Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/T & G Pine Paneling

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Expert: - 4/27/2009


Question
The paneling in our living room is T&G pine.  It's about 30 years old.  It was stained, but not sealed - I think the builders might have added some kind of oil (maybe linseed?) to the stain before they put it up. The paneling has gotten darker over the years due to sun, cooking grease, dust, etc. except for behind the art work where it is several shades lighter.
Is there anything I can do to clean & lighten the wood?  I would love to clean it up, then seal it.  I have attempted to clean/oil it in the past, but felt like the products I used (Liquid Gold, for one) just attracted more grime.  I love the warmth that the wood gives too the room, but I'm kind of helpless/hopeless about the whole deal.  As it is now, the tell-tale light spots behind the art don't allow me to move anything, and the majority of the paneling  just keeps getting darker.  
Thanks for your help.
Pat

Answer
Hi Pat, I'm afraid there isn't much you can do to lighten your paneling. Pine paneling will naturally darken with age, as yours is doing, and the early finishes like varnishes, stains, and Linseed oils also darken with age. Linseed oils are actually in in old varnishes and stains, and your paneling probably has something like that on it from what you describe...you could probably effectively clean and refinish the paneling if you felt like hand stripping and refinishing EVERY single board...but that's a huge job and wouldn't be worth it. I would think about going right over it with new paneling...you can buy some thinner T&G paneling designed to do just this. Hope that helps a little- 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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