Water/Heat marks on table top

[Elise]

Hi, bear with me, newbie here.
I have an old silky oak table that has been stained and has had a few coats of shellac applied professionally. Absolutely gorgeous. I have since stupidly placed a hot item (hot cake on a cooling tray) on the table and it has left a white circle (the size of the cake!!) Is there an easy fix that a novice like me can fix it. I was told that brasso will do the job but am too scared to try this. It is quite a large table (over 3m long) and I want to try to fix the patch without messing about with the entire table top. Or should I leave it to the professionals?
Cheers
Elise

[artme]

The idea of using Brasso is that it is an abrasive and I fear it will be too aggressive for the task. You may also find that the blemish goes in fairly deeply and when you rub it away you will still have a quite noticeable mark in your finish.
Whatever happens you have a problem. I would try some fine scratch remover from somewhere like Super Cheap Auto.and if that doesn't work consult the professionals.

[jerryc]

Welcome Elise.,

If you are sure the table is finished with shellac then you have few problems.
But before giving you advice can I suggest you find an area that has been finished but is out of view perhaps the underside or an unobtrusive section of the apron. take a clean cloth and using meth just rub the test area. Meth is the solvent for shellac so you will soon know if it is just shellac as the finish will soften.
I have a kitchen finished in shellac and the area next to the outlet for the dishwasher is subjected constantly to a stream jet of caustic steam without lasting problems. So let us know what the result o the meth test is and we can take it from there. My advice is don't attack it with anything until you know what you are dealing with.

[Wongo]

Do what I did to my in-laws’ table. Sand it back to raw wood and put 6 coats of polyurethane. No more white circles, no more marks and they don’t have to worry about scratching it so much. They couldn't be happier.

Use any finish on a tabletop other than polyurethane is suicidal, unless you want to cover it with a tablecloth and a lot coasters.

Go hire a sander and buy a tin of minwax wipe on poly. We will let you know what to do.

[astrid]

You can try rubbing the patch VERY HARD for about 3minuits with some olive oil or butter.
Start on the outer edge of the bloomed patch and concentrate on a 1 inch spot.
If the heat from the cake tin was radient heat rather than direct heat this might work. It does somtimes.
You should be rubbing hard enough to feel the heat from friction through the cloth and get a tired shoulder!
let me know how you go.

Astrid

[johnc]

Elise,

Do the meth test first which will give some idea of what you are dealing with. There are products available including from our sponser Ubeaut which will remove the mark in 99% of cases I would think. Mistakes happen I would not be following Wongo's advice, its not hard to care for a heat sensitive finish. Our kitchen table fits the bill has been in use for many years (27) and only once have we needed to remove a foggy patch, kitchen coasters and table mats are not hard to manage.

I think it is the polish reviver you require, there are other products but I'm sure a quick phone call to Neil or one of his staff will get you what you need.

John.

[Wongo]

Sure, just be very careful with it and think twice every time you have a cup of coffee on the table. Some tables are so nice to look at.

[jerryc]

Elise,
Let us know the results of your test because there are some of us who have used shellac successfully over the years. Personally I have never had to use a polish to achieve a gloss finish, the most I have used is talc. A shellac finish can be reactivated by using a rubber soaked in meth. A rubber is no more than a ball of unmedicated cotton wool wrapped in linen cloth. I can explain how to fold it if you proceed along that path.
Wongo,
I thought your advice was from a misplaced sense of humour but I was wrong. Polyurethane has its uses, as has every finish, even used machine oil, but it's not a favourite of mine because of it's hard plastic appearance. Each to his or her own taste.

Jerry

[MacS]

Elise,

If you have a spray can of "hair spray" it is basically Acrylic Lacquer, it does not contain to much lacquer, but it does contain a solvent, it is this solvent that will open up the shellac or lacquer and allow the moisture (whiteness) in the top to escape.

Spray the damage and then wait to see if it opens up the coatings and lets the whiteness out, it may take a few apprications to do the job, then don't touch or use the section for a few hours.

I know this sounds weired, but it does work, just spray and wait, do not flood the damage, a quick spray about 6" above the surface, should do it.

Like all other suggestions, there is no guarantee.

Good Luck

[astrid]

sounds like a good tip Macs.
Ill test it somtime. But this is heat damage not water damage.
Astrid

PS Guys, I think elise has run away.
(i really hate that)

[Elise]

Wow, so many suggestions - thanks for the time. Have been away so haven't had a chance to try anything yet....and the table is stored at my mother's place during our home renovations. I am sure the table finish is shellac - it was done by a professional in Bris. I'm pretty sure the damage was done by hot steam so would this be water damage or heat...or both It was a hot cake on one of those cooling racks - so about 1 cm from the surface of the table and through a table cloth. The hairspray sounds like a good idea. Has anybody else tried this?
I did go into a shop called "french polishing" up the road from me and the bloke in there suggested to strip it back and polyurethane it - he doesn't french polish anymore! Sorry, can't do it. It's a gorgeous old (about 90 yrs) table and has been restored beautifully.
Cheers
Elise

[MacS]

I would give it a try, if it opens up the coating it will work, if not it won't make it any worse.

Do they have a "spot repairmen" over there? these are furniture serviceman and women that do repairs in your home. Check the yellow pages, or post a message year, you also might try asking someone at the retail furniture stores if they could recommend a furniture serviceman.

These repairmen could fix it right in your home, and they also do french polishing.

Good Luck

[astrid]

I dont know if skilled trades people exist in melbourne to do spot repairs, I'm sure someone would do it for a price.

I often have people asking me if I can do a repair on site and i say no, because the person never knows what kind of finish their talking about and its a waste of time going over to assess a situation only to find its a complete refinish job that they dont want to pay for.

I often go to do a quote on a full refinish only to find i can remove the blemmish in 15 minuits, then I charge $50 for my time and their happy,
but not the other way round.

Astrid

[durwood]

If its shellac (and the fact it has gone white because it has had heat placed on shows it probably is) then what you need to do is understand why the surface is now white. The shellac has now got thousands of tiny holes in it and the light refecting from the area is disturbed giving the white appearance. If you have a very strong magnifying glass you may be able to see them.

All that is needed it to return the finish to a flat surface by melting the shellac with the french polish technique. To do this you need a pad and metho. If you are confidant try it yourself if not seek out a person who has knowledge of french polishing and have them do it.

Keep the hairspray and anything else away from the table until you can conferm the finish is something other than shellac.

You may like to contact an antique dealer who would either be able to do this repair or put you on to somenoe who can do it or help you do it yourself.

I have a very old oak table which at times gets marks on it from hot cups etc and its easily repaired with a french polishing pad and metho. Having been involved in these materials for a long time I always have shellac and the pad stored away ready for use. The pad is a piece of chamois with cotton wool padding which lives in a sealed glass jar so it stays damp, obviously to round up these articles could be more trouble than tracking down a person familiar with french polish.

As its stored at mum's and you will have to transport it to your place maybe you could do a detour and have it looked at by a knowledgable person.

If you know who the person in Brisbane was who did the table maybe a phone call to them may help you conferm its shellac and how they suggest you repair it.

[astrid]

I have tried the method of putting the table on its side and wiping with meths then lighting it. this has worked on junky practice pieces, but I've never been brave enough to try it on a client's piece.

Astrid

Durwoods method will work, but once again, its somthing I dont think I would try on a client in case i made it worse.

I'd forgotten about this one
but you should give it a go cause you cant make it worse and you cant sue yourself.

buy chamois and meths from the hardwear and pure cotton wool from the chemist.
the amount of meths on the pad should be not wet but just damp enough so that when you hold the pad half an inch away from your lips, you can feel the meths evaporating.
swipe it quickly with the grain over the damaged spot.if it drags, stop untill the original polish is dry again.
keep the pad in a sealed container. and old macona coffee jar is perfect.

Credit to Durwood