Restoring old wooden school desk

[miljee]

Amateur numpty alert! I have an old wooden double school desk, circa maybe 1930s, I want to 'restore'. It's had plants standing on it in a conservatory (thus has some water stains) and has been both oiled and varnished in its time! I want to 'strip back' the surface and may finally either oil or varnish the end result.

What 'product' should I use to either de-oil so I can apply varnish or de-varnish so I can apply oil? Would you go at it with paint stripper first? I expect to have to apply elbow grease with a sanding block, too, of course!

Be aware this isn't an antique item and the end result can look 'rustic' but we're going to repurpose this desk as a 'media stand' to put the Sky Box on under a wall mounted telly.

Thanks

 

[JohnD]

sand off the finish, use Oxalic Acid (you can buy the crystals) to bleach out the stains; colour the wood to your taste using Colron; refinish with wax or (clear uncoloured) satin varnish

 

[miljee]

Thanks! Have just purchased a small orbital sander.

 

[foxhole]

Paint stripper will remove all oils and varnishes, sander will just skim over any imperfection which will show up.

 

[miljee]

I think I will use some sort of stripper on it (as it were!); let it dry and then sand it. I'm not looking for a really professional, flawless finish, but I am 'good' at attention to detail so I will spend some time on it.