Finishing advice sought.

[Jay Kaner]

Hi guys,

A few months ago I restored a cool 1970's solid teak sideboard. I finished it off with teak oil and was very happy with the end result.

I have just restored 70's solid teak coffee table to match the sideboard, only this time I used a wax paste to finish it off.

I have to say I really do prefer the wax finish and I'm wishing I'd finished the sideboard off the same way.

What I would like to know is....if I wanted to put a wax finish onto the sideboard, would I have to remove the finish that's on there by sanding down to new bare wood OR could I just wax over the oil finish that's already on there?

I'd appreciate any advice on this.

TIA.

[Duane Bozarth]

Either is possible. Choice imo is what you want the appearance to be and what, specifically, there is about the wax you prefer. Unlikely to get same appearance w/o following nearly same procedure. There's the question of whether either is of sufficient durability, but that depends on the use the pieces are subject to.

[Donnie Vazquez]

I prefer wax over oil, it's what I use all the time. I've never used teak oil though. Usually tung (not pure) or Watco Danish. I'd suspect teak oil's not much different, if at all.

[Rumpy]

If the oil is fully cured, and if it were done months ago, it is, the wax should go over it just fine. Oil finished with wax is a fairly standard finish so there is no concern there. The oil may have darkened the wood a bit more than just plain wax, so I think the question is more one of color and appearance than finish compatibility. Seeing as they are tables and are subject to use and abuse, you may want to consider a coat or two of a wipe-on polyurethane or an oil-poly blend for a bit more protection. I have had good results with a few coats of General Finishes Seal-A-Cell followed by Briwax. There are a lot of options depending on what level of gloss you are looking for in the final finish.

[dadiOH]

If you do any sanding, make sure the wood *is* solid first. Not a whole lot of solid teak furniture around (in the US)...lots of Scandinavian stuff that looks solid but it is veneer over particle board.

-- dadiOH ____________________________

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[Jay Kaner]

Hi again,

First off, thank you all very much for the replies. You've answered my main concern which was the wax onto oil compatability. I honestly didn't know what would happen so I thought it best to ask first I didn't want to wax it and then find I'd ruined all my hard work because of my ignorance, especially when the oil finish looks really nice to start with. And if waxing it meant having to sand it all down to the bare wood again I would'nt have bothered and just kept it as it is....but know i feel safe to get the wax and buffing cloths out.

Cheers guys and once again, thanks to you all for the advice.