Frequently Asked Questions

Do you reupholster outdoor furniture?

We do! Finish Pros offers a wide selection of outdoor materials, and we are experts in building outdoor cushions that are best suited to a particular environment (screened in porch, poolside, sun-blasted patio area, etc).

Is Finish Pros locally owned? Is Finish Pros a franchise?

Finish Pros is a locally owned business, and our emphasis is always on maintaining the level of service and integrity that has allowed us to grow and thrive in the Triangle area.

Can you re-glue or repair furniture? Can you repair dog damage?

Yes! In fact, dogs and cats seem to help the Finish Pros team stay busy. We have seen our craftsman virtually erase the most horrific dog-chew damage from some of the most beautiful pieces of furniture.

Finish Pros is unique as a refinishing and upholstery business in that we have a highly skilled and dedicated repair crew. Unlike many upholstery businesses that simply recover your furniture with new fabric, we can solidify frames, re-tie and re-web spring systems, and make sure that your sofa arrives to one of our upholsterers in tip-top shape.

Repairing and patching veneers, doing professional re-glues and shoring up your furniture for our refinishing room is also a highly important part of what we do.

How durable is your furniture finish?

Finish Pros uses lacquer finishes, which are known for both their clarity and durability. The honest truth is that all finishes have their vulnerabilities, and anyone selling a “miracle finish” that can withstand all abuse is fibbing. While lacquer finished are categorically amongst the highest durability finishes, the way in which any particular finish holds up ultimately depends on the skill and knowledge of the finisher. Finish Pros craftsman are trained to aim for clarity and durability from the time a piece of furniture is stripped, up until it’s final clear coats of lacquer are applied.

Does Finish Pros cane or rush seat bottoms?

Finish Pros does not cane or build new rush seat bottoms, but if we are taking on other parts of the project, such as refinishing, repair, or upholstery, we usually offer to bring the piece to a professional third party source for you who can handle the caning or rushing. Please note that using a third party can add a considerable amount of lag to a project’s ultimate turn-around time.

How does the refinishing process work? Do you dip furniture?

Finish Pros does not dip furniture. While this process is actually a highly advantageous one when tackling heavily painted items, it’s common risks include swelling of the joints in furniture and compromising the overall structural stability of a piece. Finish Pros strips furniture using an overflow system, which poses no risk to the stability of your furniture.

Is my piece worth reupholstering?

It may or may not be. Finish Pros does not want to work on poorly-built furniture, and we will always be completely honest about the quality of your pieces when we conduct estimates. To qualify for reupholstery, a piece of furniture should be of solid construction, or have what people commonly refer to as “good bones”. Here is a short blog post by Ben Weidner covering this subject, specifically in regard to reupholstering sofas.

Can my cushions be made more comfortable?

Absolutely. During the initial upholstery estimate, we will carefully inspect your cushions and ask you several questions about your current state of comfort or discomfort. Finish Pros offers a variety of cushion solutions, and uses only the highest quality foams, dacron products, and downs. For more information, you can read about cushion options on our blog: Soggy sofa? We can help!

How much fabric is needed for my project?

Our Finish Pros estimator is able to give you a basic yardage estimate upon inspection of your piece.

Do I need to bring the furniture to you? Do you offer pick up or delivery services?

While you are welcome to bring furniture to us, our normal process is to come out to your home or place of business and give you a free estimate. At that point, if you would like to begin the process, our estimator can either pick up the piece or have our office management call you to set up a pick-up date. We offer convenient pickup and delivery services!

Will my item lose value if it is refinished?

Most pieces of furniture will not lose value when they are refinished. Keep in mind that the number one reason for a finish in the first place is preservation. Here is a link to a short blog post written by Finish Pros owner Dan Mckenzie on this subject: Does refinishing a family heirloom decrease it’s value?

Can heat marks be removed from a table top?

Sometimes it is possible to remove heat marks from a table, but it all depends upon the severity of the damage and the quality of the finish in which the damage is present. While we encourage anyone with this problem to have it taken care of professionally, we have published a short tutorial video to YouTube for anyone who wants to try their hand at removing heat marks in a less involved, DIY way.

Can refinishing or repairs be done onsite?

Refinishing is never done on-site, and only the smallest of repairs are ever done on-site. Other than the on-site portion of our kitchen refinishing process and our on-site touch up services, all work done by Finish Pros is done in our shop.

Can I provide my own material?

Yes, you are welcome to provide your own fabric, but please keep in mind that Finish Pros carries a wide variety of the highest quality fabrics, and our expertise allows us to guide you to a fabric that is the most appropriate for your particular piece of furniture.