It's rare in a world of instant gratification to find a craftsman of this quality and professionalism. Perhaps, even more rare for someone to charge a fair price and do what they said they were going to do! Thomas refinished a table top for us after it lost its battle with acetone. It was no easy task. He finished the table top better than new and delivered the leaf to match. Did I mention he picked it up and delivered it? Thomas Craven Wood Refinishing is and will be my first and final call for anything refinishing related. read more

Not cheap but worth every penny. Far exceeded my expectations. You can tell these guys are about quality, old school, taking their time. I had them strip and re-stain and refinish my table, changing it to a darker color. So far the finish has proven to be extremely durable. read more

Thomas Craven Wood Finishers - Furniture Repair Near Me - Van Nuys, California

Thomas did an absolutely amazing job repairing and refinishing a mahogany campaign desk I got from my father. He went above and beyond and was fair on the price. read more

Thomas Craven Wood Finishers - Refinished desk - Furniture Repair Near Me - Van Nuys, California

I gave Roger our vintage Danish dining room chair that had a broken leg at its compass design joint- very tricky. One chunk of wood had popped off and was in a shredded state. He worked on it and returned it in gorgeous seamless shape. It wasn't cheap but well worth it. Thanks Roger!! read more

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Absolutely outstanding workmanship. Thomas and his team recently stripped and refinished an entire dining room set for our family. I could not be happier with the end result. read more

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What a beautiful job. It all turned out really well. We wanted to restore our antiques, but you're never really sure what you can actually do with them in your environment. The beautiful work inspired us to think outside the box and do something fun with. The flowers on the coffee table became bushes the lion was hiding within. Overall, the work was done beautifully and truly fits in our environment. It was great working with Tom and Roger who love antiques and love the restoration process and that shows it in their work. The photo is of our 100+ year old French Provincial coffee table. read more

Thomas Craven Wood Finishers - Restored 100 year old French Provençal coffee table. - Furniture Repair Near Me - Van Nuys, California

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I had an heirloom table I wanted painted and they offered me a great price. The table looks beautiful and exactly like how I wanted it. Had to wait longer than was quoted, but it was definitely worth the wait. I'm very happy with the finished product. read more

Thomas Craven Wood Finishers - Beautiful stressed grey - Furniture Repair Near Me - Van Nuys, California

Roger did a wonderful job repairing a significant break/crack in a ladder back chair that my dad made. I'm grateful to know that there's a place in the Valley with woodworking expertise for a fair price. The repair was done within a week. Couldn't be more pleased! read more

Thomas was not only a pleasure to work with but he also transformed my second hand piano that has been in my family for 42 years into a mid century modern masterpiece. He is a master of his trade. read more

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I randomly reached out to Thomas because in a recent move my movers were unable to get a 100yr old armoire into my new home. Spoke to Thomas on the phone, knew the piece and how it came apart so I hired home to help me with it. Couldn't be happier with my results. The piece comes apart like a jigsaw puzzle but he disassembled and reassembled it in no time, then gave me some great advice to recondition it a bit. Really good guy and amazing work! M read more

Thomas Craven Wood Finishers - Furniture Repair Near Me - Van Nuys, California

I have now used Thomas Craven Wood Finishers twice. The first time I used them I had broken one of my kitchen cabinet in half(I found them on the internet and read the reviews)...they were able to put this large cabinet door back together for me so I did not have to buy a new one and try to match a 10 year old stain color. Then I decided to refinish my kitchen table for the 5th time in 25 years. I could have bought a new table for the the cost but I love my table. When I went to pick up the table, I was sooo happy that I decided to put the money into refinishing with them...it looks like it did when it was brand new...it is gorgeous!!! Thomas and Roger do an amazing job, would recommend to everyone. P.S. it's so fun to visit the workshop and see all the amazing pieces that they work on. read more

I have used their services and liked the quality and attention to details they provided us with. Tom, the owner is a true professional who cares about what he does. He's very upfront and tells you about the services and his fees right after he sees the job. No surprises or later discoveries or hidden fees. My wife and I recommend him highly. read more

Thomas Craven Wood Finishers - Furniture Repair Near Me - Van Nuys, California

My niece just got married and it was really important to her to have something that belonged to her grandfather at the wedding reception. I really wanted to use my fathers childhood desk at the reception for the guestbook but it was cracked and I was worried about damaging it further. Luckily we found Thomas Craven wood finishers, it was very last minute but he understood the importance of what I needed and although they were super busy they were able to get my dads desk fixed just in time for the wedding and did a fantastic job! I am very grateful for their time and understanding! read more

Thomas Craven Wood Finishers - Excellent job fixing a split in the wood. - Furniture Repair Near Me - Van Nuys, California

My wife decided it was time to refinish our dining table that her father built as a wedding present in 1987. She wanted it stained a darker color from the original honey oak color. Since it is a very valuable piece of furniture in our house, we were hesitant to entrust anyone to work on it. My wife researched and found Thomas on Yelp. He came out to inspect the table and confirmed the estimate quoted over the phone and took possession of the table to bring to his shop. My wife had purchased new chairs and wanted the table color to match. I dropped off a chair at the shop as Thomas wanted to make sure the table was stained/finished the same color. The match was perfect. My wife is extremely happy with the finished product as the result is beautiful. Thomas is very personable and a true professional at what he does. Thank you Thomas! read more

Thomas Craven Wood Finishers - Table refinished with an additional leaf. - Furniture Repair Near Me - Van Nuys, California

I don't think I have to say much. Please look at the before and after photos. I'm beyond happy with the work that was done!!! Will definitely go back!!! Thank you!!! read more

Thomas Craven Wood Finishers - BEFORE!!! - Furniture Repair Near Me - Van Nuys, California

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I don't know how this guy stays in business. His price kept changing and changing and changing. Everything was a problem like he just did not know what the work entails upfront. It was a waste of time. read more

THIS IS NOT A REVIEW OF WORK DONE BUT OF BUSINESS PRACTICES. I researched Mr. Craven's shop on Yelp and Angie's List. Based on those reviews I called and spoke to Mr. Craven directly about refinishing a children's bunk bed set. He asked me a number of questions about the set and I told him that I was looking for a complete refinish. I was given an over-the-phone estimate of $400 - $600 and told to bring it in for a closer look. When I got to the shop I was given an estimate of $1800! Now, I fully realize that after an in-person inspection costs can go up, but I find it incredibly unprofessional to ask a potential customer to drive all the way out to the shop and then give an estimate that is 3x the cost of your over-the-phone estimate! Why not ask for pictures first? Why not ask more detailed questions over the phone? Why waste someone's time? Based on previous reviews I'm sure Mr. Craven does good work; it's why I called him in the first place. However, I would strongly suggest that he (i) either seriously revamp his over-the-phone estimates or (ii) refuse to give them if his costs can fluctuate that severely. To take off of work to bring the bed in and have that happen is pretty ridiculous. read more

I entrusted my 150-year-old rocking chair that my great-grandfather made to them. They gave me several options and discussed each process with me. They also recommended an excellent upholstery service to do that part of the restoration. I remember this chair at my grandfather's house 60 years ago - I have never seen it look better than it does today. Absolutely fabulous work. read more

Thomas Craven Wood Finishers - Great-grandpa's rocking chair - Furniture Repair Near Me - Van Nuys, California

SO incredibly thrilled with the work that Thomas and his amazing team did with our furniture. They refinished an antique table and chairs that we have had for decades but was in dire need of a refresh and boy did they deliver!! Amazing attention to detail, awesome to work with. Would recommend again and again. read more

Thomas Craven Wood Finishers - before and after - Furniture Repair Near Me - Van Nuys, California

I had Thomas Craven refinish an antique credenza of mine, of which I was nervous about, considering its age and worth. He took the time to walk me through each step of the refinishing process and what I could expect in regards to its finish and I was very pleased with the results. read more

I brought my newly purchased (used) celestian speaker cabinets to Thomas for refinishing, they do not make these anymore and I wanted them to look great again. Thomas and his team of experts repaired all the dents,dings,chips and scratches from them and custom mixed a beautiful black cherry stain sealed and clear coated them that in person look UNBELIEVABLE! Thanks again,Thomas for your attention to detail and making these better than new! If you are on the fence about using Thomas for your project " GET OFF OF IT" you wont be disappointed! read more

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Tom did an unbelievable job of distressing and finishing two extra large corbels for the inside of our home. The craftsmanship is second to none; they look like high end fine furniture. I gave him a photograph of the look for which we wanted and he nailed it. I highly recommend Tom and his team. The attached photo does not do them justice, but will post another photo once installed. read more

Thomas Craven Wood Finishers - Furniture Repair Near Me - Van Nuys, California

Roger Sweetenham is a master craftsman, restoring our wood chairs to highest quality of refinishing. Far superior in detail to others who claim expertise but do not demonstrate highest quality work. We have used Thomas Craven multiple times and expectations always exceeded. Carla & Jonathan Sanger read more

I had a vintage Danish stool that was in need of repair. My father is typically my go-to for woodworking projects but he lives across the country so I checked Yelp and found Thomas Craven. Roger explained the repair process and gave me an estimate for cost & timing (which was fulfilled) so I felt at ease about leaving my piece. Roger is an expert craftsman - he did a super job restoring/repairing my vintage item which I greatly appreciate. Will definitely return to Thomas Craven - highly recommend! read more

Roger and Thomas Craven are true artists. 20 years ago, I bought an unfinished coffee table I "thought" I would finish in my spare time. Seeing the writing on the wall, I took the table to Thomas Craven. Roger and Thomas talked with me and I picked out a color. The table and color turned out exquisitely good. You would have no clue the table was not purchased at a high-end furniture store. I hope to return again with more projects. read more

Thomas Craven Wood Finishers - Wonderful work on my coffee table - Furniture Repair Near Me - Van Nuys, California

We found this company on the internet, looked at the reviews and decided to go with them. We took an antique table with 6 chairs, talked to Roger about refinishing and tightening up all the loose connections. Roger gave us a fair price so we decided to go with them. The table and chairs came out like new, Would recommend these guys, Thomas and Roger, to anyone needing refinishing or repair to furniture. read more

Made request to have 2 pieces of furniture refinished. Fairly consistent back and forth and then last week a time was scheduled to have the pieces picked up and they were a no show. Then they come by and say they can't take the pieces yet, and we need to come by the shop to review stain samples. So, I reach out to make a time to do just that and I don't hear back. Crickets. Only then do i send a text saying if you're too busy to let me know, which illicit the response, "yes, we are too busy." Thanks for jerking my chain and wasting the last few weeks where I could have explored another alternative. I have all text exchanges to share if need be. read more

fantastic high level craftsmanship. Roger is an expert both in his woodworking skills , and as a historian of antique furniture . He restored our 100 + year old chairs with careful detail all the while enhancing their value . We will be back. Rare to see this level of skill in the valley. read more

Roger Sweetingham has worked on my dining room table, twice. The first time, many years ago, he basically rescued this antique table and chair set. It was destined to the landfill. The veneer off the back of the chairs had been chipped and the joints (no screws) were wobbly and loose. He was able to match the veneer and fill in the missing pieces. You can only tell if the light hits it a certain way. The finish work was gorgeous. Then, I had an unfortunate accident with a tube of crazy glue on the table top. I thought it was ruined. I was beyond happy when I was able to track down Roger once again. He worked his magic, and the finish is once again perfect. The price was exactly as quoted. I highly recommend this firm for any wood finish or repair work. read more

Wife and I just had a table done. The table meant a lot to my wife as it was passed down from her Grandma. Thomas and his crew did an amazing job. The table came out even better than I imagined. Did not lose the antique look but the paint and look is more modern to our taste. If you're looking for professional and reasonable prices look no further. They will not disappoint with their quality of work. read more

High quality furniture refinishing. They beautifully refinished our mahogany dinning set with 6 chairs including the three leaves and our sideboard. They also refinished the bottom piece of our china cabinet, blending in to match the finish of the entire cabinet. read more

Put Thomas on your speed dial for wood furniture refinishing. My solid mahogany entry piece and solid oak table and chairs look better than new. Expertly done, reasonable priced and great to work with during the entire refinishing process. Way to go Thomas. read more

My Dad's roll top desk from the 1930s is very near and dear to me, and was in need of repair. Roger took care of me from day one, checking in regularly, coming over to assess the desk, and really treating the job with not only a very high level of expertise, but a lot of TLC as well, which put me at ease. Roger did an exceptional job, and kept me informed every step of the way. I cannot recommend Thomas Craven highly enough. Your furniture will be in the best hands! read more

I had a 10 year old Custom entertainment center that my nephews shattered one of the door on. It was not repairable. I live in SCV and call all over but could not get any help. I started searching out a little farther and found Thomas's company. They were able to build me a new door matching the wood and stain perfectly! read more

The best!!! A teacher friend of mine retired and was going to leave her old, broken, worn out rocking chair for the trash. As a gift to her, I took it to Roger instead and he performed a miracle! He stripped it and fixed everything to brand new....better than brand new. We could not be happier with his craftsmanship! Just beautiful! read more

Thomas Craven refinished all my old 80's oak kitchen cabinets. He also refinished my oak stair rails and newel posts as well as various window treatments. I am extremely happy with the EXPERT work he did. He is efficient, on time, neat, and on budget. Because he is a true refinisher of furniture, he really knows what he is doing--as opposed to many painters or handymen who may claim that they can refinish your cabinets. He can also provide for other needs involved in your kitchen update. I have worked with many contractors and he gets the full five stars. read more

Thomas Craven is outstanding!! He is personable and focused, and his work is second to none. My experience was a pleasure from start to finish! He made my furniture better than new, better stained, better finished and better protected from future wear than the day I purchased it. Stop looking, you have found the very best in Thomas Craven! read more

Thomas Craven refinished my kitchen cabinets. I went from awful oak to gorgeous walnut refinished cabinets. The difference is night and day. I never stop getting compliments. Thomas and his crew are truly master craftsmen. But here is the best part, they showed up on time, they did exactly what they said they were going to do, and they were professional and courteous. Because I was so pleased with the cabinets I just kept going. I then had him refinish my mantle. Then I had a set of doors refinished. My next project is a parsons table. I own an estate sale business and people are often reluctant to purchase truly unique antique pieces because of damage and they don't know how to get it repaired and refinished. I always refer them to Thomas. I have seen some truly awesome results. These pieces are worth so much more once he refinishes them. I saw a 200 year old piano he refinished and it knocked my socks off. I cannot say enough good things about Thomas. It is so rare to find a craftsman who you can count on. read more

They did a terrific job with my wobbly wooden chairs. Now solid and strong.

It was important to me to keep the maple bedroom set, including a large mirror, that my parents bought in 1950 and had used their entire life. I wanted it painted to reflect a more modern look in my guest bedroom and now I have a beautiful grey set with a lovely, smooth finish. Roger and Thomas were a pleasure to work: from coming to the house to give me an estimate, to helping me pick the best shade of grey, to telling me where I could get the brass hardware re-plated in a pewter color, to carefully picking up the pieces to take to their facility, to delivering and setting up the finished set. I am so happy with the results! I have a few more cherished pieces to update, and I will be calling them again. read more