table...

[Hope Profile]

Sort of food related....

We have an antique (dated 1913) scullery table as our kitchen table. I love it. I sanded and oiled it with danish oil when we got it. But it's wearing off and getting some stains in places. Is there something more hardwearing that I could use to finish it, but which would also help preserve the wood? (it's made of pine)

ps - but giving it a natural look - no shiny varnish!

[jeral Profile]

If you have a DIY shop, ask about clear matt acrylic varnish which is invisible. I've used it since early 1990's on lots of wood things to avoid heat-rings from hot cups and to waterproof against spills etc.

I don't know how scratch-proof it might be for a kitchen table if something was cut on it although two or three decent coats ought to be enough to protect the wood against most things. Mind you, I don't know of a wood finish that would protect against cut marks, except yacht varnish.

Clear acrylic wouldn't hide existing stains. If they are surface deep, you might be able to sand it again then use a slightly darker wood stain to disguise them before top varnishing. Also, apart from sanding first, I don't know if water-based acrylic would sit on Danish Oil, or needs a primer of some sort.

You can easily buy wide vinyl on a roll in various patterns, either to use as a cover or to cut into big or overlarge serving/place mats to protect the vulnerable parts, or for kids' parties.

Keen to read following posts, which'll probably solve the issue "just like that".

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Hope

Have a look at burnishing.

I have this interesting video saved to try the process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAjzwamLt2Q

I wanted to use linseed oil on our Victorian table, but haven't yet using burnishing. My current process is to clean the table periodically with salt and soapy water.
But I get no further than that. We use mats, so it doesn't get the staining, but it does get food dropped on it with messy serving that needs cleaning up.

[halfateabag Profile]

You will need a better finish if it is used a lot, especially if it's a kitchen table. We have just changed (via Ebay and Gumtree) our dining table and 8 chairs (they were yew and very heavy but hard wearing.) Did not get much for them but have now got a very nice - more modern mahogany table and 6 chairs. We have also changed a 3 seater cream leather sofa for a 2 seater jumbo cord and suede look sofa. The cord one was free and we have given the leather one away, just getting it out of the way is enough. Unfortunately large furniture is worth nothing these days.... There are some great freebies, if you know where to look.

[Hope Profile]

Jeral - thanks. It needs a good sanding anyway to remove the scratch marks. I don't cut directly onto it (I use a chopping board), but it's still got scratched. Can you get matt yacht varnish?

Thanks Gill - I'll look at that.

Halfa - I have no intention of getting rid of this table. I love it!

[Hope Profile]

Gill - that's interesting and shows I completely did it wrong originally (I fine sanded it first). Might have to redo the oak worktop too!

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

I'm like you, still not sure what product to put on top and therefore into the surface. It's a good vid innit.
I have a lot of linseed in my studio - refined, which takes a long time to dry.
The previous owners have used beeswax, creating a sticky almost green layer, that took some scrubbing to get out. The water was a strange colour.

But I've not yet sanded the table.

Our table cost £200 on Ebay (bargain). But cost £150 to get it delivered from Norfolk by a white van man network, that travels up and down the country doing organised pick ups and drop offs. I felt guilty as the delivery was made by a family of 2 adults and 4 children which I wasn't expecting. I'd have had snacks ready if I knew.
Gave them a tip of course.

I love mine too.

We are pretty tired of our walnut Victorian furniture pieces, and might flog them tho.
(I regularly sell on Ebay and Facebook marketplace, especially when Tony gets tired of his bikes and wants a switcheroo). Easy to do nowadays.

I've also made tablecloths, but don't like covering it up.

[Hope Profile]

Gill - Our table was also off ebay. I spent ages looking for it and it's pretty much exactly what i wanted!

I have some gorgeous vintage Irish Linen tablecloths, but I don't like covering my table either. (and I don't want the tablecloths to get stained!) I love old furniture, most of what we have is older than we are by a lot! I love working with wood too. although obviously it takes me a long time because it's hard work!

I need to get some wet and dry paper. Couldn't find any that would fit my orbital sander on ebay, though. Not sure how hard it would be for me to do by hand. Will have to do some more reading into burnishing.

[Busybee Profile]

That’s really interesting Gill, I have an oak draining board and counter top and use danish oil but realise I have been making t,he classic mistake re sanding.

Will have to have a go with this method.

Also interesting about how you maintain it.

Thanks

BB

[Pepper Pig Profile]

Not sure whether Sky History is Free to Air but I’ve been watching the trailers to this with great interest.

https://www.bt.com/tv/entertainment/the ... ry-channel

[Hope Profile]

PP - that looks interesting. hopefully one day it'll be on another channel as I don't get that (only watch online, we don't have freeview even!)

[Suffs Profile]

A friend with some lovely old furniture uses a mix of boiled linseed oil and turpentine for all her (non-french polished) furniture. It always glows beautifully. Think she gives it an occasional rub over with an oily rag rather than polishing and then gives it a proper applicatiion of the mixture every spring.

This sort of mix https://thecraftsmanblog.com/revive-old ... nseed-oil/

[PatsyMFagan Profile]

Sort of food related....

We have an antique (dated 1913) scullery table as our kitchen table. I love it. I sanded and oiled it with danish oil when we got it. But it's wearing off and getting some stains in places. Is there something more hardwearing that I could use to finish it, but which would also help preserve the wood? (it's made of pine)

ps - but giving it a natural look - no shiny varnish!

Can't help you there Hope, but i do remember you talking about this on WF several years ago

[Seatallan Profile]

A friend with some lovely old furniture uses a mix of boiled linseed oil and turpentine for all her (non-french polished) furniture. It always glows beautifully. Think she gives it an occasional rub over with an oily rag rather than polishing and then gives it a proper applicatiion of the mixture every spring.

This sort of mix https://thecraftsmanblog.com/revive-old ... nseed-oil/

I was thinking the same. I don't know if it is any help but you can get excellent ready-made linseed based furniture treatment oil. I had some I picked up in Homesense once- think the brand was 'Talk of the Town'- and it was wonderful.

[Hope Profile]

thanks all.

I have some osmo which I use on the worktop. maybe that would work on the table too? I'll have to read the packaging...

Is turps stinky fumy stuff? I might need to leave this job until spring!

[Hope Profile]

I was going to post a picture of it, but it's too big and I can't work out how to shrink it! (I used to know these things....!)

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Oil does have to be replenished every so often, my parents had a lot of G -plan teak and my job was to oil it the day before we went on holiday so it could dry while we were away, and that wasn’t in the kitchen

I need to get my coffee table done, but I definitely want it varnished, it has a terrible mark where an unnoticed red wine spill seeped under a coaster and sank in - and it was well and truly waxed

Turpentine is very strong smelling (real turps also quite expensive) - check you don’t react to it

[Hope Profile]

Thanks Sue.

I think this is definitely going to be a job for the spring, so I can do it outside or at least open all the windows and doors.

Will come back to this. thanks all....

[jeral Profile]

Hope, you might like to browse these two sites which are specific to table tops. Some handy Do and Don't tips, advantages and drawbacks. One says that matt coats build up like dull plastic, so use gloss coats first and only finish with a matt or satin coat. Usefully, actual products are shown with short reviews:

https://woodimprove.com/best-finishes-f ... hen-table/

https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/ ... table-top/

Buying a single pine floorboard could be useful for testing different brands/methods. It could always be made into shelves afterwards.

My mention of yacht varnish was tongue in cheek, being a hammer to crack a walnut. Although it can be used on furniture, I doubt its food safe.
---

Re burnishing, the next short video shown was a man using a burnishing brush rather than sandpaper for the finishing "slurry". I'd personally feel happier (guessing) with a brush having reached the make or break last stage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4GBtv5Us2k

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Unfortunately the top list of finishes is US based, and they aren't available in the UK - well only at a price of £117 per tin!