Help me get rid of the light spot on my unfinished wood table.

January 3, 2016 1:15 PM

I overscrubbed a section on my reclaimed wood table and now it's significantly lighter. Is there anything I can do to fix it or is it time for a professional?

I have this table with reclaimed wood. I got a small red wine ring stain on it that I scrubbed off with water and a sponge. I didn't realize until after it had dried that I had scrubbed off part of the finish and now where I scrubbed is significantly lighter. I tried rewaxing it with the wax Room and Board sells, but it hasn't made any difference.

After rereading the care instructions, it appears I shouldn't have been waxing it at all and should have been oiling it instead. I'm unsure what to do to restore a uniform color, especially in light of the fact I've been waxing it instead of oiling it for several years.

posted by whoaali to Home & Garden (11 answers total)

You can get wood stain pens at most hardware stores to color in the light spot. The table you showed is a steel base with a glass top, so since I'm not sure what the finish is on the reclaimed wood with the light spot, it's hard to say exactly what your options could be. If you can post a picture and a description of what kind of wood it is and what the finish is, I might be able to help with more specific suggestions.
posted by ananci at 1:19 PM on January 3, 2016

The problem now is the wax. Anything you put over it is not going to penetrate unless you remove the wax. Crazy thought, but can you flip the table top over?
posted by cecic at 1:28 PM on January 3, 2016 [1 favorite]

I have Room and Board furniture, but in cherry.

There's some chance that the scrubbed spot will darken over the next few months. Some woods (like my cherry) get darker over time. Might be worth watching it for a few months.

Once you've put wax on wood generally you need to strip the wax before you can put a new finish on.
What kind of oil were you supposed to be putting in it? A neutral oil like you would use to care for butcher block or something like tung or Danish oil? I'm not really sure but you might be able to put tung oil over the wax.

Did you call Room and Board? If they aren't helpful it's probably worth talking to a pro for tips to DIY or just send it out to the pro for a new finish.
posted by littlewater at 1:29 PM on January 3, 2016 [2 favorites]

First remove the wax using turpentine or mineral spirits and very fine steel wool. You can't oil over wax. According to the specs on that page it is reclaimed chestnut which is very hard and resistant to stains, but if there is any stain left, work on it with oxalic acid. Then redo the whole top with whatever oil they specified in the directions, probably tung oil.
posted by beagle at 2:24 PM on January 3, 2016 [1 favorite]

Yes, you need to remove the wax in order to have the oil penetrate the wood and darken it. Mineral spirits, gloves, rags, and fine Scotchbrite pads would be my recommendation. Take all the wax off and then apply oil as beagle recommends.
posted by ssg at 2:41 PM on January 3, 2016

I agree that removing the wax is job one. I'd recommend Naphtha for the job, but other solvents can work.

There are a lot of "oil" finishes in the market that will work fine. I'd stay away from real 100% tung oil and other oils that lack driers because they take forever to cure and won't be useful for periodic touch-ups. That's not much of a worry, though, because those sorts of finishes are generally only available at specialty suppliers. Just know that the labeling of oil finishes tends to be confusing and misleading. Most "oil" finishes are really thinned varnishes, and some "Tung oil finishes" are homeopathic in the amount of actual tung oil that they contain.
posted by jon1270 at 2:50 PM on January 3, 2016 [2 favorites]

Mineral spirits, gloves, rags, and fine Scotchbrite pads

...and taking the whole thing outside so you don't inhale toxic fumes.

You could look around and see if there is furniture wax remover (I think that's a thing) that you can use inside, if you want.
posted by amtho at 3:02 PM on January 3, 2016

Response by poster: Thanks for everyone's answers. Follow up - what are the chances a tota novice could strip the wax and oil it in my apartment without ruining the table in the process? I have two sliding glass doors for decent ventilation and can follow instructions, but my knowledge of word working is zero. Is this fairly idiot proof?

I'm also going to take the suggestion of emailing Room and Board before I do anything.
posted by whoaali at 5:48 PM on January 3, 2016

You're not going to ruin the table top unless you light it on fire or start carving into it with sharp instruments. I'd try to keep solvents off the steel base in case the lacquer surface is easily softened, though it will probably be fine either way. As refinishing projects go, this is about as easy as it gets. Be thorough about the wax removal. Look carefully as you work, in good light.
posted by jon1270 at 6:39 PM on January 3, 2016 [3 favorites]

I would go at it with a smoothing plane and a cabinet scraper to get it all down to a uniformly fresh surface and then re-oil it.

You could accomplish the same with a few grades of sandpaper. Rub in the direction of the grain, with 80 grit to remove the current finish, then 120, 180 and 220.
posted by bonobothegreat at 8:14 PM on January 3, 2016

I think sandpaper is asking for trouble, as are scrapers and other tools. Jon1270 has the right approach, as usual in these situations. I will suggest Tried and True Varnish Oil, which does not contain driers, but is easy to work with, very forgiving, and not poison. Each coat will need a bit of time to cure, however.
posted by notyou at 10:05 PM on January 3, 2016