Hand Joinery in the Heart of Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell Timber Repair started from a single workbench in 2018. We saw countless solid wood tables and well-built mid-century chairs being dumped on London pavements simply because their animal glue had aged and dried out. Modern repair shops were quoting inflated prices while using silicone caulk and quick-setting hardware adhesives that ruined the wood permanently.
We decided to run an honest workshop based on traditional bench methods. We dismantle loose joints cleanly, remove failed old adhesives by hand, and re-bond frames with reversible hide glue. We test every glued component under clamp tension before releasing it back to its owner.
We charge transparent fixed fees with zero hidden transport extras. You talk directly with the craftsman who repairs your furniture, and you pay only after the piece is back in your room and checked to your satisfaction.
Structural Honesty
We do not use nails or surface brackets to fix loose joints. We dismantle the wood and rebuild the original joint cleanly.
Material Reversibility
We use hide glues and natural shellacs that can be softened and repaired decades from now without breaking the grain.
Clear Accounting
We provide one fixed written quote before collection. We never add unexpected workshop workshop surcharges when delivering your piece.
Our Workshop Standards
We inspect every joint with an engineer square and maintain clamp pressure for forty-eight hours. Finished surfaces receive hand-rubbed organic waxes tested for durability before van delivery.
How We Handle Timber
Fixed Price Quotes
We examine photographs or visit your home, then issue a firm price in writing before work starts.
Named Bench Restorer
The craftsman who quotes your furniture is the same specialist who works on it at the bench.
Fully Insured Workshop
Your pieces carry full commercial liability and transit protection from collection to return.
Reversible Finishes Only
We avoid modern polyurethane sprays that crack and ruin the natural patina of old timber.
Punctual Scheduled Visits
We book exact arrival windows for assessments and deliveries, not open half-day slots.
Thirty Day Guarantee
If a reglued joint loosens within thirty days of return, we collect and reset it without charge.
We keep original British timber in daily use through sound structural joinery and traditional finishes. We quote fixed labour prices before we lift a chisel.
Contacts