I recently bought a used ‘Danish modern’ dining table. The first time I put a warm coffee cup down on the surface, the finish under the cup turned a cloudy milky white. The appearance did not improve when the surface was allowed to cool.
The table top appears to be a mahogany veneer that has been finished with some type of oil. The finish does not appear to be a surface film such as varnish or laquer.
What is the best method for determining the type of finish? And, what are the repair options?
Replies
It sounds like your table was finished with wax or an oil/wax mixture which tends to react exactly as you describe when hot plates, cups etc are allowed to sit on the surface for any length of time.
You can try using alcohol to redissolve the finish but you may have to strip and refinish.
If you do refinish, consider a wipe-on oil/poly mixture and give it at least five coats. Rockler sells a good wipe-on.. and I can highly recommend the Maloof oil/poly mix.. just don't get the one with wax in it.
Good luck,
Bill
Pippins,
The heat could have reacted with a layer of wax. You may want to try: steel wool; steel wool lubricated with petroleum jelly; mineral spirits-in that order. Start with a small area, out of sight, first (like the inside of a leg). You will likely have to treat the whole top with whatever you do, then rewax, or maybe re-oil.
Regards,
Ray
You might try retarder. I'm not sure what its made of or how it works but we use it on heat marks and its like magic. I see the latest Woodcraft catalog has an item called Furniture Ring Remover that looks like the same stuff. Hope this helps.
JMC
Edited 2/9/2005 12:44 pm ET by jmc
Now you know what coasters are for. A white ring is moisture trapped in the finish--or wax. Try rubbing it with mayonnaise and then putting a piece of saran over the spot with the mayo. If that doesn't work (try it a couple of times) barely moisten a rag with denatured alcohol and "dust" over the spot.
Gretchen, thanks for the tip.
I did not describe a 'white ring' but assume that your advice is still valid.
Steve Pippins
Gretchen,
Do I need to use a brand-name mayo, or will the generic house brands work?
Just kidding!
What makes mayo work? Mayo is eggs, butter, veggie oil, no? What's drawing the water out of the finish? Wouldn't gentle treatment with a hair drier work to make the entrapped water "out-gas?"
Rich
It's the oil.
And to the OP, if the ring is black, all bets are off. The damage is in the wood not the finish and you will have to bleach and refinish. I must have supplied the "white ring" on my own.
Went back. It was described as "white".
Gretchen
Edited 2/9/2005 10:25 pm ET by GRETCHEN
The oil absorbs the water?
Somehow it does. Apparently something like Vaseline works also.Gretchen
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