Aug 10
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Home furniture Polishing
Home furniture that has lost it’s lustre yet is unmarked may have it’s shine restored pretty simply. Stroke the top with a course fabric dampened using white spirit. This can release the accrued wax and muck, which can then be removed with a clean rag. Bring back the shine simply by rubbing using a polish reviver or maybe burnishing mix, available from DIY shops, or even using a steel polish. Put it on with a soft mutton cloth or stockinet: cloth that contains synthetic fibres will not make a very good gloss. End by rubbing vigorously with a fresh soft cloth.
Should the finish on an item of furniture has been severely damaged, it must be cleaned up and removed so that a new finish can be applied. Use a solvent remover in order to take off a finish. Don’t use caustic soda, which could darken most woods, or perhaps a sander, that can leave circular marks that may show right through the completed film. If at all possible stripping should be done outside, however if this isn’t feasible stand the item of furniture on a large polythene sheet to protect the flooring and ensure the area is properly ventilated.
Apply the paint cleaner on liberally and after a while get rid of whenever you can with a flat scraper. Dampen the wood again using the paint cleaner and stroke it along the grain, using small pieces of No. 2 and 3 steel wool. At this point the hardwood can be lightened if required by bleaching, or it may be tarnished to any deeper tone with wood stain. Naphtha-based stains would be better as they are penetrating, don’t elevate the grain and are quick drying. Apply these evenly on the whole area using a cloth.
When the grain is very open fill it prior to staining with a paste-type grain product, thinned if necessary with white spirit. Rub across the grain to fill the skin pores and wash off the surplus while soft with a thoroughly clean cloth. Pockets and cracks should be filled up with a paste-type wood product. Make good any damaged edges or corners with plastic wood. French polish can often give a finish, nonetheless it takes a good level of ability in use and it’s surface can be very easily noticeable through hot temperatures, solvents as well as abrasions.
A two parts plastic coating lacquer can give every bit as good a finish and will likely be more resistant to scratches. On the other hand a polyurethane finish is acceptable for most surfaces and is simply used with a brush. To obtain an antique finish apply no less than two coats and rub the final coat with the grain using 000 wire wool and wax polish, after that end using a clean soft cloth.
Removing Water Stains
A finish that displays heat and water marks is generally shellac or cellulose. Marks which have not permeated through to the wood is often removed using a cutting compound, accessible from Do it yourself stores or with steel polish applied with a soft cloth. But if they have gone right through, stripping is necessary and the total surface area has to be treated. A grey or black spot usually suggests that water has penetrated to the wood itself, take off the old finish and remove the stain using a two part wood bleach accessible from DIY and
paint shops, or with a solution of 1 tablespoon of oxalic acid and 1 pint of water. This solution isn’t as strong as bleach, but the acid is noxious and should be used with extreme care. Once again, treat the entire surface not just the damaged part. If bleaching renders the wood paler than needed, darken with a naphtha-type stain before applying the finish.
Scratches And Burns
A scratch mark through the polish to the wood may be eradicated just by stripping and re-finishing, yet it could be made much less noticeable by rubbing with wax boot polish of the closest tone. Otherwise, reduce a shellac varnish using methylated spirits for a thin solution and add this very carefully to the scratch using a small soft brush, or a toothpick. Continue doing this application until the stain stands proud of the surface area, then level it with fine glasspaper or wet-or-dry paper. Restore the high shine with steel polish or burnishing compound.
Burn marks are more challenging to restore. Scrape away the finish around the burnt area and also in the charred wood underneath. Rub the bare wood with glasspaper if required restain it. Next use several coats of clear finish until the mark is proud of the surrounding surface and finish off as you might for a scratch mark. The deep depression can be filled up with coloured beeswax.
When furniture has ripped or chipped, usually due to central heating, stripping is crucial. Fill in splits with paste wood-filler or, if large, using slivers of wood together with glue before applying the finish. Dings and dents can be done less apparent by applying clear finish, but stripping is usually required to remove them. Following stripping you can fine sand the surrounding region so that the ding is no longer obvious or apply a little water for the dented area in order to enlarge the wood fibres.
When a surface has become ‘crazed’ it is usually made of cellulose and can’t be reconditioned, just replaced. Stripping is necessary, since it is having a finish which has faded by exposure to strong sunshine.
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A HANDFUL OF TOOLS USED IN WOOD PROJECTS
I am a keen DIY enthusiast and retired carpenter.
