Repair/revarnishing saloon table

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This is a picture of the edge of my saloon table. It has a great deal of use and in due course the whole table will need re varnishing, though that will be quite a project, I suspect? Meanwhile, along the edges where we rest our arms to type, write, etc., there is discolouration under the varnish which is presumably due to heat, moisture and chemicals from our arms. I have two questions...

1. It is inconvenient to repair or re varnish the whole table at the moment and I don't really want to cover the affected areas. Neither do I want to let the damage get worse. Is there a way that I can rub down and treat this edge without causing damage or prejudicing the job when it is time to do the whole table. Note:- I don't know whether this edge strip is veneer or solid. It looks solid but I am not sure. Any advice, please?

2. What is the best way to handle the entire table, when I have the time to do a first class job? I imagine that the main surface is veneer. What paper should be used? Should I do this by hand or use a flat bed sander? Which varnish is best for tables and how many coats?

Varnishing is not my specialist subject /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif All guidance gratefully received. Many thanks.
 
Using sandpaper to remove varnish on a finished table can be a recipe for disaster, depending how aggressive you are, and how thick the veneer. I have seen this done with a careful use of varnish stripper and a very delicate scraper, followed by very very light sanding to remove those blemishes and to smooth over the surface, then a get on with the varnish. Personally I would use 2 pot on such a high wear area.
 
How about taking it to your local car body shop and getting them to spray it with laquer. The laquer used is very tough. My chum did his south facing front door 10 years ago, no chips, or blistering in sight.

This is what top flight wooden dinghy builders use.
 
Have a look under the table you might be able to see if the edging is veneer or solid. You shuld be able to gently rub down and touch up the affected areas without prejudicing any future work,however the touched up areas will stand out from the rest as they will not have been exposed to UV (sunlight) .Is the varnish on these areas worn away? If so I would just touch them up and try to live with it. You could be letting yourself in for a lot of hard work and trouble if you start to do the whole table.It's all in the preparation.
 
Yes, the varnish is damaged and the area around the damage has become discoloured. I'd like to remove the discolouration before touching up the varnish though maybe I'd be best to put a light coat of varnish over the worst and exposed areas to prevent the problem spreading? For that, maybe a one-pot polyurethane varnish applied with a small artist's brush? Just wash off with meths first?
 
The only way to remove the discolouration is to sand down to "clean" wood,and this might leave you with a "dent" where you did the sanding.You could try using some fine steel wool rather than sandpaper,but you will have to completely remove the varnish on the stained areas before you can start to clean up the wood. Be careful..you could make things worse!
 
AS per the suggestion, try to establish if the liping is solid or veneered. My guess is solid. Try gentle sanding (150 grit) on the damaged bit, you may be able to avoid going right over the edge as far as the table surface as there should be no damage there. A few coats of varnish over the bad (sanded bit ) with the odd coat overlapping onto the unsanded bits should improve things a bit assumong that niether stain nor coloured varnish was applied to the original. Even so it should not look worse.
Next level of attack would be to lightly sand the whole edge back to wood though once again you can fold your sand paper so as to avoid the table top even if this means incomplete sanding on the inner lip, then several coats of varnish as before.
If all this fails wait until you have time and take the whole table top home and do the lot under good conditions.
Good luck!!
 
Yes, it is solid. I'll have a go. I think you're right that it won't look any worse than at present as long as I don't bish and scratch the table top when sanding. I'll mask off the table top first. Any views about which varnish to use, and whether it should be neat or thinned?
 
Scrape off most of the old varnish from the damaged areas with a sharp edge (broken glass if nought better to hand), remove staining with oxalic acid solution, (don't sand or you will leave a depression), feather edge of repair with v.fine sandpaper and re-varnish with single pot polyurethane. Did my oak dining room table with it years ago and it's still going strong.

Safe sailing

Sparkie
 
I wonder how many of the above advisors have looked at your Profile and sussed that you are out in the Med - that may cause some mods to their recommendations.

Don't ask me, I'm a woodworking dimbo, but I DO know that you can only bodge it piecemeal until you find time and space to do it properly. And another current thread which started with oiled teak pins my colours firmly to the mast in favour of a satin wood-oil varnish which you CAN touch up here and there, when you wish. You have to come to terms with the matt finish however.

Oh, to table add engine box, boarding platform, locker fronts, grabrails, cockpit trim - don't mention the interior please!
 
Just done my table + whole lotta more varnishing.

[image]http://thumbs.villagephotos.com/index.asp?id_=18403631[/image]

Not sure if you will see a photo, but here goes.
 
I second 'sparkies' suggestion to scrape off the varnish rather than sanding, glass or sharp chisel (but used in scrape not chisel mode) also agree not to try to sand out any discolouration but rather use oxalic acid also feather edge with 300 grit or finer to the good layers of varnish.
My saloon table is far worse than yours but is also the smartest thing on the boat!!
 
Thanks, guys. Will try to get some oxalic acid here in spain. By chance, does anyone know where to source it from in Spain?
 
Any pharmacy should be able to supply. Don't know what it's called in Spanish though. Lots of previous threads on suitable proportions for mixing. Good luck!

Sparkie
 
I'd leave it alone, especially if there is a chance you might want to sell her in the near future. The picture shows a very professional silk finish on the undamaged bits. The trim is clear solid, so won't come to any harm if not repaired.

Touching up this kind of surface is, I think, as difficult as touching up the paintwork on a car. It's more or less impossible to sand the bits you want to repair without scratching the good area.
 
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