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About 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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You are here: Experts > Hobbies > Woodworking > Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks > Teak dining table restoration
Expert: Greg Scholl - 10/25/2009
Question
I have a lovely teak dining table which is in great need of restoration. Originally it was used on formal occasions and was given teak oil on a regular basis. In more recent years it has replaced the kitchen table and has had frequent use and lots of mistreatment for such a table. It has had paper placed on it, ie. newspaper, catalogues etc. which have come into contact with spilt glasses of water. The result has been that the paper has stuck and has had to be prized off. The teak oil finish started to look ordinary from this point. It is now uneven and slightly discoloured and dirty looking.
Since then it has been used as a meal table and sometimes an art table, normally with newspaper, but has the inevitable little marks of acrylic paint left on it which are proving difficult to remove. Some of this is on the edges of the table too.
It has an extra leaf which is contained under the table top and is only brought out on the odd occasion to enlarge the table. This leaf is in perfect condition and is a slightly different colour to the top ( less golden and slightly browner). The table surface is such a mess that I need to cover it with a table cloth, a pity for a great piece of furniture. It was my mother's table and so I would love to bring it back to it's former glory. It looks like it could do with a sand to remove all the oil to begin the process. What do you suggest? Should I go with the steel wool idea or does it need a full sand with an orbital sander? Should I take the approach suggested to Jean?
Many thanks.
Answer
Hi Jane, do NOT take an orbital sander to a table such as this, as they're veneered, and with quite thin veneer, and you'll easily ruin it. It needs to be chemically stripped, carefully, then perhaps lightly hand sanded, and then either stained and finished or finished using a colored Danish oil finish like Watco Medium brown or similar.These finishes contain resins, drying oils and Phenolics which cure in the wood and not sit on it like a varnish, so they can be a bit tenacious to strip, but it's do-able if you want to try. Otherwise any Pro restorer will be able to do it for you, and should provide free estimates for doing so....If it's now a Kitchen table, and subject to hard use, it may be worth trying a Gel stain and then 2-3 coats of a wipe on urethane, which will leave the top a bit more washable, and seal the wood up a bit more....I like the General Gel Satin Wipe on Urethane, and the General Gel stains...available at WoodCraft or other online retailers.....if you've never finished a table before, I would seriously advise considering having it done by a Pro.. it isn't rocket science, but it does take a bit of experience to match the color of the leaf, and produce a durable, even, furniture grade finish if you're not familiar with the methods, materials and techniques. Hope that helps a little- Please post back if need be- Greg
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