

Preventive conservation deals with identifying risk factors and the proactive prevention of damage to valuable assets such as antique wooden furniture, sculptures, and other antiques. What exactly preventive conservation means in practical terms and how you can do it yourself, you will learn first-hand - from the certified wood and furniture conservators at ZRW Berlin.
Contrary to restoration, which focuses on restoring the original condition of art and cultural objects, preventive conservation aims at initiating preventive measures at an early stage to avoid damage in the long term. In other words, it is about preventing interventions. In preventive conservation, the focus is on the environmental conditions of an object.
Restoration usually involves interventional treatments, such as the replacement of ornamentation. Preventive conservation, on the other hand, is a permanent process for the long-term preservation of a work of art, object, or architectural monument. Key environmental factors in this discipline of conservation include the regulation of climatic variables such as temperature and relative humidity. In addition, the minimization of pollutants and light is of great importance. This may also include measures such as shielding an object from moisture or pests. In the case of a valuable carpet, it is important to limit exposure to light so that the textile dyes do not fade and pests such as moths do not settle in, as they ultimately destroy the fabric.
To prevent interventions, you can also implement preventive conservation at home. As certified wood and furniture conservators at ZRW Berlin, we have extensive knowledge that we are happy to share with you. After all, much damage can be prevented based on good conservation conditions. Below, we provide expert tips on how to ensure the best possible environmental conditions for the long-term preservation of your highly valued object.
Good climatic conditions are essential to protect your furniture or antiques from damage. Relative humidity of 50 to 60 percent and standard room temperatures are ideal. If there are deviations from these reference values, climate-related damage and damage mechanisms can set in. Typical damage includes stress cracking, woodworm or mold infestation, and detachment of individual elements.
Contact us
Another important factor is the aspect of lighting. While preventive conservation in museums involves complex lighting scenarios, in private homes sunlight is most likely to pose a risk. Beautiful wooden furniture should be protected from UV rays as much as possible. Depending on the amount of light coming through your windows, be careful not to leave your wooden furniture exposed to the sun for too long. Even though modern window glazing usually ensures UV protection, the infrared heat can still cause the dark wooden furniture to heat up considerably. This may lead to premature aging of the material, caused by the constantly changing volume.
Request for preventive conservation
It is particularly important to protect valuable objects from the weather, especially outdoors. Rainwater and sunlight are the main causes of damage to outdoor furniture. Prevent this by installing a protective roof against excessive sunlight and precipitation. It is also advisable never to bring such an object into direct contact with the ground - there is too great a risk that moisture will penetrate the piece of furniture and thus damage it. In such a case, conservation care is necessary to preserve the object.
Contact preventive conservation experts
Contact UsSo that you can enjoy your interior decoration pieces for a long time, you should follow a few care rules. To clean it, it is often enough to remove the dust with a cloth. To remove residues and dirt, we recommend a cloth moistened with water (not wet!). Depending on the type of wood, there are special oils for the care of wooden furniture. If you are looking for advice on how to properly care for your furniture or antiques, our restorers from the Central Restoration Workshop Berlin will be happy to help you.
Instead of locking your valuable cabinets for security purposes, it is better not to lock them: wooden cabinets are often broken into by force during a burglary causing damage to the furniture. It is better to store important documents or items in a metal cabinet or safe.
If you want to find out more, our restorers of the Zentralen Restaurierungswerkstatt Berlin are at your disposal. If you need professional expertise in restoration planning or about the available methods in an institutional or public setting, we will be happy to support you with our expertise.