Advice on sticky oak veneer table

[Swwils]

Hello,

I have a large dining table that I think has an oak veneer. It's become very sticky I think as cleaning it has started to eat through whatever it was coated with.

Is there a food safe varnish or similar that I can use without much preparation?

Because of its size I won't be able to move it from the kitchen easily or for long, but if does need sanding down I can do so but hopefully there is a product I can apply directly to it as it is.

Thanks for your wisdom!

 

[conny]

I know there are food safe oils but not sure about varnishes.
Regarding the sanding. If you need to do it in situ then you will obviously need a decent extraction vacuum attached to your sander. If you have someone that can help'assist you then the dust can be reduced to a minimum if the other person also has a vacuum that they can hold close to the sanding head while you use the sander.
My wife did this for me when I was sanding down a table top in my shed and it was amazing how little dust we created.

 

[JohnD]

Some photos would help a lot.

Of the top and the bottom of the table to see if the grain pattern is different

And of the edges if a veneer is visible.

Some varnishes go sticky in reaction to cleaning products or spilled drinks.

Cooking fumes, especially frying and roasting, can leave a film of vaporized fat and oil.

French polish is seldom seen now, but can be cleaned with white spirit.

 

[Swwils]

Top and bottom are the same, it expands so I can see a good 8mm edging veneer when it's open.

It definitely seemed to happen quickly after we used some antibacterial wipes on it and the costing now is very soft and can be scratched with a finger nail.

Tried some rubbing alcohol on it and it didn't make much difference, so I don't think it's shellac.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

What exactly is your "rubbing alcohol"? Is it isopropyl alcohol, or is it ethyl alcohol (ethanol)? Shellac (French polish) dissolves with methylated spirits (mety
hyl alcohol), not isopropyl alcohol, but ethsnol can slightly dissolvr it as well, but not completely. The test for French polish is tonuse meths (methyl alcohol)

One problem is that French polish hasn't been used for commercially made furniture since the 1920s or 1930s, and if your table is veneer edged that places it as post WWII, although solid wood lipping has been in use a lot longer. If it is post-WWII I think that possible finishes could possibly be 2-pack lacquer, pre-catalysed lacquer, nitrocellulose or an oil with terebene driers, although others have postulated that in a kitchen there could well be surface contamination. Could you try cleaning a small area with a solution of washing-up liquid and warm water to see if that improves the surface?

 

[^woody^]

I use something called Nordicare Furniture Oil for cleaning and replenishing previously oiled timber which works well, but if this is a dining table then it's likely a lacquer or varnish coat, and if cleaning or a furniture polish does not sort it out then a light sand and recoat with any common varnish will do.

 

[JohnD]

Some photos would help a lot.

Still would.

 

[Mr Chibs]

Why's it sticky?

 

[motorbiking]

One of the easiest things I made was an Oak dinning room table. Saved me about £1000

 

[Mr Chibs]

Let’s see it.

 

[Swwils]

Thanks for the pointers, will try this weekend.

 

[motorbiking]

Let’s see it.

the ex-wife kept it

 

[opps]

What exactly is your "rubbing alcohol"? Is it isopropyl alcohol, or is it ethyl alcohol (ethanol)? Shellac (French polish) dissolves with methylated spirits (mety
hyl alcohol), not isopropyl alcohol, but ethsnol can slightly dissolvr it as well, but not completely. The test for French polish is tonuse meths (methyl alcohol)

Not isopropyl alcohol? I didn't know that. I have only ever used meths when working with French polish.

Wouldn't household ammonia be the quickest way to remove the polish? I often use it to clean brushes used in shellac based paints. Then again, I am soaking the brushes- probably not a good idea with a veneered finish though.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Yes, meths is right. Isopropyl may work a little, but it muddies the water a bit as isopropyl can also dissolve cellulose lacquer to a degree - meths doesn't do that. It is universally used as the solvent in French polishes

Ammonia might work, but it is nasty stuff and I'd be concerned about it bleaching or staining the veneer (for example it is used to turn sycamore and to a lesser extent maple grey - grey sycamore like this is known as "harewood")