You are here:
- Home
- Hobbies
- Woodworking
- Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks
- Are there sealants to prevent water rings from glasses on tables?
Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/Are there sealants to prevent water rings from glasses on tables?
Advertisement
Question
Hi,
I just purchased a dining table and I am so in love with it, I want it to last and look great for years. It is a good quality table, from World Market. Here's the link so if you want to check out the material you can:
http://www.worldmarket.com/Furniture/dining-room-furniture/Sale/Loft-Dining-Tabl...
Anyway, I have kids and despite constant patrolling--making sure they use coasters and place mats--all my wood furniture inevitably ends up with a water ring. Is there any kind of sealant I can put on this table to prevent them? THANKS!
Hi Christina, the best "sealants" are the ones used by the modern furniture industry....meaning the lacquers, Urethanes, etc. that they use to finish with. Manufacturers use varying thicknesses and qualities of finishes however, and there's really no way to know what your table has been done with, without seeing it, but you're right, kids are hard on nice furniture. Short of having a piece of glass made for the top, the only thing you can do is to be vigilant, wipe spills up immediately, don't over polish it, don't use Pledge on it, use an oil based polish with NO silicones in it like Guardsman, Old English, Weimans, etc., and use this SPARINGLY, like once a month. Wipe the table down with a damp cloth and hand dry it with a clean dishtowel after meals.Don't leave something damp on it for more than 6 hours, and don't put hot things directly on the table. Other than that, you should be ok, and keep explaining to your kids why you like nice things...it takes a few years, I know because I have many Antiques that I have restored over the years in my house. My kids don't get why I like all this "old" stuff, and much of it has a Urethane finish on the tops and wear surfaces for just the reasons you state in your post. I am fortunate enough to be able to finish and refinish things I own, and fake up a new, tough, Urethane finish to look like the original, patinated finish, but it's a constant battle here, too., although mine are 19 and 13 now. Hope that helps- post back if need be- Greg
- Add to this Answer
- Ask a Question
| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Thank you so much for your help. I had no idea about Pledge, that's what my mother has used for years, so that's what I was using. Old English it is from now on. Also, thank you for the great idea about having a piece of glass cut for it...I may do that. | ||
Related Articles
Answers by Expert:
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.
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.