AboutEileen Cronk Expertise Hi..I can answer most questions about the repairing,stripping and refinishing of all your old furniture and wood items(the things we call antiques)I can give advice about what to buy/avoid at auctions/flea markets. I do not give appraisals on antiques.
Experience I have been refinishing antiques for the past 30yrs. While I have taken several courses over the years,I have found that "hands on" learning is the best teacher. Perhaps I can help you avoid some of the mistakes I made while learning.
Question Dear Ellen,
I know you've discussed this topic before, but I hope you'll be able to help me, too. Before I learned anything abut refinishing maple furniture, I stripped, sanded (yes!) and stained my mother's maple cedar-lined hope chest (at her request). Of course, the stain didn't penetrate evenly, and it looked terrible. I sanded the chest again (I know: shouldn't have). My mother would be happy for me to paint the chest, but I think it's a shame to cover the wood if anything can be done to fix the mess I've made. Can you help?
Answer Hi Becky
Nice to hear from you.
Heres what I would do to fix the chest.
You did not say if you added a clear coat after you stained.
If you did, give the chest a once over with paint stripper..even if you have sanded. This will make absolutely certain there is no finish residue.
Next you will have to sand only if you scratched the wood the first and second time you sanded.
If you are certain there are no sanding scratches, you can proceed to the next step.
Get a small can of wood sealer at the hardware and apply a light coat. Let this dry well. If you feel any roughness when you run your hand over the dry wood, then lightly rub the chest with fine steel wool or very fine sandpaper.
Next apply some stain. Unfortunately maple is very dense and does not absorb a lot of stain but I find older maple stains very nicely (go figure), so hopefully your chest will.
Finally apply your finish.
In your case I would apply 3 coats of low luster tung oil.
Tung oil is applied with a rag and its fool proof.
Becky I am enclosing for you my complete refinishing info.
In it are the brand names I use.
Keep the info for future reference.
I hope this one project has not discouraged you from doing more in this area. Its a great hobby and one you can master.
Kind regards
Eileen
MATERIAL LIST For the stripping stage.
1 gallon stripper
3 boxes of Bull Dog steel wool in medium grade.
One 3 inch oil based paint brush.
Rubber gloves (like you do dishes with), and a pair of cotton gloves inside the rubber ones.
People react differently to stripper. A lot of people feel heat through the rubber gloves, but I feel cold. Have no idea why.
An empty large coffee can. (for the stripper)
A couple of old tooth brushes.
Lots of old rags (I like t-shirts or cotton but for this first stage whatever you have)
Lots of newspaper to protect the garage floor
LOTS OF VENTILATION..A MUST
That's all you need to get started.
HERES WHAT YOU DO...
Work in sections.
Brush on the stripper with the brush. Stripper will quit working if it dries, so keep it wet till the finish softens.
Then take a rag and wipe this mess off.
Then another coat of stripper, rag off again, then while the wood is still wet, take the steel wool and rub with the grain till the wood is nice and clean.
Depending on the material you are removing, another coat of stripper is often needed but you will know this as you progress into the job.
Use the toothbrush in crevices.
Thats all there is to it ...move to another section and continue.
No other prep is necessary...and DO NOT SAND
When the stripping is complete, stain with Minwax oil stain applied with a rag, then 3 or 4 coats of low lustre tung oil also applied with a rag.
Please let me know if anything is not 100% clear.
