Wood Restoration

[Alan Phelps]

I have a couple of very old chairs. They could be Beech or Mahogany.
They were left out in the weather and some of the wood has gone somewhat bleached and grey. I saw in the past somewhere that this condition can be restored back to normal wood by some chemical treatment or similar . I don't want to sand them back as it would remove too much material plus some of the bleached timber is carved and I want to keep this . Can anybody help me out with some information on this.
I look foreward to to receiving any advice I can get.
Regards "Phelpsie"
PS I must be the oldest apprentice around I'm 70

[echnidna]

Give them a coat of oxalic acid, it will remove the grey.

Oxalic acid looks like sugar crystals so get rid of the excess immediately so a kid doesn't think its sugar and eat it. Last time I got some I ordered it from a chemists shop.

[scooter]

Per what Bob said, you can get it from most paint shops also.

Rinse it off thoroughly.


Cheers...............Sean

[Alan Phelps]

Give them a coat of oxalic acid, it will remove the grey.

Oxalic acid looks like sugar crystals so get rid of the excess immediately so a kid doesn't think its sugar and eat it. Last time I got some I ordered it from a chemists shop.

Thanks for the advice on Oxalic acid. I have used this over the past 50 years or so to clean and bleach timber. What I am after is some chemical treatment that restores the timber back to its origional condition. I have seen it in the Aust Woodworker years ago and I have heard people talking about it but I dont know exactly what it is.

[ozwinner]

You need this.


Al

[JB]

I may be wrong but I dont think anything will restore the original timber colour apart from sanding. You could get a general darkish/brownish colour by applying just about any finish, but it wont be the actual timber colour.

I have the opposite problem. I am trying to turn freshly dressed timber grey. Apart from leaving it out in the sun ( which works but takes several months minimum) I have been using dilute sulphate of iron with some sucess. Does anyone have any other suggestions?