help....rubber cement damaged my table finish

[cmt909]

While putting together invitations on my mothers Breuner's table (deep cherry, solid wood, laquer finish) we seemed to have damaged the shiny laquer as it now appears to be spider web fractured-like and can be peeled off in certain sections. We put down 2 cotton table cloths and did not spill any standard rubber cement however this damage is only seen on the side to which the gluing took place. The finish is smooth but on the damaged parts, it is course and can be chipped away if you scratch with your finger nail. My mothers boyfriend will surely kill me as the table cost $4000 and we are trying to find a way to fix it. When you wet the table with water and towel the damaged spots go away, but when it dries you can notice them again. Any advice? THANK YOU for whoever has any ideas... CMT909

[Anonymous]

One fairly safe bet .. .. .. call the furniture company that sold the piece .. .. .. they usually have an expert available who fixes blemishes up to & including full-surface refinishing. While most accomplished woodworkers may very well be capable of repair/restoration, I believe this one is best left to a pro .. .. ..

[George]

Fumes from the rubber cement include naphtha and acetone, if it's like the stuff in our can. time to bite the bullet and get it refinished.

[John]

Neither cotton nor any other porous material is a *protective* material where liquids are involved. Only non-porous, non-absorbing materials such as plastic or metal will work.

I'm still working on convincing my wife of this each time she places a tissue on a finished wood surface to "protect" it from nail polish and/or remover :-(

There's been less damage since I retired - because I'm home all day...

John