Coffee Table Marks

[Jerryj]

Hi I made a coffee table out of jarrah floor boards about 18 months ago, I find when a damp newspaper if left on the table I get a greyish stain left on the table. Swmbo rubs on some furniture oil and the stain goes away. I finished the table with poly. Why does this happen and how to avoid it in the future. Thanks Jerry

[cellist]

Hi I made a coffee table out of jarrah floor boards about 18 months ago, I find when a damp newspaper if left on the table I get a greyish stain left on the table. Swmbo rubs on some furniture oil and the stain goes away. I finished the table with poly. Why does this happen and how to avoid it in the future. Thanks Jerry

Jerry, sounds like the finish is simply not impervious to moisture, so imho you should re-sand and re-coat. I got some Minwax wipe-on poly at Bunnies in Midland yesterday, and it is just the bee's nurries. I have coated, sanded and re-coated some new work today and it's beautiful stuff. Never used it before. I would imagine that it will take 3 or 4 coats to get it to finished, but it should be impervious to water after that. Two other ideas:

1. After you have applied your final coat of poly, rub it back gently with some 0000 steel wool and some good oil, such as danish teak or similar. Then apply a carnauba wax polish (I use Gilly Stephenson's, also available at the Big Green Shed...but the sponsors of this forum also make a wonderful product, I am told...where to buy it locally is a bit of a problem, however) and it will repel water nicely.
2. Don't leave damp newspapers on your good table.

All the best for the gnu ear.
Mike

[Wooden Mechanic]

Newspaper contains an ink, that will run when wet. Or in your case damp. When this is left, it will obviously seep into the wood leaving your stain, or rather sit on top.

Simple thing to do is not leave a damp newspaper on the table!

Hope this helps, others may be more informative.

Harlan.

[Bob38S]

Just a thought, finish as suggested above, however, depending on the size of the table and how much use/abuse it is likely to get then perhaps consider a piece of glass on the top. Glass can be had from window repair places.

Not as good looking as just a finished surface but perhaps more functional.

[jerryc]

I'm surprised that the polyurethane does not appear to be water resistant. Was the top finished with furniture polish after the polyurethane was applied.? When the top is cleaned with furniture oil, is the surface back to original? It would help if you can give a little more information as to the state of the top after wife's polishing. furniture oil. Incidently as there are many products with similar names again more info needed.

I agree with Harlan. Just try not to do it again. As for going through the effort of sanding back and applying a new finish, it's a lot of work to do before the problem has been positively identified. A wipe on poly is no more than the finish you already have with extra thinners to make it easier to apply.

So info before action

Jerry

[Jerryj]

Hi everybody thanks for the replies. The original surface had been strip back to the bare wood before appling a spray on poly from a can. The oil the swmbo uses is called "O Cedar" a woodwork furniture restorer. I was just really wondering what was actually happening.

[jerryc]

Jerryj,

Check whether O Cedar has silicon in it. It's years since we used it and then it was only on the floor.
Spray on polyurethane has carriers in it so it can be sprayed, and sometimes if the poly is overaged this can cause trouble. As a rule, I don't offer advice unless I have used the product myself. I have not used spray on poly I take it that the table surface was not very recently sprayed and had had time to harden properly. What I'm aiming to do is explore the situation and, if possible avoid a strip and refinish.

Jerry