Oak Coffee table

[dizzlesizzle]

Please can anyone help.

Ive just bought a second hand oak coffee table. It is a very beautiful piece of furniture but the previous owners were using it to rest a fish tank on and a couple of plant pots.

Although i love the aged look of it is there a way i can just flat off the surface and treat it without having to do the whole table as there is some very awkward areas to get to. I still want it to look worn but try to make it look at bit healthier.

Please can anyone help??

Many thanks

Dizz

 

[JohnD]

Try to work out if it is solid or veneered. Solid can be sanded down and refinished. Veneer is so thin you can only rub down the finish lightly, preferably with wire wool.

 

[dizzlesizzle]

hi thanks for the reply,

It solid wood.

 

[JohnD]

then you can sand it. Use the finest necessary and take off as little surface as you can. Sand along the grain not across it, and never in circles.

If you use a power sander it will try to give a flat surface and will take off any high spots before reaching the depressions. Unless the table is dead flat you may do better to sand off by hand.

If you want it to show a natural raised grain, wipe it with a damp sponge after sanding and before finishing and allow to dry. Or rub with fine wire wool and vacuum afterwards.

Solid oak looks good with an oil or wax finish which is easier to maintain than a varnish.

Do not use glossy polyurethane varnish or it will look like a toffee-apple.

 

[dizzlesizzle]

Many thnaks!!!!!

 

[Brad Naylor]

Be careful about using steel wool on oak.

It is very easy for an odd strand to get caught in the grain; it will then eventually rust, causing horrible black stains in the oak which are notoriously difficult to get out.

Instead of steel wool use sandpaper, foam sanding pads, or Scotch pads - the ones that look like pan scrubbers (or use pan scrubbers - they're pretty well the same thing but cheaper!)

This warning only applies to oak because it's particularly high levels of tannins. Steel wool is fine on other timbers you are likely to come into contact with.

Cheers
Brad