Expert: Eileen Cronk - 1/17/2008

Question
Just got a Heywood-Wakefield table and six chairs.  Love it. Hate color, hate waterstaining qualities of the original finish.  though it's considering heresy, I would like to refinish in a more water-resistant darker stain that's more practical and suited to our tastes. It's yellow birch.  Any ideas?

Answer
Hi Anne
Nice to hear from you.
Anne I agree with you on this. It might be heresy on my part too, but I never liked the finish on HW furniture or the colors much either.
Their workmanship can't be faulted though.
Its my experience that birch takes a stain and finish lovely, but I want you to try a small sample area first to make sure it will take the color you want (although I see no reason why it won't).
So strip a tiny hidden area. The table skirt is a good place or under a chair seat if its solid wood.
You only need a 3 inch area. Strip it with stripper, then try the stain color. If it suits you're good to go.
And of course you need a good finish on the table top.
I would use Minwax fast drying oil based poly.
Anne I have this on my own very old kitchen table that gets lots of use. Its a lovely mellow finish that does not say "plastic" in any way.
I put 3 coats on mine after staining (no more than 3 ever).
I would use the poly only on the table top.
For the table legs, table skirt and chairs, I would stain like the top of course then apply 3 or 4 coats of "Circa 1850" brand tung oil.
Sound strange?
There are several reasons I choose to do this.
1..Have you ever tried to poly 6 chairs and table legs? Its not a fun job. I don't care who wields the brush, there are always runs and streaks. And imagine putting 2 or 3 coats on them...awful thought LOL. Oh yes I forgot to mention the sanding between coats with poly.
Tung oil is wiped on with a rag in minutes. No runs or streaks ever. No sanding either although I give the chair seats and backs a light rub with fine steel wool after the first coat of oil if necessary.
2..Time involved with poly vs. tung oil.
Both your time and drying times.
On a good day with low humidity, you can apply all 3 coats of tung oil. Morning, afternoon and after dinner.
It should take no more than 1 hour per session.
On a good day you can apply 2 coats of poly. I always recoat poly after 12 hours. So do the math here.
One chair will take about an hour to poly for us do it yourselfers.
Pretty scary for busy folks.
3..Wear factor..I know that will be a question you have Anne.
We know that chair arms, and seats get a lot of handling.
Not to mention the chair backs that get the most really.
I know you will be familiar with that gummy residue that chair arms and backs get from peoples hands. We give these areas a wipe occasionally and think we are doing a fine cleaning job, but one hot humid day we feel this sticky stuff when we sit down. This stuff needs to be removed periodically and the only way I know to remove it is with a heavy duty degreaser or mineral spirits. If its heavy you use fine steel wool as a scrubber.
The table top does not get this way only the chairs.
This heavy cleaning will wear both a poly finish and an oil finish. Now heres the good part. With an oil finish you simply rub on another coat after this cleaning. Just like polishing the furniture really. With poly your back to sanding and drips etc.
So those are my ideas Anne..for what there worth LOL.
If you need my stripping instructions just ask.
Kindest Regards
Eileen
PS Neither finish will watermark...don't let the nay sayers tell you other wise. All my refinished furniture has had tung oil finishes for many many years.
I have a big family and always lots of children around.
The table I mention here is the only piece in my home with poly.