Expert: Eileen Cronk - 6/16/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hi Eileen,

My partner and I recently purchased some lovely teak dining room furniture - Danish Modern 40 years old.  We love the lines of the chairs and sideboard.

Chairs and a sideboard.  The pieces were kept in a very sunny dining room.  The pieces close to the window are lighter/blondish than the ones farther away; which are redish-brown.

We are interested in lightly cleaning and freshening the wood on the chairs and trying to get them to be the same darker brown teak colour rather than the light/blond colour.

The real issue is the sideboard.
There used to be a hutch that rested on the sideboard; for 40 years in a sunny room.  Now there are 2 light areas on the top of the sideboard; becuase we did not take the hutch.
How do we get the top to be one shade again?
The previous owners used mayonaise to polish the furniture.
This darkened the faded sideboard to nice redish brown.
We have heard different advice - teak oil, no teak oil, mayonaise, tung oil is poisonous...please clarify.
We like the darker colour of the teak...it is not stained or painted. BTW our dining room does not get a lot of sun.

Any help on restoring and maintaining teak is appreciated.

Best Regards,
Gita - Toronto

ANSWER: Hi Gita
Nice to hear from a fellow Canadian.
I am actually just up the highway from you near a village called Washago.
OK..your question.
The only way you can get a darker stain is to strip off all existing finish.
It sounds like the sideboard needs it as these marks cannot be dealt with any other way.
But any area that has lightened from sun exposure will need stripping and restaining.
BUT but but...try this first.
The wood needs to be well cleaned of the mayo LOL.
To do this you use varsol and fine steel wool pads (not SOS pads).
Dip the pad in the varsol and rub with the grain.
Dry with clean rags as you go.
I am hoping this will at least unify the color more although it will not make the wood darker. It could be lighter if there is a heavy build up of stuff present.
But all the crap has to be removed in any event.
If you are happy with the result, apply a coat of tung oil with a rag to all your pieces.
I never heard of this oil being poisonous and in fact I have it on all my furniture. Wouldn't drink it though LOL, but its safe to use on furniture.
Tung oil or teak oil needs no maintainence what ever. No waxing or mayo LOL.
Don't let anyone tell you it does.
Either oil finish can be freshened at any time down the road by simply rubbing on another coat.
Thats the beauty of this finish.
And take heart that if you find you have to strip the finish off, teak is a lovely wood to refinish and takes a stain well.
Great question.
Hope I have covered all your questions but get back to me any time.
I'm not far LOL.
Regards
Eileen



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Eileen,

Thanks for your very prompt response about my Danish Modern Teak sideboard.  I was away for a bit and am just getting to your answer.  
I want a bit more clarification, and perhaps make my request a bit clearer!

The sideboard was darkened with mayonaise, EXCEPT where the hutch was resting on top...which is lighter, probably the original colour of the teak sideboard.  
Since we didn't take the hutch we have 2 light patches.  I like the darker colour...no matter how it was achieved LOL.
The sideboard does not have any other finish on it that I can tell.
Do you still recommend cleaning the whole piece w/varsol?
Is it possible for me to damage the teak using varsol?  Let me know any preventative measures.
Will the teak/tung oil darken the teak a bit?  And do you prefer tung over teak oil? Why?

The pieces are an investment...especially the chairs which turned out to be designer!  Thanks for your patience and help for a nervous novice!

Gita - Toronto


Answer
Hi again Gita
First a cleaning with varsol will not harm furniture.
If you are worried the varsol will remove this dark color, try a very small test area in a hidden spot.
Just dip a rag in the varsol and wipe.
As I said before, the only fix for the marks on the sideboard where the hutch sat is a strip and a restain.
I suggest the varsol in hopes it may remove some of the dark mayo area to possibly avoid this but you like the dark color so its a catch 22.
The oils generally do not darken but its also possible this lighter area will darken over time if its now exposed.
All wood darkens to various degrees over time.
Not wood exposed to a lot of sun though.
Maybe you might be better to just leave as is for a year..who knows, it may right itself.
Keep me posted
Regards
Eileen