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Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/White blotches on Oak after staining
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Question
QUESTION: My husband is making a table out of oak, solid oak. After or during staining, he noticed random white blotches that resisted the stain. He noticed some of them are where he had heavily sanded the wood, but, it is not limited only to those areas.
What can he do to get the stain to take to these areas?
ANSWER: Are they white?....or just lighter, as in just taking the stain differently? Typically you can burnish a hard wood while sanding, it's imperative to sand evenly and in successive grits until 150-180 on Oak...but it could be some type of contamination, too. Hard to know, though without seeing it...what kind of stain? I would chemically strip it with a methylene chloride stripper. That has a way of "zero'ing" the wood back to an even tone, then perhaps a light sanding by hand just to ready it again....post back if need be- regards- Greg
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks! Here are a couple pictures.
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hmmmm...this looks like glue residue to me...any areas that glue is allowed to dry on, even diluted glue, will keep the stain from...staining. Sometimes it's difficult to see the glue as well during construction, so it's an important step to pay close attention during any glue up..a sharp cabinet scraper is the best way to remove dried glue, followed by a light sanding...but after staining, there's ne easy way to do this without having to go backwards....
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Answers by Expert:
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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