I've got a couple of office desks that need sanding down and making good - I think they are 60s/70s style timber top with metal, square profile, legs that bolt to the sub-frame that the top sits on. The question is, what would be the best to use to give the right finish - any particular kind of varnish or a wax of some sort? tia Hugh
FWIW I used wax on my desk which gave a nice finish but it is very prone to ring marking from coffee mugs etc.
If I was to re do it I would use Liberon Finishing Oil which I have used for other projects - it's easy to apply and gives a robust finish. It finishes to a soft sheen though rather than a full gloss but I personally prefer that.
Cheers
Mark
It depends a little on the degree of abuse you anticipate in the future. The toughest result comes from solvent based polyurethane. The woodworking purists will possibly favour a wax finish but this will need re-applying every few months and will be intolerant to coffee cups etc.
hth
Bob
Are you sure it's solid timber rather than veneer on blockboard or chipboard? If you sand veneer, you're likely to go through to whatever's below. You may end up having to replace the veneer - which could be expensive and time consuming.
Dumb question time from someone who hasn't ever tried something like this, but do you put the oil direct onto the sanded wood, or do you need to put something else on first ?
When I use i just apply it straight to the sanded wood, leave ot 10 minutes and then wipe off with a bit of kitchen roll. Leave it to dry overnight and then lightly rub down with fine wire wool and repeat. About 3 coats does nicely generally but more can applied if you wish.
I find it far nicer to use than varnish and you don't have to worry about brush marks :-)
Cheers
Mark
Thanks for that - I wonder if there's something in the FAQ about its usage as yet, or whether it might be worth a wiki entry...
Thanks All, for some useful tips - I'll give the Liberon a try first off - and, Roger, I'll take another look - you could be right - at first glance timber, but not sure. They'll be well looked after with light office use, by myself only. They've been used in student accommodation that I rented out for many years and have just about every stain known to mankind, but are of good solid construction nevertheless and as I've just started a new business these will be ideal. Thanks again, Hugh
Works well. A couple of things, though.
- If the wood contains tannin (e.g. oak), steel wool is not a good plan. Small pieces left behind react with tannin and cause black staining of the wood. An alternative abrasive should be used for these woods.
- When the kitchen paper/rags have been used they should be put outside or dunked in a bucket of water etc. On their own, there is a risk of spontaneous combustion as they dry out.
True, although can be fixed easily and locally. Damage to a varnished surface requires stripping and starting again.
Hugh formulated the question :
As someone else pointed out, that age would probably mean it is a wood veneer rather than solid wood. It would be unlikely you could sand it down far enough to get all of the existing varnish out, to enable you to get a good finish with oil, so I would use a varnish.
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