Parker Sideboard - Veneer / Chipboard Nightmare

[mikewy]

Hi

I am hoping someone can offer some guidance on approaches to fixing / replacing water damaged veneer over a chipboard substrate. I have been given a lovely 70s Parker sideboard. Generally in sound and good condition with minimal bumps and bruises.

The right end panel is a different story. It must have lived against something damp. The lower portion of the substrate is swelled and has turned to weet-bix, the veneer is coming away. The same behaviour is starting on the top right rear edge.

I'd love to restore this piece and don't want this problem, although not trivial, to get in the way. So, my question is ... how would the pros attack such a problem ....

1. Replace the entire end panel including inner and outer veneer
2. Remove the outer veneer, stablise and patch the substrate and re-veneer
3. or ,,,, I'm all ears

I was even considering adding a moulding surround or edging to help both conceal the damage and to prevent future problems, but this isn't exactly preserving the integrity of the piece.

Really appreciate any input from you ... I'm often gleaning many useful tips for restoring and finishing.

cheers

Mike

[horse123]

you will be hard pressed to repair it i think, are you going to paint it ? if so i would fiberglass it .

[Master Splinter]

Option 1 will be the least amount of work, assuming you can find a matching veneer (which will be the hard part!).

[ian]

Challenge #1 is matching the veneer.
Maybe not critical if you have the skills to tint and colour a veneer with a close enough grain to match to the original. Otherwise a likely show stopper.

Your option #2 is possibly the easiest from a doable perspective.
However, I can't offer much in respect to stabilising the "weatbix" substrate. In principle something like a thin cynoacrylic glue should do the trick -- but you will need lots
once stabilised, the panel could be shaved back to something a little less than the original thickness and then brought back to final thickness with veneer


I don't know how the Parker units were assembled, so can't advise on removing and rebuilding the end panel.

[katbobkat]

I do not think you can do much with a chipboard panel, once it goes weat-bix, that is pretty much end of their service.
My suggestion:

• Find a similar furniture in poor condition but with a good side panel and replace the side with that. It keeps the integrity.Lots of looking and searching for the right piece.

• or Spend a few hundred on a well kept furniture and spend your energy looking after that one. It would give you more enjoyment I think. Restoring weat-bix is not much fun.

Show us the restored furniture and what you learned. I would be very interested.
I have a beautiful 50's veneered chipboard side board, I love it. An Italian furniture maker made it, with exceptional skills. But I picked it up for $100, it's not fashionable now-days. Lucky me.
Have fun with it.
cheers

[mikewy]

Thanks for all your input ... it's nice to hear be re-assured that I haven't missed any obvious and simple approaches to a a tricky problem ... will I proceed ? Which way will I go ? I'll let you know.

thanks again !