Help! Jarrah slab table/chairs...

[Justagirl]

Hi all,
Im after some advice to bring my jarrah slab table and bench seats back to being beautiful! They have lived outside and unloved for a couple of years. Previously to this they have been oiled and also lacquered (faded very quickly) Now I am bringing them inside, I have hit them with a Feast Watson wood cleaner to get rid of some of the grey and now want to use F W outdoor wood oil in Jarrah to help bring back the colour without sanding my butt off for months and months! (they are three metres long and blimmin hard wood, am I just being lazy? Lol) Will this work OK?
Also, there are quite a few splits which I like, but my clothes dont, as I have gotten caught a few times on sharp edges What i would like to know, is what is the best way to get rid of the paper thin sharp bits? Is sanding and sanding and sanding the only way or is there a trick to getting rid of them?
Thanks in advance for your help!!

[BobL]

The original colour pigment in the wood surface has been destroyed by water and UV so there is no way to get back to anywhere near any original colour other than to sand it back.

Staining will apply a colour but it will not be the same and without some practice it can look worse than the existing grey.

So , to quote the karate kid, "Waxon - Waxoff" , or learn to love grey or risk the aged tart look.

[Master Splinter]

Sanding, sanding and more sanding is the least hardware/money intensive option. A cheap belt sander + 80 grit to get you started, then work up to 120 and then 180 grit.

Sand in the direction of the grain.

Let the tool do all the work (you're just there to guide it) but stop and check frequently (with a straightedge) to make sure you are keeping it level. (search the forum for belt sander and slab). It might be a bit wobbly anyway from its time outside (highlight high areas with pencil, sand till the pencil is gone, check levels and repeat)

Fix the sharp standy-up pointy bits down with superglue if they are small; once you unstick your fingers from the top you can also see if there are cracks that'll swallow small children - these cracks are better filled with epoxy (again, search forum) or casting resin.

[BobL]

if any of the wood is slightly soft or pukey or very weathered, then it might be better to attack it with a scraper with a filed edge first.

[Christos]

Nothing wrong with sanding. Could be quite a bit of fun.

I think people get tired of sanding because of the quality of the sanding paper. I once purchased some of the lower grade paper and found that this was just wearing away the grit. I gave this to a friend who wanted it for a just in case situation.

Well I was at his place on another occasion and he wanted to recoat the outdoor furniture(table top only). You can imagine how I felt when he gave me the sandpaper that I gave him.

He would not allow me to go home and get the better stuff so I ended up using a knife blade as a scraper.

Do post a before and after photo, many will be amazed by the results.

[Ticky]

Hi, I don't know your skill level, or what you are prepared to spend on restoring your slab, but in my opinion, a belt sander with 80git paper can bee a bit aggressive in the wrong hands.

If you are prepared to spend about $400, I would recommend a Metabo variable orbit - random orbit sander. Product catalogue handheld powertools - Products - Metabo Australia - Power tools built by professionals for professionals

I have had one of these for years. The large orbit is aggressive enough, starting with 80 git & you don't need to be as careful about grain direction.

It is a lot easier to keep flat, or rather, a lot harder the dig holes than a belt sander and discs just velcro on. I recommend buying your discs' from a sand paper specialist rather than your local hardware store, & & dont be shy about changing them when they wear.

The fine orbit will get a mirror finish on your slab before you even apply any oil if you are prepared to go that far. I regularly finish furniture to 2000 grit with my Matabo.

Good luck

Steve

[trodd]

I was going to offer my services if you wanted to get the sanding done for you as I make <a href="www.jarrimber.com.au">Jarrah Furniture</a>, but now I see you are in Sydney... not Perth. Well done on having the jarrah table over there. All the best.