Pizza and table top don't mix

[Gumby]

Some friends have had a lovely dining table stuffed up by their son who put a hot pizza box on it and now it's gone very dull in that spot. They've been quoted approx $1000 over the phone to have the whole thing re polished but I'm sure I read something in here about removing those marks. I can't seem to find it though. I'm not sure whether it's actually French polished or not but it has a nice sheen, not a poly look - it's probably about 20 years old. They've asked my advice but it's way past my league. Any ideas?

[Ben from Vic.]

Take the advice given here, then offer to do it for $950.



er, can't really help, sorry.

[johng]

Sounds like your table top is finished with shellac (french polished), or a really cheap lacqer. Is the table old (more than 50 yrs - probably shellac), or valuable (practice on a piece of junk first)? The test for shellac is a drop of alcohol (metho or Scotch) will soften/dissolve the finish. Heat will cause white /dull areas to form on shellac - try gentle heating with a hair dryer (not a paint peeler!) for a minute or three - that should reverse it without further damaging the finish. It may need a polish up with some non-silicone furniture wax or liquid polish.

If the finish is lacquer, you would be best to think about stripping the whole top and re-finishing it - unless you can find the original lacquer and its solvent, dissolve the lacquer around the damage, and re-finish the area.

There are plenty of books & articles on the Internet about re-finishing - i have re-finished a side table , including re-staining to match in 1/2 day. If the whole top has to be refinshed then I would use Tung oil or scandinavian oil - its fairly heat resistant, easy to apply and repair, and gives a reasonably high shine if thats what you want - but not as glossy /deep as real french polish, which I would leave to an expert. You may have to re-stain the top if the colour disappears with the finish. There you have a choice of water or oil based stain - which one to use depends on type of wood, etc, etc.

Good luck - and take your time to find out how to do it before you make the problem worse.

[Gumby]

Thanks for that very comprehensive reply John, much appreciated.

[Sturdee]

Gumby,

I see that John has already comprehensively covered the problem. The only difference I would suggest is that if you have to strip the lot then french polish it rather than oiling.

I know that you can do it and if you want to discuss this further or need more advice give me a call.


Peter.

[Gumby]

Thanks Pete but since it's not my table I wouldn't even try. I'll just pass on the advice. I do however, have an 80 year old dining table my Grandmother owned and it needs re-doing. maybe I'll have a chat about that or do the course myself.

[johnc]

Gumby,

We have a dining table bought new about 20 years ago which had a satin gloss which probably was sprayed on. Over the years it had the odd hot cup and plate leave white rings on the surface and we where about to strip and refinish but picked up on an add for Howard restoring polish and orange oil. Basically all thats required is a bit of 00 steel wool and elbow grease and the whole job took about 20 minutes and vanished the marks. Cost all up including a new packet of wool about $50.00 and we where very satisfied with the result. They can be phoned on 1800672646 or www.howardproducts.com.au, and no I don't work for them.

Hope this is of some help.

JohnC

[Gumby]

Thanks John, I'll pass it on............love this forum

[ubeaut]

Jeez - You are on the Forums owned and run by U-Beaut Polishes,least you could do is to have a look at our Polish Reviver. All it will cost is $11 and a bit of clean soft rag for this repair. If it doesn't work they have lost $11, if it does they will have saved themselves a grand. Oh yeah I can pretty much guarantee, if it doesn't work, neither will anything else.

Cheers - Neil

PS See how we give everyone a fair go on these forums. Even US based Howard Products, who's Australia distributer spend too much of his time denegrating and defaming the products of many Australian polish manufacturers (including Organoil, Gilly Stephens and U-Beaut to name but a few). :mad:

[Termite]

I've used UBeaut Polish reviver and like all of Niels gunk - it works on a hell of a lot of things. Definitely worth a go.

Im a crawler I'm a crawler. So what, the stuff works.

[Gumby]

Jeez - You are on the Forums owned and run by U-Beaut Polishes,least you could do is to have a look at our Polish Reviver. All it will cost is $11 and a bit of clean soft rag for this repair. If it doesn't work they have lost $11, if it does they will have saved themselves a grand. Oh yeah I can pretty much guarantee, if it doesn't work, neither will anything else.

Cheers - Neil

PS See how we give everyone a fair go on these forums. Even US based Howard Products, who's Australia distributer spend too much of his time denegrating and defaming the products of many Australian polish manufacturers (including Organoil, Gilly Stephens and U-Beaut to name but a few). :mad:

Hi Neil,
Appologies for getting your dander up but just for the record I currently have in the garage the following:
Traditional Wax
Polisher reviver
EEE Polish
Triploi Powder
Hard Shellac(2)
White Shellac
A swansdown mop

All from Ubeaut.

I've also spent quite a few posts pointing people in your direction and recommend your products constantly. My original post just asked a general question and to be honest I didn't think of the polish reviver, sorry.
Oh yeah, I've also got your book

[johnc]

Sorry Neil,


Next time I'll give U-beaut polishes ago, when you read the adds its not always obvious where they come from.

JohnC

[nwb403]

look at our Polish Reviver. All it will cost is $11 and a bit of clean soft rag for this repair. If it doesn't work they have lost $11, if it does they will have saved themselves a grand. Oh yeah I can pretty much guarantee, if it doesn't work, neither will anything else.

Sorry to revive this post, but I've been asked by some friends who are selling a house, how to make one of their tables look better for when people come through - this post seemed to be the closest match I could find this morning!

The table is probably about 8 years old, and has multiple white rings (in some places the finish is visibly flaking off) - from heat and water. I suspect is has a water based clear finish. Neil - do you think your "Reviver" product would help to fix/reduce the problem?

Thanks in advance

[echnidna]

If that doesn't work a tablecloth will hide it all.

[ubeaut]

If it's water based clear and flaking the only fix will be sandpaper and even that won't work too well. Best thing they could do is get rid of the eyesore table and make the room look bigger.

Remind them they are selling the house not the furniture. Forget the TV show window dressing, most people when buying the house aren't the slightest bit interested in what the furnishings look like, just the house itself. Although a table like that may convey the impression that they don't really care and that the house may have been treated the same and a bit of a cover up has been done.

Seriously though, the best bet would be to employ another cover up and hide it with a table cloth as echidne suggests. Would be cheaper to buy a nice new table cloth and place a vase of flower either dried or fresh in the centre, than to try and do a quick fix on the table.

Hope this is of some help.

Cheers - Neil

PS Maybe your friends should either get a laminex table top in the future or like many other people, learn how to look after real timber furniture. IE coasters, place mats, table cloth, bit of polish (not Mr Sheen) from time to time.

Rant mode off.......