posted on June 18, 2002 11:46:35 PM new
I bought an old telephone stand at a local thrift store the other day. Its in pretty good shape except for the top which needs to be refinished. Is anyone out there experienced in refinishing old furinture?
Would it be easier to use a chemical stripper or just use sandpaper? Also, does anyone have any favorite products for stains?
posted on June 19, 2002 02:26:35 AM new
You don't say what the wood is, what the existing finish is, or what you want it to look like, but in general use a stripper rather than sanding to avoid removing wood. On a flat surface you could, and if you're as inexperienced as you sound probably will make dips and hollows which you'll likely not notice until you begin to apply whatever new finish you use. When sanding ALWAYS use a sanding block for the reason above.
There's myriad "easy weekend finish" products on the shelves, and I guess the best of them are those made by Formby. People will be along with all of their favorite one- coat-tung oil-miracle-grow-no-work-involved and you can take your pick of products that will make good wood look like garbage bags in brown plastic. I like, and only do traditional finishes. Depending on the piece, waxes, oils, shellacs, laquers in various formulae. The mixtures depend on the result I want and I've used about all types of old methods to recreate the colors and finishes used before the advent of uerathane and other hard plastic crap, and it makes me sick to have someone proudly display their newly ruined classic piece after laboring hard on their butts waiting impatiently for the unrealistically advertized drying times to elapse. I've done finishes on antique pieces which literally took weeks onto months to complete.
posted on June 19, 2002 07:06:45 AM new
Some of the gel strippers work quite well on the item in question and can be applied quite easily. First of all, is there a veneer on the outer surface and is it a thin layer? Is any of it slightly lifting or peeling?
For a quick and easy solution there are places you can take the item in question and have it dropped into a whole vat of chemical stripper. Certainly not always the safest solution or hardly the most recommended but it saves hours of work trying to get into all those annoying corners when some of the pieces are difficult to work with.
The stain? It depends on the original make-up of the product. Do you wish it to be like the original or do you want to try something new? I know it isn't recommended for finer pieces but for less expensive items it is somewhat fun to paint them with a wild color and use them as an accent piece in the corner. It always brings a smile as you walk into the room.
CAUTION for those eager to try this. Always wear thick rubber gloves, as that gel stripper can be lethal. Also it is best done in a well-ventilated area as it can cause serious permanent brain damage so preferably do it outside and that way there is no mess on your floor either.
posted on June 19, 2002 07:36:55 AM new
Many libraries will have copies of Fine Woodworking magazine or books they have published that are collections of articles. They have had many fine topics explored about finishes.
I read an article in that mag. years ago about "boning" - rubbing down a surface with a hard polished tool so that it is crushed and has a hard "crust" on it. I had a single shot rifle I bedded and relieved and reworked the trigger and since it had no checkering I boned it and have been real happy - it looks the same after years of use because you can bump it against a tail gate or a fence post and it does not leave a dent - it is "predented" all over.
posted on June 19, 2002 07:41:22 AM new
Yeager - Because you mentioned only the top needed refinishing...before you strip it consider just removing only the shellac or lacquer.
There are compounds on the market that won't remove the stain but will remove the shellac or lacquer. Then applying a new protective coating will restore the piece to it's original condition.
I did this with an antique table we owned. Only the top needed help. A worker at the home improvement center told me I either needed to redo the whole table or not remove the stain from the top because the stain wasn't going to match if only the top were done. It turned out beautiful. Once the old shellac was gone the beauty of the original stain looked new. A coat of good wood wax did wonders.
posted on June 19, 2002 08:02:20 AM new
Of course it will take considerable care to only remove the finish on the top and leave the rest untouched. If there is a lip I would tape plastic flush to the bottom edge all the way around hanging to the ground and tucked under before even starting.
posted on June 19, 2002 08:12:43 AM new
When I was in my twenties and early thirties, refinishing or restoration was a hobby and I did pieces for friends and relatives as well as myself. It's very rewarding work but time intensive and precise. The last pieces that I restored were some old golden oak and glass store display shelves about 15 years ago. The Formby products were the best available then, but I don't know what's available today. I've heard that dipping is safer and less expensive than it used to be.
This looked like a good site to help you decide what you should do with your particular piece:
posted on June 19, 2002 06:03:47 PM new
What is wrong with the top? Is it badly stained or just losing the finish? I have had excellent luck with many pieces by just washing them down with Murphys Oil Soap and then applying a tung oil finish [or whatever you prefer] .It is surprising what the Murphys will remove.
posted on June 21, 2002 10:53:22 PM new
Thanks for all the great advice. So much great input from all the respondents. I really like the web page link. Thanks again!
posted on June 21, 2002 11:00:41 PM new
KRS,,,,,,,,,HAHAHHAHAHAHAHHA. OOPS,,,,,,,,I JUST NOTICED I STEPPED IN A YEAGER.
[ edited by JACKSWEBB on Jun 21, 2002 11:02 PM ]
[ edited by JACKSWEBB on Jun 21, 2002 11:03 PM ]
