Expert: Greg Scholl - 5/26/2011

Question
QUESTION: Hello, I hope you can answer this question for me please.  I bought a dining room set at Macys.  The table top is a Veneer I suppose, dark wood, hand painted.  After I bought it , I was using a furniture polish which included Silicon.  I polished the table top about 5-6 times with this Old English brand polish.  It wasn't up until a week ago that the manufacturer advised Not to use Silicon based products.   I have since purchased an Orange Oil polish.  When I first got the table, I noticed some imperfections on the top which I was told was normal. This included bubbles and indentations to the top.  So, my question is, did using the Silcon based polish cause the top to bubble up even more, or is it normal for this type of top to bubble up and have indentations in the manufacturing process.  The woods involved are Alder and New Zealand pine veneers over Radiata Pine solids.  Thank you very much.

ANSWER: Hi Sydney, Most Old English brand polishes are silicone free. Silicone is an oil, and while it can add a quick shine to a surface, it can also contaminate it for future finishing, as it causes issues that prevent a film finish from flowing out evenly (referred to as "orange peeling", and/or "fisheyes"). Normally, any polish will not affect the finish to the degree you're describing...if the finish is raising, bubbling,etc., and while some very minor imperfections may be normal...certainly a marked increase in these is cause for concern. If it is veneer, it's important to make sure the piece is not exposed to extremes in relative humidity....too damp will cause the substrate to swell, and can cause mold, mildew and other concerns...too dry, and the substrate will start to shrink at a different rate as the veneer and cause cracking, bubbling, and stress issues on the piece, especially where joints occur and grain intersects, etc.One common error people make is over applying polishes, and not wiping them off completely and thoroughly. A few times a YEAR is sufficient, and normal maintenance with a dry cloth, and a good, brisk buffing, should be all that's required..perhaps a dusting with a product like Endust, but sprayed on the cloth ...not the finish, or a cloth dampened with a little warm soapy water...followed by a thorough and careful hand drying with a dry cloth.. Hope that helps a little -post back if need be- regards- Greg

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Greg,
   Please forgive me for asking yet another few questions, and for taking so much of your time, but I forgot a couple of items yesterday, and got some more information this morning.  First, the Old English polish contains 1-2.5% Silicon.  Is this a significant amount to cause any damage, or is it a negligible amount. In other words, would it cause any bubbling, or is it just a build up issue? I read over your first answer to me.   Perhaps the location of the table is an issue.  I live in the desert.  The table is located between the kitchen and the rear patio door. Sunlight does come in through this large window.  Also, above the table, a few feet rear of it, is the the AC vent.  On a positive note, when I wipe or polish the table top, it Feels Smooth.  Again, sorry to ask again, but do you recommend using an orange oil product as the manufacturer suggests?  Or should I just stick with your prior recommendations?   Again, I am sorry if I am taking too much of your time, but again, I truly do appreciate your input.   Sydney

Answer
The environment and humidity (or lack thereof), will do more harm to a piece than any polish would. I like the Guardsman Oil based polish, but the kind I am recommending has no silicones or waxes...and it would NOT damage the finish. A few times a YEAR should suffice when applying these products, the most common mistake is over application.....you may need to wipe off the piece with some mineral spirits to remove the Old English product and it's silicones.

http://www.amazon.com/Guardsman-306200-16OZ-Wood-Polish/dp/B000VBB2FA/ref=pd_sbs

Hope that continues to help- Greg