The Most Satisfying Repair - Thomas Johnson Antique Furniture Restoration 

As a new woodworker, I am guilty of looking down on pine for projects. And here is a beautiful pine door that has survived 225ish years and will likely last 200 more. After watching your beautiful restoration, I won't take pine for granted so much.

You just gave that door another 100 years of life. Outstanding work Tom. I doubt there is a door on earth that has had this much time ,effort and dedication to excellence spent on it. Once again Tom I take my hat off to you.

Gorgeous work. I have a weakness for old doors, and think they’re really worth saving despite the heavy effort involved. Not many people would put 80 hours into something like that. You’re making the world a better place, Tom, one project at a time.

The time and patience it took to bring this door back…PRICELESS!😊

You have the patience of a saint, Tom!!! What an amazing detailed job you did to preserve that door for as long as possible into the future! 🚪

“The cobblers kids go barefoot” That’s what came to mind when I saw that door. I loved the patina, but you made it good for another 100 years and it looks beautiful!

Superb job Tom! Total perfection. Perhaps you could do a video on your plank storm door?

Mr. Johnson, you are always true to the projects that you work on. This was no exception. The door will be a warm welcome for all that enter for many years. Great job!

"The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live." -Flora Whittemore Thank you Thomas for another beautiful job and the extra hard work it takes to properly video them. May you continue to blessed beyond measure. John here, from the back-roads of Northeastern Tennessee.

It's hard to believe that door is over 200 years old. Well done.

Truly the most satisfying repair, just as the title states! What an incredible job you did with this 200 year old door, now not only beautiful but protected for many more years of use. A labor of love and a joy to watch. You are a master not only of skill but of patience.

It's so nice to see you tackle something as 'mundane' as a door. How beautiful it looks now, and how very weathertight.

As much as I enjoy your furniture restoration videos, this exterior door was a nice change of subject. Well done Tom.

I love the way you took a "dead as a door nail" door and gave it new life! Another beautiful restoration .

This make me be more precise. Always enjoyable. My grandma had painted furniture and never had much money. She would have thought she was rich with that.

Marvelous job Thomas - every minute worth it! I did something similar to my own from door here in Manchester - made in the 1890's. Nightmare. Took me weeks. Layers and layers of indestructible paint - lead - fumes - no modern paint stripper worked - one layer smelled of grilled fish - ended up with razor-blade scraping. But now it is sound and solid and weather-resistant - it rains a lot here - and pine comes up a great glow after a few loving sandings and waxings. Keep up the good work!

I knew you would totally transform the door - you did not disappoint me! “Looks pretty good!” 👍🏼

As always, your patience to explain in detail what you are doing, why you are doing it, and what you expect to happen makes this a truly inspirational video. Thanks so much for what you do.

Unbelievable transformation. This door looks stunning. Better than some brand new. And it's over 200 years old. Great job, Tom.

Beautiful outcome. I still can't get over how relaxing it is to watch a master at work!

This project may have motivated me to tackle my front door. Although mine was built a mere 40 years ago, it was custom built for me out of old growth quarter sawn Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir (24 grains per inch, so the wood may well be hundreds of years old) by a sash & door company founded in the late 1800s out in Oregon. It is in much better shape because of the material used but it needs to be refinished on the exterior after 40 years of Appalachian Mountain weather. Now if I can just remember the stain blend recipe I used. 🤔 The topcoat will be Waterlox Satin Marine Finish. Thanks Thom.

I really thought there wasn’t going to be much you could do, but you saved almost all of it. This was an excellent restoration.

This was truly a labor of love. What a patient and sympathetic restoration of this beautiful, old door.

Your patience and discretion in restoring the woodwork is an inspiration. Thanks as always.

What a beautiful old door which got the care and attention it needed. It will good for another 200 years after this amazing restoration 🙂

It turned out fabulous, Tom. I'm sure I'm not the only one hoping for a follow-up showing the plank door.

You are the master of modesty. That door looks GREAT.

You must have the patience of Job !! You obviously love your work and your results are always beautiful. I enjoy you videos, thank you.

Excellent job.I must say the odd bits weve seen of the interior of your house looks stunning.Great vid please keep them coming

That was an extremely fussy project. Yes, your patience is amazing. For a door that old, your knowledge and experience has made such a difference. Thank you for sharing with us.

Tom, Nothing but pure a-door-ation for your meticulous work!

Beautiful door, made for generations to come. Tom has renewed that legacy for another 200 years. Thanks for bringing us along.

A masterclass, Thomas. Outstanding work.

I'm amazed at the patience you have in taking such meticulous care in your work. I look forward to your videos and appreciate the effort you take in making them.

I learned duct tape can be used on wood. I would have feared tape glue getting into wood grain.This was another video from you where my eyes never left the screen for a moment. I didn't know Acetone can be stored in plastic bottles. The door now looks like it will last another 200+ years. 👍👍👍

You have the patience of a saint. I'm always amazed at your attention to detail. Beautiful result.

Excellent work Tom. Your patience and commitment to detail are amazing 👏👏👍

All I can say is WOW! You are an amazingly talented artisan....this was a true labor of love and the homeowners must be over the moon with gratitude to you!

Another great restoration. The door wouldn't have lasted much longer without a lot of TLC, now it's good for many more years.

An incredible transformation, Tom! The door really needed your attention, and with Fall and Winter approaching soon, I know you're going to benefit from have a door that's properly sealed. The fact that it looks so good now, is just the cherry on top!

This door came out beautiful. The before and after don't even look like the same door. Your timing to upload this video is perfect as I lay in bed recovering from rocky mountain spotted fever. Check yourself and your critters often for ticks!!

An expected WOW! From the beginning of disassembly and crud removal to the final, "That looks pretty good" the sure-handed skill transforms junk to jewel. Thanks!

I really didn't think you were going to be able to restore that door. NOW, it's beautiful once more!

A very interesting project with an amazing result. So nice that the shoemaker's children have good sound shoes now!

As much as I love your furniture videos, this one has to be my favorite video so far. I work in historic preservation, and I work with a lot of old window frames and doors. Your door looks amazing! One question: did you consider using linseed oil based paint with organic pigments? That would have been truer to the period-and quite durable-but were you more concerned with longevity? Awesome channel. I hope you’ll continue sharing personal project videos well into your retirement!

This brought back memories of my childhood home. I grew up in the family house (my Great Grandparents built in 1902) My Great Grandfather apprenticed with a Master carpenter and cabinet maker in Copenhagen in the 1880s. Thanks for the reawaken of wonderful memories.

I am always amazed at how you can take something old and dilapidated and turn it into something wonderful. In the case with this door I don’t think it should be called a restoration it’s more of a Resurrection

FANTASTIC Tom - obviously ! All that work, even with those mouldings and all the patience you have in restoring an old door. This was a great change for you, and us - not a beautiful piece of furniture, but an old door, and what a job you did. It's stunning . Thank you for sharing your skills with us, you are a fascinating man to watch. Take care 🙂

Wow! Incredible! Excellent video. Loved the close-up before and after shots, such as showing the sanding detail. Only under your expert hands could those tragic molding pieces have been restored. They looked destined for the trash bin to me. The staining and top coats were so satisfying to watch. Even with all the sanding, the beautiful aged character of the wood is still there. Thank you for putting in the effort to record and share your work.

Mr TJ - You give much pleasure & satisfaction to your audience enjoying quality materials being improved with quality craft, patience & knowlege. Thank You.

the patience of Job this guy

It looks incredible. Have you ever looked into who has lived in your house since the 1700’s. Just watching you doing the door makes me think of how incredibly good the carpenters were in the day. Being subject to weather changes over the centuries, the door has lasted extremely well underneath all that crud. 👍🏻😁👏🇦🇺

Pine is NOT supposed to last like this when exposed to the elements. I'm amazed by the quality of both the original materials and of the restoration. Kudos, Thomas!

Beautiful work. I concur on removing the storm door. I used to live not too far from you in Brunswick, and had a storm door and solid wood door facing South. The heat and humidity that built up between the doors was very hard on the wood door and frame. Many days during the winter and spring I’d just open the wood door until late in the day, there was enough solar heat coming through to warm the vestibule.

You are a real Maine-er!! doing the hard stuff and not giving up,,, Great job,,,

Never thought it would come back so beautifully. Wood is an amazing material. Great work.

Bravo! You did an outstanding job with this door. What an amazing transformation. It’s so refreshing to see a craftsman like you take the time to really get the job done properly instead of the fastest superficial way in order to crank out more videos like other channels do. I don’t comment very often but your work ethic is very much like the one my dad had. Great job.

Your videos inspire me to fix/restore/save old wooden items I own. Thank you for Every video you produce. They are a wonderful resource for me. 👍

What a incredibly beautiful house you have, mr. Johnson! I bet that if it could speak, it could tell some stories…one day the kitchen was bragging about its new countertop, when it found itself being interrupted by the wise, old frontdoor. “That is nothing, my dear kitchen…let me tell you about the day he lifted me out of my hinges….” Jokes aside, this was a fenomenal job. Thank you for the videos, i enjoy every one of them.

With a south-facing door behind a glass storm door, I’m surprised it held up for so long. Your restoration is fantastic!

That is absolutely beautiful! Never would I have expected such a complete restoration to be possible.

I think your 'Customer' will be extremely happy with the result. And if they watch your video, and the work you put in, even more so 🤪😊 Great Job Tom.

I have a door almost exactly the same in my circa 1800 home that needs to be refinished. Thank you for this video so I know what to do.

I think it looks much better than 'pretty good'...wonderful job!! It's a joy to watch you work..patient, calm and meticulous. I hope your channel is watched by many and inspires others to follow in your footsteps.😊

It's so incredible to think about when that door was made!! George Washington died in 1799, and that door could have been made a year or two after that date!! As usual, you have done an exemplary job. Your neighbors are lucky to have you nearby! Still miss your puppy :(

I am glad you used this format. I think your vids are like hanging out with a friend. It is relaxing and informative. We all need a friend we like even if it's a youtube friend. Lol

Brought back from the brink! Excellent Tom.

As always, top notch result! 👏👏👏

Beautiful!! You have really made me interested in restoration. I love that you do your best to restore and not replace, even using the same nails and screws! This door is a piece of art!

I'm late to the party on this one, but you were right on about the title of "Most Satisfying", what a treat this project was to watch! As always Tom, you've outdone yourself - if I didn't see it with my own eyes I wouldn't believe this was the same door. Definitely worth the 80 hours to keep the character of the original door on your home! I hope you post more personal projects like these in the future, it's great seeing you work on your own stuff. 😃 One question - Did you happen to weigh the door before and after? The entire time you were sanding I was wondering "how much dead weight did the door lose?" 🤣

You, sir, are a true artist! Cheers from Minnesota.

Yep, that's more sanding than I've ever seen you do. An artist's gotta do what an artist's gotta do.

Great restoration. The only thing I'd recommend is to put some sort of weather strip (drip edge) back along the base of the door unless the screen door shields all the water. The strip helps to wick water away from the door, otherwise the water will roll down under the front edge, causing the bottom to rot. It doesn't need to be anything super fancy. I made one for my porch door (which is fully exposed to the elements) and it's just a small moulding with a 45 degree bevel on the back side along the bottom.

I wouldn’t be surprised if you got a lot more antique doors to refinish if people see this video…absolutely exceptional work as always!!!

what a task, thomas, made the job look easy again.

I ready enjoy all of your shows. It's nice to see someone enjoying a his job. Great work.👵😍🇺🇸

Great video Thomas. The door on my 1774 house was replaced and painted unfortunately. Beautiful work and 80 hours wow!

I agree with the other comments. You are so patient! The touch of a master’s hand! What a joy to watch.

Mr. Tom, you've outdone yourself again. Thank you for sharing this with us!

Superb Tom. It may not be a Queen Anne bureau but it's a historic piece and worthy of being looked after.

Absolutely beautiful Thomas! I love beautiful doors and they speak so much to the looks and feeling of entering a home. Your door is gorgeous and the history of years is amazing. Blessings..........thank you for sharing all you do with us!

Stunning .Good for another 200 years.

The magic happens at 36:41. SO SATISFYING!! My day stress is gone. It's Monday.

80 hours of work, eh? Looks like 200 hrs! Marvelous result, thank you Mr Johnson!

I do hope the sunlight doesn’t require a frequent redo! My front door from the 30’s has a similar tough life in the sun. Needs a light sanding and painting every three years or so. One year soon I might decide to take it all the way back and start anew, like 20 years ago when I first bought the house. You are inspiring!

2223...next door restoration. Great job sir.

I would have written that door off for gone but you brought it back. It looks excellent sir. Bravo.👍

Wow. This is a hell of a transformation! You never cease to amaze me how much you understand wood and all the possibilities. Just beautiful!

Hi Tom, I'm so glad to see a new video from you. I enjoy watching you so much. I'm happy to see you working on your own door too. I'm wondering why you used duct tape on the door edge prior to stripping, and not masking tape. I almost can't believe how beautiful this door turned out. You are truly a master. Thank you Tom.

Fabulous job. The original maker(s) of the door would be well pleased with your work.

That lifts the whole front of the house. Great job. Great workmanship!

Satisfying indeed. You must have been wanting to get to this door for a long time. But it's like the mechanic always driving the junk car, the woodworker almost never has time to work on his own projects. It came out beautifully!

The sound of your work is a beautiful symphony to my soul! Thank you!

I want to thank you for your videos--thanks to you I was able to repair the legs on a pedestal side table properly--THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!! April

this....... ladies and gentlemen is what it means to be a master of your craft.........stunning work

I couldn’t have imagined how much work would go into restoring this door!

Mr Johnson you are an outstanding teacher. Thank you

50 minute video and I couldn’t fast forward it once. What a privilege it is to see a true master at work. You sir are a living legend!

So great to see someone take the time to do a high quality job that will last well beyond ones lifetime. Shows true character and commitment to the the right thing. Also blows me away that this door is as old or older than any door in my country, since we only have European settlement for last 175 years or so. Obviously before that the indigenous Maori had doors but they were not made to resist the elements / not rot so have passed away.

That was an amazing restoration. The door is now a beauty.