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Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/residue on dining room table

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Expert: - 12/26/2008


Question
I have a dark wood finish dining room table. I bought a package of package of scented chips that you put in sachets and potpourri baskets. It was a paper envelope container. I was lying on my table and somehow got damp. By the time I discovered it, I had to pull the paper off of the table and now I have paper/gummy residue on the spot. I have sprayed furniture polish on the area several times and let it soak. What else can I try? It is a very expensive table and I know I shouldn't have laid anything like that on it.

Answer
Hi Tammy, at first I wasn't sure I was the guy to answer your question."I was lying on my table and somehow got damp" but then I realized you mistyped.....lol. Unfortunately, potpourri can have solvents in it that are strong enough to attack a lacquer finish, and it sounds like that may be what's happened. If there is just paper stuck to the finish, you should be able to just saturate the paper with some warm water and gently scrape it off with a credit card. If it's stuck on any more than that or it leaves an impression or deep mark in the finish, then you've damaged the lacquer and you'll have to call in a pro. Attempting to do any more than that, will likely cause more damage. Also, spraying furniture polish on it heavily may be a bad idea as well....especially one that contains silicones, (like Pledge), so wipe all that off immediately. It doesn't sound good from here, I think you may have chemically "burned" into the finish.......post back- 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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