Help with Antique Unfinished wood care?

Hi everybody, I recently acquired an old solid oak table, which is unfinished (and obviously has been for a long while). Its graying and there are a few stains...Would anyone happen to know anything about restoring such a piece? Is it completely hopeless? Any suggestions would be very much appreciated. Thanks, Toby

Reply to
tobytobes
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Reply to
nospambob

You don't actually say how old the piece is but if we assume the federal government's definition, the piece is 100 years old.

It seems unlikely that such a piece would never have been finished. The finish has probably worn off over the ages. There may be remnants still left, perhaps on the edges. If you can find some of these, test them to see what general type of finish it is - shellac lacquer, or even varnish. Who knows, maybe a wax finish is all that was ever applied. At least you will have a better shot at restoring the piece.

If there is no indication of what finish was used, the time frame that the piece was made can direct you. If the piece is really 100 years old, shellac would have been the finish. Lacquer is a possibility but less so than shellac. I would not expect an oil finish since it provides very little protection. A table that is really old would have to have had some kind of protective finish to survive in the condition you state.

Good Luck.

Reply to
Baron

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