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Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/fine furniture caulking

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Expert: - 11/14/2008


Question
i have a 40 year old dining room set that i bought new.  the caulking around the glass in the china closet is coming loose becasue the caulking is falling out in bits and pieces.  i bought regular brown caulk in lowes but it does not look right but does do the job. is there special furniture caulk and where do i purchase it.

Answer
Hi Marilyn, you shouldn't use caulk on fine furniture, glass is held in with Glazing compound, which is a linseed oil based putty that you get under the name of Dap 33 or similar. It's applied with a putty knife, and then after it sets up, it's colored with an alcohol stain or similar.There is a technique to Glazing with Glazing putty, but it's still the best and most common material used in glazing. After 20-30 years, it will harden and can break down and start to fall out, but it's easily repairable and replaceable, which is something that a modern caulk is not.Post back if need be- regards- Greg

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Greg Scholl

Expertise

Questions on Woodworking, wood finishing and refinishing of all kinds, repairing furniture and wooden objects, Architectural details, Woodturning, carving, tool usage, product usage, some chemistry as it applies to woodworking and related interests,cabinet making and furniture construction/design, etc. I have experience with all manners of colorants, finishes, paints, stains, dyes, glazes, and coatings, wood species recognition and usage,tool recommendations, blade types and recommendation,techniques and methods for many Woodworking related issues, etc.

Experience

Fine furniture restorer and cabinet maker for over 30 years,serving high end Antique dealers, Interior designers, Collectors in the CT area. Consulting for area Painting/Decorating and Building contractors on non painting issues..(staining, wood prep.,clear finishing, floor restoration and architectural detail restoration and repair, etc.) Sold, built, serviced, setup Home, Industrial, and Commercial stationary woodworking tools for a major tool retailer in CT. for three years, sold hand and power tools , provided knowledge, parts replacement, service, and on site service, Trade show Demo, and training as well.

Publications
Published in Fine Woodworking Magazine (12/97), included on Fine Woodworkings first "Best of Fine Woodworking" CD-ROM (2002) ...("27 year compilation of expert know-how")

Education/Credentials
Art School at Silvermine Guild in Norwalk, CT., 9 year apprenticeship in a European run Cabinet and Restoration shop in CT., various classes on subjects having to do with the field. Seminars from major Tool manufacturers, Skil/Bosch, Delta, Powermatic, Ritter, Porter cable, Milwaukee, Dewalt/B&Decker, Performax.

Past/Present Clients
Many varied clients including work on Martha Stewarts' Westport, CT. show house, many fine Antique dealers and private collectors in and around Fairfield County and in Woodbury, CT. (the Antiques capital of CT.), Golden Age of Trucking Museum, Wilton Historical Society.

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