Architectural Woodwork Restoration for Historic Buildings

Olek repairs and refinishes historic buildings' architectural woodwork, paneling, wainscot, cabinets, carvings, base and cornice moldings for the best quality architectural woodwork restoration. We restore woodwork on site or in our 25,000 sq. ft. shop 5 miles from NYC. We can restore existing woodwork, or reconfigure and replicate it to conform to changes in building infrastructure from renovations of the building HVAC which may drop the ceiling height. Wood species, types, finishes and patina are painstakingly matched. Dutchman inlays and matching veneer species and grain are carefully cut into woodwork to for repairs of missing elements.

Staircase railings: FDR and Sara Delano Roosevelt townhouse at 47/49 E. 65th St., NYC restored for CUNY College , before and after.

Our restoration services include fabrication to match existing molding and paneling profiles and shapes to integrate seamlessly with existing architectural woodwork. Extending 150 year old quartered white oak paneling to match adjacent paneling is routine- and you won't be able to tell which part is new or old, after our finish artists have performed their magic. We restore the woodwork and other components related to it, such as wood carvings, metal hardware, lock, historic lighting fixtures, associated architectural woodwork elements such as windows or doors, and ornamental metalwork.

THIS QUARTER -SAWN ENGLISH OAK PANELED ROOM WAS USED AS THE STUDENT LOUNGE AT BARUCH COLLEGE FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES. EXTENSIVE DUTCHMAN INLAYS AND CARVING AND PLANING WAS NECESSARY TO REPAIR THE DAMAGES.

Our clients include fine residences, with townhouses in NYC or estates in CT or NJ. Corporate Offices, Public Buildings, and Fine Residences throughout metropolitan NY are typical customers. Many Fortune 500 headquarters, and investment banks and law firms have us maintain and restore their architectural woodwork. Public buildings such as colleges, train stations, and museums throughout the tri-state area have had Olek Lejbzon restore their architectural woodwork.

We routinely restore all aspects of architectural woodwork, and can carve or sculpt complicated moldings in door surrounds, or paneling or carved moldings. We cut our own shaper "knives" to reproduce precisely existing panel or molding profiles. Our artists' shine replicating not only the existing color and gloss of finishes, but patinas as well. Matching a patina requires multiple steps dyeing, and staining between coats of finishes. The results can be gratifying, accomplishing something many say can't be done. Such as extending paneling made of 150 year old quartered white oak with a new 30' long section, and matching the new section finish so closely to the existing distinguishing new from old is visually impossible. To achieve such results, the entire team of professionals must be dedicated to the result. Any misstep in the selection of woods, fabrication or the finishing and it would not be possible.

We work closely with historic wood restoration preservation consultants, State Historic Preservation Offices, architects, and the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (one of our clients was a long-time Chairman for NYC Landmarks'). We go the extra mile to custom mix finishes of all types, to apply what was historically correct, or desired now. FDR and Sara Delano Roosevelts' NYC townhouses required the importation of Congolese Copal resin, for an historically accurate finish on the reconfigured wood paneled Study in the CUNY -Hunter College building preservation of 47-49 E. 65th St., NYC. Gilding, decorative finishes, trompe l'oiel, milk paint are all parts of our stable of techniques to insure that your restoration is exactly what you want. We produce Shop Drawings with full scale details, and any submittals or mock-ups to confirm that the work specified is indeed what you want. We care about our work, and don't hesitate to suggest improvements that will enhance the longeveity or finishes of our projects. It is unfortunate, but building codes or standards, fire codes, and trade associations today often work to thwart good restoration by the adoption of standards antithetical to fine preservation.

Please call us or email documents with your restoration requirements, and we will see how to help you.

Woodwork Repair Gallery