Coffee Table Restore
I can hear the groans about not another table ……………….
This is another orphan from the second hand shop. Wife decided it is a nice table, I was dragged along to approve (can you fix it?) and transport it home. She paid for the table, so there was no capital outlay for me.
Into the living room it went with no planned date for restoring. There was already enough going on in the workshop.
Eventually the work area was cleared and the table moved.
The table probably dates from the 40’s/50’s and was typically finished with lots of brown varnish. Thick brown varnish!
The timber looks like Mahogany.
The process will be to first remove all the varnish, sand and finish off with an oil mixture of Boiled Linseed and turps.
First off, examine the top for any serious damage, then flip over and see what the legs look like and could they possibly be removed. Makes it easier to strip, sand and finish.
The top had lots of dings, some a mere scratch others a proper dent.
They will be dealt with once the old varnish has been removed.
There is a slight gap where the boards were joined, less than 1mm wide and about half way across.
The base looked ok.
There was a support fitted across to assist in very little movement of the joined boards.
Check again to see if the legs can be removed, makes it so much easier to strip off the varnish and sand, and sand ……….
They were glued on with Hyde glue and screwed.
Before getting physical with the legs, out come the number stamps.
The base pieces were all numbered as well as the legs. This just to ensure that the legs go back to their right spot.
First get the screws out. 2 Screws missing? (Take no notice, but will come back and bite later on!)
There are different ways to soften the hyde glue. I used a syringe and meths and some putty scrapers.
Then the large rubber mallet.
Looking at the base - first remove the varnish.
For this there is only one good product. A clear gel that stinks and burns like hell when you get it on your fingers. Paint stripper!
Open the garage door and window. Turn on that big fan.
Eeny, meeny miny mo, grab the paint brush and let’s go!
Paint on, wait a couple of minutes, scrape off. Repeat until no more varnish visible.
Keep a bucket of water and some soap nearby.
I started cleaning and sanding the base frame. Small Makita 1/3 sander with 100grit, 180grit and 240grit.
Looks good and the frame then had its first oiling.
A project without the CUF is just not a proper project!
The half wit doing the work oiled over the area where the legs have to be glued and screwed. A lot of foreign language, scraping and sanding to clean it up.
Now for the top and side. Flip the top over and support the bottom edges off the work area.
Same process as before ………….
Paint on, wait a couple of minutes, scrape off. Repeat until no more varnish visible.
Keep a bucket of water and some soap nearby.
After the final coat of stripper the timber needs to be ‘washed’ to remove all residue.
I started sanding the top. Small Makita 1/3 sander with 100grit. The other grits will follow once the dings have been treated.
{stripping top}
For the gap I used some veneer which is glued in and then cut level using my best friend a Stanley blade. These blades are extremely sharp and careless use leaves bloody marks all over!
Next to do the dents/dings.
Take some white chalk, add lots of light at an angle and start marking.
Next get an old clothes iron.
Wet a rag, place on dent, then hot iron on top.
Lots of steam.
Repeat, repeat and repeat again and again until all signs of dents are not visible.
Steaming the dents demonstration:
The top is now ready for its final sanding.
Again the small Makita 1/3 sander with 180grit and 240grit and a final wipe over with friend Stanley. (Did I mention how sharp these blades are?)
End of first post