Expert: Eileen Cronk - 6/6/2005

Question
Dear Eileen, can you suggest a good product for stripping two old desks. (varnish, no paint)  One is solid oak and one is mahagony. I've tried citristrip and min wax stripper, but both weren't that great. Also, the goal is to refinish them both to look the same color even the wood is different.  Any suggestions on that as well. Thanks for volunteering.

skip
golf expert volunteer

Answer
Hi Skip
So nice to hear from a fellow expert.
I have never had a golf club in my hands, so you won't be getting any questions from me in return LOL.
I live in Canada Skip, so brand names may be different, but I have tried both the products you used and my opinion of them is the same..not great.
My favorite is Home Hardware house brand, but you may not have that if you are in the States, but I think you will have the CIRCA brand there...its great too.
If you are trying to achieve the same color on an oak desk and a mahogany desk its impossible. Just can't be done.
I assume both these pieces will be going in the same room and thats why you want a match.
What I would do in your case would be to stain both desks with Minwax Special walnut.
I use this color on all the mahogany I do, but not the oak pieces, but I suggest it because perhaps you will get a similar tone.
For most of the antique oak pieces I do I will mix 1/4 special walnut with 3/4 golden oak.
I find the golden oak by itself on old oak is too yellow looking.
Also Skip I will just mention that personally I think the different colored woods in one room look lovely.
You've heard the old saying "you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear?", well you can't make a mahogeny desk look like an oak desk either...forgive me for that line LOL
Let me know if this helps, and if not I will try again.
Kindest Regards
Eileen