Frequently Asked Questions

Fine Art Restoration Company is a leading art conservation studio covering a wide range of disciplines. Our expertise covers paintings, paper, ceramics, decorative objects, furniture and more.

As well as serving many influential private clients from across the world, Fine Art Restoration Company is the studio of choice for royalty, public institutions, influential businesses and insurance companies.

Fine Art Restoration Company serves clients across the United States and internationally.

When art is restored professionally by a trained conservator, it is repaired and preserved to maintain its original artistic quality, historic integrity and cultural value. 

We restore art and decorative objects in the same way a museum or gallery would in their workshop. This means it is approached with minimal intervention, sympathetic levels of retouching and a result that is safe and suitable for ongoing preservation.

A fine art conservator is a qualified professional who restores art with technical and preservation-focused treatments. Conservators each have their own specialisms depending on their training. Our team consists of paper, object, frame and easel painting conservators.

To become a conservator you must hold a degree in the subject, usually to a Masters level of qualification. We do not employ untrained art restorers, as we believe that all art should be repaired following modern conservation practices. Art conservation is a science-led field that requires years of dedication and a deep understanding of chemistry, art history, technical analysis and material structure.

Whilst art restoration is a phrase that focuses on repairing damage, we complete this with conservation treatments to ensure a safe result that prevents further deterioration. Art conservation aims to preserve an artwork or object, as well as repair it.

A damaged painting requires swift restoration to avoid further deterioration, this includes tears, creases, cracks and losses to the paint layer. An easel painting or work on paper may also be suffering from discolouration, mould growth or disturbances from a flood or fire. Objects like figurines may require restoration following an accidental break, loss of features or staining.

Fine Art Restoration Company provides 11 core services in the field of art restoration, conservation and antique repairs:

Oil Painting Restoration 

Our experts work with an extensive range of conservation methods to clean and repair damage to oil and acrylic paintings on canvas and panels. We can also provide a new frame to protect and enhance your artwork.

Paper Conservation

Works on paper are at risk from tears, holes, mould, insects, foxing and staining. Our team is on hand to clean, restore and conserve watercolours, prints, maps, posters, documents and more.

Miniature restoration

Delicate miniatures can be restored with precision and glass can be replaced in a bespoke size. We can restore miniatures on paper, ivory, vellum enamel, wood, copper or unusual substrates. 

Furniture restoration

Our team of specialist craftsmen are highly skilled in antique furniture restoration and conservation. We can re-finish wooden furniture, as well as repair broken areas and decorative details. Ceramics and decorative objects

We can stabilise cracks, restore broken pieces and recreate missing areas on a wide range of ceramic and decorative objects including porcelain, terracotta, wood, marble, alabaster, ivory, stoneware and modern sculptures.

Memorabilia

Whether it’s a much-loved poster or unique prop, our team can help you to restore damage and appropriately frame with protective measures. 

Textile and upholstery restoration

Our dedicated team of textile conservators can restore embroidery, samplers, military caps, upholstery panels and more.

Framing Services and Restoration

Whether a frame is aged, discoloured, broken, cracked or has missing pieces we can repair, clean and gild it with your choice of finish.

Storage

We have safe, protected, climate-controlled facilities where your artwork can be stored under the care of trained art conservators.

Disaster Recovery

In the event of a disaster or damage by water or fire, we will respond to reduce costs and minimise stress.

Our core services cover the restoration of the following:

Easel paintings – Oil on canvas, oil on panel, oil on copper, acrylic and modern art
Frames – decorative gilt frames for mirrors and paintings
Paper – watercolours, drawings, prints, maps, posters and more
Objects – ceramics, wood, marble and more.
Portrait miniatures – on paper, ivory, vellum enamel, wood, or copper
Memorabilia – posters, props and unusual items
Textiles and upholstery
Antique furniture
Artwork in-situ – murals, street art, city sculptures, churches and more

Our specialisms are not limited to the above and we encourage you to contact us if you have a unique restoration project to discuss.

Yes, our experts work with both historical and modern pieces using specialist conservation techniques suited to each material.

No, we cannot give information on value as this is a different specialism. We recommend speaking to an auction house to receive a value and indication or age or artist.

We can conduct technical analysis on paintings to give you an idea of their structure, art historical significance and overall composition. These technical reports may help in your journey towards a sale or to provide information for future generations.

Yes, our restoration quotes are free and upon requesting a free quotation a member of our team will contact you within 1 working day.

Our office opening hours are 9.00am – 5.30pm, Monday to Friday.

You can request a free quotation, contact us via phone or contact form or use the ‘Chat now’ pop-up on the corner of your screen to chat now with a Studio Manager.

As each item and artwork is unique, our costs cannot be easily listed. We are happy to offer a no-obligation estimate when you send us photographs and dimensions. 

The conservation of art and repair of damage to all objects is a highly skilled task, our prices reflect the time and support required for your project, as well as the list of treatments recommended in an initial proposal. All of our quotes are estimates, we give a final cost once the treatment plan is established in our studio.

If the artwork cannot be easily removed we can arrange for our team to visit for on-site repairs and conservation work. This is often the case for murals and large paintings that are installed within walls. If an artwork or item can be removed, we prefer to conduct treatments in our studio due to the possible use of chemicals and need for professional ventilation.

Yes, all items are insured both whilst in transit and in the studio. We will discuss the cover ahead of your service, as all items in our care require an insurance value in advance of collection. Please ensure that your artwork is properly valued to avoid the pitfalls of underinsured artworks.

Yes, we often work alongside large insurance firms to provide timely care in the case of household disasters, whether this is for one artwork or an entire collection plus decorative objects and furniture. Our team are often the first responders to floods, fires and other perils that require swift and sensitive removal of precious items. In most cases, we can restore artwork following devastating levels of damage.

Our restoration process typically involves an initial estimate. If this is agreeable, we have the artwork item come in for a full assessment and treatment plan. The treatments will be discussed with you in advance and the restoration will begin once you are happy with the recommendations. As the restoration progresses, we will send photographs and updates to keep you thoroughly informed.

The timeline of your restoration depends on the type, size and condition of the artwork. Our team will be able to provide a more accurate timeframe after our initial assessment, we usually estimate 6 to 8 weeks.

Our restoration team consists of conservators and specialists from a wide variety of disciplines including paintings, paper, sculpture, furniture, gilding and decorative objects.

Professional conservation typically does not affect a painting’s value, as most of the world’s masterpieces have been restored at some point in their life. The loss of value will come from damage and discoloration, as leaving it unrestored may result in loss of original detail or in some cases the loss of the entire artwork.

To restore art you need to become a trained conservator in a chosen field. Our team all hold Masters degrees or specialist diplomas in their field of expertise. We recommend choosing an area such as easel paintings, ceramics, or paper, and then researching the available courses. 

Art conservation is heavily scientific, so it is suitable for someone with an interest in art as well as chemistry. You may want to consider a short course in chemistry before applying to a degree in art conservation to see if this is the right fit for you.

After completing a course in conservation, many conservators work as freelancers for different studios and institutions for project work. In some cases, full time roles are available at museums, galleries and studios like Fine Art Restoration Company, but these will require prior experience. Internships are often offered for newly trained conservators and listed on the ICON website.

Most professional conservators hold a Masters degree or higher in their chosen field of expertise.