092Move the pieces to the shop floor using blankets and two-person lifts.Done whenAll pieces moved undamaged.
  3. 093Walk the reseller through each piece: work done, products used, care advice.Done whenWalkthrough completed.
  4. 094Write a one-page care guide per finish type for the reseller to give buyers.Done whenCare guides handed over.
  5. 095Hand over the photo set, descriptions and restoration logs in the shared folder.Done whenHandover pack delivered.
  6. 096Fix any snags the reseller raises during the handover.Done whenSnag list cleared.
  7. 097Get written confirmation that all pieces meet resale condition.Done whenApproval received in writing.
  8. 098Return tools and unused materials and confirm the workspace is left clean.Done whenSite signed back over.
  9. 099Hold a team retrospective: what went well and what to change next time.Done whenRetro notes saved.
  10. 100Submit the completed project for credential review and close it out.Done whenProject marked complete.

FAQs

Common questions

Is this project paid?

No — RogueBoard projects are unpaid. What you earn is real experience, portfolio evidence, and a verified reference.

Can beginners join?

Depends on the role — check the Difficulty rating and each role's required skills above. Several roles on this project are beginner-friendly.

What if I miss a meeting?

Let your Project Lead know in advance where possible. One missed check-in won't remove you from the team, but consistent attendance is expected.

Can I leave early?

You can step back from a project, but try to hand off your work cleanly so the team and the credential process aren't disrupted.

Will I receive a reference?

Yes — completing your role to the agreed standard earns a verified RogueBoard credential and a reference you can point employers or clients to.

VRMRFFurniture Restoration for a Vintage Reseller
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