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Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/refinishing an oak kiten table

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Expert: - 9/28/2009


Question
I have a 22 year old Amish oak kitchen table and chairs.  It has been a very durable table until the last 6 months.  Glasses now leave a white rings on table top and it feels sticky. The table also as a few scratches (nothing major). We moved 8 years ago and our kitchen area gets sun which has faded the table some. I just read that I probably should have been using lemon oil on my table but I never really did anything but wipe it with soap and water. How can I fix the finish?  I read an ad about a product call Retorz-it. Does this work?  Other than the top of the table, this set is as good as it was the day I bought it. Thank you!

Answer
Hi Linda, I would stay away from Restorz-it, I have fielded some real horror stories from people who bought that product. Do the white rings dissipate or stay? I would take some mineral spirits and wipe down the table with a wet cloth in overlapping section, drying with clean rags as you go. Then follow one more time wiping the whole surface down with the cloth wet with clean mineral spirits. If when wet, the top looks good, then you could probably apply a wipe on polyurethane product like the General Satin wipe on Gel Topcoat. My guess is that this finish is at it's usable end though, as 22 years is a pretty good life span for a kitchen table top finish, and likely it's time for a complete and proper refinish. Please post back- regards- 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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