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Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/refinishing antique cherry table

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Expert: - 3/22/2009


Question
Hi.  I just purchased a cherry dining room set from an estate sale.  The buffet and china cabinet are in good shape, but the dining table is a mess.  The top has been abused (maybe water damage) and the ball and claw feet are very scuffed up.  I want to strip this table down, re-stain it, and put a protective finish on the top.  Would a tung oil finish be a good choice?  (I have an 1800s mahogany table with this finish that has stood up beautifully against heavy use from my family of 5.)  If this is not a good idea, could you recommend a finish?  Thanks for your time,

Tiffany

Answer
Hi Tiffany, a Tung oil finish is a modified varnish, and it's a beautiful finish for Cherry, but it's got a different look than a surface applied finish like varnish or lacquer...which your pieces likely have...the real beauty of these penetrating finishes is the ease at which they're applied. They also can restored with cleaning and additional coats of the product. After mutliple coats, the finish becomes a more of a film finish, a tung oil varnish.. it just takes many coats to achieve that film thickness. I like Waterlox, read about it here:

http://www.waterlox.com/desktopmodules/fathomecom/catalog/category.aspx?tabid=42...
Hope that helps- post back if need be- 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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