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Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/kitchen cupboards - fingerprints

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Expert: - 11/16/2009


Question
QUESTION: OUr house was built 6 years ago, and already I have oily fingerprints on my kitchen cupboard doors and  around drawer pulls.  The cabinets are alder wood with a light colored stain.  I have tried soap, 409, vinegar, and Guardsman wood cleaner.  Nothing has worked.  Any suggestions?

ANSWER: Hi Christie, if you've tried all those, then you likely don't have oily fingerprints...you're seeing something else, possibly the breakdown of the finish, classic areas where the finish will wear first......were these cabinets factory made and factory finished? Mineral spirits will cut any grease, oils, cooking gunk, etc.....use it on a clean rag and hand dry with another clean,dry rag.If the marks still re4main, then you're looking at something else......regards- Greg

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

QUESTION: Thank you for responding. They were custom made.  So if the mineral spirits don't work, and it's the finish wearing off, is there anyway to touch it up?  I noticed when I used the Guardsman cleaner that it looked worse.  Is it possible that it took some of the finish off?

Answer
Throwing all those chemicals at a clear finish can definitely hurt the finish...409 and some other strong cleaners can be pretty hard on a finish and actually etch it...but it would depend on what the finish is...can you find out what they were finished with? You'll need to know that if you hold hopes of being able to recoat it or touch it up....this is typically not the realm of the novice though.These finishes are typically sprayed on, and often have color in them, (called toning), so it takes some skill, knowledge, and experience to recognize the techniques and materials used and then restore or repair these types of finishes....

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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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