You are here:
- Home
- Hobbies
- Woodworking
- Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks
- Danish modern teak desk
Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/Danish modern teak desk
Advertisement
Question
I recently purchased a mid-century teak desk with water damage on top. I
)
read through some of the questions on this sight and it suggests cleaning it
with mineral spirits and then using tung oil? I sent a picture of the desk to a
local woodworking / hardware store and the manager said it looks like red
oak and not teak. I found the same desk on the internet and it was described
as solid teak. How can you tell the difference if it is red oak or teak?
Hi Sandy, that's Teak...you can tell by the style of the piece, grain and the color. Red Oak is not brown, and the grain is quite different...The real problem is that these are veneered, usually with very thin veneers...so repairing that damage may not be easy, or even not possible....Mineral spirits will have no effect, you'll need to strip the top chemically, and carefully, to remove the oil finish,(these finishes are tenacious, as they are penetrating finishes that harden from within the wood) then repair the veneer based on what you find. DO NOT use an orbital sander or any unnecessary sanding on it, as you will go through the veneer in a second,...post back if need be- regards- Greg
Related Articles
- Tame the Paperwork Clutter Monster on Your Desktop. How To Get Better Organized and Stay That Way
- Outfitting Your Office - Home-Based Business
- Six Feet of Durable Sewing Machine Table for Under $100
- Lasagna Florentine - Whole Grain, High Fiber Food
- Pork Loin with Brandied Prunes - Whole Grain, High Fiber Food
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.
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.