Resealing a timber tabletop

[LynnieY]

Hi all,
total novice here
I have a timber table I got from a furniture shop. I don't know what sort of timber it is, it is dark wood apparently from a plantation. Anyway, since new when wiped it leaves a slight browny colour on the cloth wiping it and now it is obvious that whatever was put on it is coming off and raw timber is showing through.
I have no idea how to restore the top of the table.
Do I need to sandpaper it all off first and then apply something or is there something that I could apply straight to the table without any preparation?

It is a dining table so would need to be a food-safe product.

HELP!!

Lynnie

[Master Splinter]

Take it back to the furniture shop and complain?

[LynnieY]

Gee that was helpful thanks. I got it quite a number of years ago (approx. 4 years) so I'm not sure they would be very helpful.
That's why I joined a woodworking site, for advice.
Maybe I should just ask at Bunnings.

Lynnie

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

It sounds like it was just badly oiled... but I wouldn't expect "raw timber to show through" then.

Could you post a photo or two of the surface so we can see what you mean by this?

If it is oiled, you could probably get away with simply wiping down the surface with acetone and a rag until the rag stops showing colour.

If it's a finish that "sits on the surface" (ie. a layer, sort of like paint) then I'd be inclined to sand it off. You could use a stripper, but personally I try to avoid those, 'cos they can soak into the raw timber and change the colour.

Finally, apply your finish of choice... PolyUrethane would be the most durable, although my preference would be for a Danish Oil or Shellac. "Food safe" isn't really relevant, unless you're expecting someone to actually chew on the table. But these three are as food-safe as any other suitable finish; they're all commonly used on furniture including dining tables.

Whatever way you go, I'd first experiment on small sections of the underside of the table where things go unseen, just so you won't get any unpleasant surprises.

[LynnieY]

Thanks for that Skew ChiDAMN
It appears to be a layer so I would say it was just a very light (probably sprayed) application of polish of some sort.
I will sand it back, it was just the product that I was unsure of what to use.
What is easier out of the Danish Oil and the Shellac to apply then? They don't rub off afterwards do they? Ie, if someone wearing white sat next to the table they wouldn't get some on their clothes by leaning on it?

I vaguely remember using shellac at school and it was pretty messy stuff.

Lynnie

[LynnieY]

OK, just phoned the store. I got it 4 years ago and my details are still in their computer system. The fellow there was very helpful. He said it was a wax finish and he still has some (coloured) wax there that they used to use for the floorstock. He will give me some for nothing (yay). So that would be why the colour seemed to come off when wiping the table down with a cloth.
Thank you so much for your advice Skew ChiDAMN.

Lynnie

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

OK, just phoned the store. I got it 4 years ago and my details are still in their computer system. The fellow there was very helpful. He said it was a wax finish and he still has some (coloured) wax there that they used to use for the floorstock. He will give me some for nothing (yay). So that would be why the colour seemed to come off when wiping the table down with a cloth.

Wax! That makes most of what I wrote inappropriate. I'm glad to hear that they can supply you with the appropriate wax.

If I were you, once I got the top looking good & evenly coloured again, I'd go buy something like Gilly Stephenson's Carnauba Wax Polish and give it a good ol' elbow grease polish every few months.

Each application should slowly increase the thickness of the finish and prevent the colour from rubbing off again in future. Plus it'll start to build up a lovely lustre over time.

[LynnieY]

Wax! That makes most of what I wrote inappropriate. I'm glad to hear that they can supply you with the appropriate wax.

If I were you, once I got the top looking good & evenly coloured again, I'd go buy something like Gilly Stephenson's Carnauba Wax Polish and give it a good ol' elbow grease polish every few months.

Each application should slowly increase the thickness of the finish and prevent the colour from rubbing off again in future. Plus it'll start to build up a lovely lustre over time.

LOL, don't worry, I appreciated the advice anyway Thanks for the suggestion I will look for that wax. Pity they didn't tell me any of this when I bought the table!

Lynnie

[Master Splinter]

....and you thought I was just being flippant!...