Period furnishing for our period homes

[oaktree]

Hi Gothichome!

Advice would be welcome! My plan was just to wash it and oil it (linseed?). I do not want to lose any of the character...the table top is lifting off in one corner, which I probably should fix. I got a pretty good deal on it because the seller had horrible pictures and you could barely tell what you were buying...I now think that the table is older than the 20s. That recess detail was a lovely surprise! The big planks remind me of some of my floor boards...it makes me quite happy.

I think the table is French, but I like that it has a Shaker look to it. I am really not sure. I think it's going to be a pretty huge improvement:









I was just at the Canterbury Shaker Village in NH, and it was so, so inspiring! I highly recommend people visit.

[Gothichome]

Yes, I think that perfect for the kitchen, in the morning you can have your morning tea on it, then kneed your bread on it, in the afternoon peel your supper potatoes on it. And after supper sit at the table with a glass of wine and friends. Perfect.

[Gothichome]

Oh, we use this for our old wood. Great stuff. Not so good for new finishes but works great for furniture with naturals finishes.
http://baldsbalm.co.uk

Ron

[oaktree]

Tea, bread, potatoes, wine...favorite things...it does sound perfect!

I've been reading...maybe it's the best to wash it with mineral spirits or dish soap and use beeswax like Briwax? I might make a separate post about this...a controversial topic based on what I've read.

[Gothichome]

Yes it is, I believe most of the fine carpenters will tell you there's no such thing as feeding the wood. Best that can be done is to impart a finish a little below surface so that glass of wine you spilt will not soak in too deep. A general cleaning as part of the normal day should keep it for another long time.

[Al F. Furnituremaker]

Gothichome is absolutely correct. The tree that provided the wood for your table died a long time ago, it doesn't need to be fed anymore. It's nothing more than a sales pitch for companies selling products that should never be put on your wooden furniture, cabinets, or whatever (Pledge, Murphey's, Liquid Gold, etc.). They all contaminate the wood with something, and will build up gunk, which in some cases will be difficult to remove in the future.

To clean your table use mild dish soap (blue dawn). A few drops in warm water. Ring your rag out very good and wipe down. The type of finish you elect to put on it is up to you. If you are going to use it on a regular basis and don't mind stains, then high quality furniture wax is fine. If you don't want stains then some kind of film finish will be necessary, but not polyurethane). A good varnish or shellac will work fine. The shellac will be the easiest to repair, but the most susceptible to damage from water and/or alcohol. (I have a dining room table with shellac on it and it has withstood many spills.)

[oaktree]

Thanks so much for the advice! This makes sense with what I've read...would Briwax or Renaissance wax be okay? Other favorites? I am looking at the product Gothichome suggested too...it looks very nice!

[Gothichome]

Oaktree, we also use their wax. About ones a year on the table tops ect.

[Al F. Furnituremaker]

I have Butcher's Wax in my shop.

Also when dusting all your wood furniture, if you must use something in a can, use Endust, sprayed on a rag, not on the furniture.

[matchbookhouse]

Thanks for the tip about the Endust, Alfort. I usually use Swiffer dry cloths, but sometimes there is more than a little dust to remove (four cats and I don't like to dust.)