You have acquired an antique desk and you want to use it, decorate with it, and show it off, of course. But how do you accomplish all of that? Should damage be repaired or will it ruin the value? Does its placement matter? Is ordinary modern polish all right to use on an old surface?

Your Investment

First of all, find out whether you have an investment to protect. If you purchased your antique desk from a respectable antique dealer or inherited it with an evaluation, you have a pretty good idea of whether your desk is a valuable antique or merely a beautiful old piece of furniture.

If you purchased the desk from a second hand store, a flea market or yard sale or if someone just gave it to you, you should do a little research. Look for some kind of identification - a manufacturer's label or craftsman's mark, for instance. Go to the library and look through furniture books for pictures that look like your desk. Do the same thing on the internet. If you discover that your desk is possibly a valuable piece, consider consulting an expert.

Your Beautiful Desk

Whether or not it's the basis of your children's college fund, your desk is a beautiful piece of furniture and because it isn't a modern piece, special care has to be taken. First, check for damage. Tighten up loose legs and hardware. Look for signs of insect damage and make sure that if there is any, that there are no little pests hiding.

If you are protecting the value of an antique desk, find out the right kind of polish or wax to keep the surface protected. Don't remove the finish or alter it until you can find out how to do it properly. Don't try to fix scratches or other imperfections until you make sure that they aren't adding something to the worth of your antique desk. If the desk is not worth a great deal of money, feel free to replace the hardware with something that matches your wall paper, refinish it and sand out scratches and other damage.

Either way, be careful not to place your antique desk directly in sunlight, a fireplace or in front of an air vent that might dry it out. Wipe up spills immediately. Dust often and don't allow any other type of dirt to accumulate. While not allowing the wood to dry out, protect it from long-term high humidity which can lead to mold, wood rot or attract insects.

Take care of your antique desk and you can enjoy many more years of beauty from it.

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