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https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Carpentry Questions >> Clean Table https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1156110248 Message started by sparky415 on Aug 20^th, 2006, 10:44pm

Title: Clean Table
Post by sparky415 on Aug 20^th, 2006, 10:44pm

I have a little oak (I think) coffee table
What is the best thing to clean it up with?
What should I use to finish it with? Bearing in mind that there will be hot mugs sat on the top
Thanks,

Sparky415

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n184/sparky_415/a6f71200.jpg

Title: Re: Clean Table
Post by WOLF on Aug 20^th, 2006, 10:51pm

has it been oiled or (the dreaded word) VARN@#SHED??

Title: Re: Clean Table
Post by Scrit on Aug 20^th, 2006, 11:04pm

The style looks sort of 1930s or 1940s -ish (and they were called library tables back then by many manufacrurers), so it's possibly nitrocellulose or precat lacquer finished, depends if it's mass made or not. Can you see if it's veneered? The uprights have profiled edges and might be solid, but are the top/shelves plywood? If so the veneers will be very thin so you'll need to be very careful. Sorry for the qyuestions, just trying to ascertain the materials used before proferring advice.

Scrit

Title: Re: Clean Table
Post by WOLF on Aug 20^th, 2006, 11:11pm

from my digi software, i would almost 100% state it is solid lumber , the mul-rays seem to follow nicely...Scrit!

Title: Re: Clean Table
Post by sparky415 on Aug 20^th, 2006, 11:23pm

Wolf,
I knew already how you would feel about Varnish, no its not varnished Im not sure if there is any finish on it at all, it seems very dry, porous and soaked up years of fingerprints

Scrit,
No probs ask away,
I guess it’s that old I rescued it from going to the tip,
Yes its solid I can see the end of the timber (finger joint I think)
The uprights are real wood as well
I wanted to clean it without raising the grain or damaging the wood

Sparky415

Title: Re: Clean Table
Post by WOLF on Aug 20^th, 2006, 11:48pm

Quote:

Wolf,
I knew already how you would feel about Varnish,

what ever gave you the idea i don't like that stuff!!! ;D ::) ::)

a further question, are they tea /coffee stains on the top and shelf!!!

Title: Re: Clean Table
Post by sparky415 on Aug 21^st, 2006, 12:08am

Wolf,
Looks like its mostly grubby fingerprints on the top (far side is the worst) with a couple of maybe grease/oil or butter (right hand side)?
Not sure about the shelf I have just tried to clean it with a damp cloth and ‘coffee’ stain has mostly gone

Thanks, Sparky

Ps, Just thought I would say there’s a little label on the bottom that says
Heal & Son Ltd, London W

Title: Re: Clean Table
Post by WOLF on Aug 21^st, 2006, 1:10am

and believe it or not , they are still there , a bit more diversified now, as doing pensions, financial advise, Holdings etc etc etc , as well as there original Furniture and furnishings, for the "household"!!!!

at ......
Heal & Son Ltd..
196 TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD
LONDON
W1T 7LQ

will look up the best way to clean it, as it does seem "raw" , and will post tomorrow (oops!! later today!! :o)

unless of course one of the others beats me to it!!

they also own all this !!

196 TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD
Heal & Son Ltd 020 7896 7555
Heal Fabrics Ltd 020 7896 7555
Heal Furniture Ltd 020 7896 7555
Heal's Contracts Ltd 020 7636 1666
Heal's Pension Fund Trustees Ltd 020 7896 7555
Heal's Plc 020 7636 1666
HEALS 196 TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD
Heal's Finance Ltd 020 7636 1666
The Cafe At Heal's 020 7580 2522

and an other 5712 Furniture stores.. globally!!!! :o :o :o :o :o :o :o

Title: Re: Clean Table
Post by Scrit on Aug 21^st, 2006, 10:34am

Heal's were/are synonymous with quality manufactured furniture, hence the solid wood (most 30s and 40s stuff was face-veneered and lipped plywood - the better stuff was lipped then veneeered, the logic behind the question). If it's from that period the most common finish is probably cellulose lacquer - damned dangerous stuff to spray. The nearest you'll get today is probably pre-catalysed lacquer, but that requires spray finishing, too.

If any of the marks are oily/greasy they will need to be lifted by wiping with some cellulose thinners, denatured alcohol or something of the like which won't leave a residue. Cellulose thinners may well assist in removing the rest ofthe finish as well. If the coffee stains are really bad they might respond to the application of a cloth soaked in one part glycerine to 4 parts water on the timber for a while, although this technique doesn't always work, and it will raise the grain so drying out and sanding will be required. I'd try to avoid bleaching stains as that requires oxallic acid and is quite nasty. Instead I'd opt for lightly sanding all over to 180 or 240 grit.

Once you've stripped the old finish an easy to apply coating is something like a water-based clear or tinted floor lacquer. e.g. Dulux Diamond Hard floor lacquer. This can be applied with a brush and being non-solvent based won't stink the house out as much. I'd try to avoid staining the piece as the results might be rather patchy depending on how well the original finish has soaked in. If you feel the horizontal surfaces have bleached out a bit much it might be better to add some coloursiser to some of the lacquer and apply a slightly tinted lacquer to these surfaces and building to a pleasing tone before clear coating the rest of the piece.

Note to Wolf: I didn't mention v@%n*sh! ::)

Scrit

Title: Re: Clean Table
Post by wretch on Aug 21^st, 2006, 8:06pm

it must be a fake,heals never made dogs coffins!

best regards

wretch