Q: I spilt neat whiskey on my parents piano.
It has left a white stain.
Can i fix this?
A: Yes, you can.
It's time to hire a professional to polish out the spot and surrounding area with a properly dampened cotton rag of spirits and touch of oil.
You, dear inquirer, might make matters worse doing it yourself.
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Q: Hi Cameron
We have a large Post and Rail table; unfortunately my husband left a bottle of air freshener on the table overnight and it tipped over and left a stain.
We are seniors but are willing to give anything a go.
Would you have any suggestions on how we can repair it, please?
We look forward to hearing from you, when convenient.
Yours sincerely,
John and Janice Thompson
A: If your table has a finish on it, clear it off and remove all dirt, loose things with a damp sponge and mild non abrasive cleaner like soap and water.
That will help.
The next step is physical demanding because it involves alcohol spirits and must be done in complete sections.
Therefore, if your table is one complete top, it is not going to be easy to rub it down with a clean cotton cloth dampened with the spirits.
If you can, then go ahead.
Do it a second time with a clean face of cloth and add a dab of olive oil to ease the friction.
Better than this is a matter of taste.
You need to refinish and sand the top if you’re not satisfied with at least an alleviation of the stain plus a new sheen to your table.
If your top has no or weak finish, the oils and colors from the air freshener have penetrated the wood.
You can follow all the steps as above or go straight to a chemical stripper and refinish from there.
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Q: Hello Cameron,
Thanks heaps for this page.
Reading through I can't find anything addressing the following problem.
We were recently given a glass covered, french polished, cedar table, which had been in storage in a tin shed.
On picking it up we were devastated to find the surface, between the glass and table, to have blistered.
Blisters are 5mm and 15mm diameter.
The blistering cracks away easily using a finger nail, to reveal the wood.
The blister margin after this is undamaged.
The wood has the same colour as the polished sections.
All up, around 15% of the surface is involved.
I'm presuming the damage is due to condensation.
Also, I might add that it really stinks!!
My first thought was to sand back the whole lot, but reading some of your other mail suggests this might not be the best/easiest approach.
I'm crossing fingers on this!
Your advice highly appreciated.
Paul
A: You've done a good job at assessing the damage to this table.
The first step is to address the blisters by removing all the loose finish right up to it's undamaged margin.
You can use your fingernail as a scraper tool or try something like a sharp piece of hard wood or plastic wedge small enough to fit in the 5 mm holes.
Next, give the entire table a thorough cleaning with a clean soft cotton rag dampened with alcohol spirits and a dab of olive oil.
Don't press too hard but keep your cloth in motion.
Look at the face of the rag.
Most likely you'll see the dirt.
Re-fold the rag with a fresh face, a little more spirits and another dab of oil and go at it again.
Don't forget to do the underside of the table too but wait till you've finished the top and legs.
Now touch up those blister holes with shellac applied with an artist's brush.
You may have to tone the shellac with a little color but what's more important is that you don't overwork the touch-ups.
It takes a light touch to get the shellac up to the margins and be aware that as it dries it will evaporate and probably need another touching up in about an hour.
Don't do more than two touch ups one spot per day.
After a day, go over the entire table again as in cleaning and finish with long straight strokes.
Remember not to use too much oil or spirits as the fresh shellac will tend to dissolve, spread and cause streaks.
A good French polisher knows how to control this to advantage.
A novice can find consolation in a clean and repaired finish with a good chance at a revitalization in its brightness and appearance.
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Q: Hi Cameron,
I'm wondering if you can french polish over danish oil.
A: Thanks for asking.
See this previous reply for your answer.
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tiny chips and small scratches
Q: Hi Cameron,
I have a piano with a french polish finish.
It's got a few tiny chips and small scratches near the edge of its top from a metal picture hook falling onto it.
The rest is in an immaculate condition - is it possible to repair the scratches without repolishing the entire top!?
Appreciate your advice on this, as the piece is very special to me!
Thank you.
A: It is possible to repair the tiny chips and small scratches without repolishing the entire top of your piano.
Small dabs of shellac mixed with the proper color applied with an artist's brush will do it.
Once dry (about a day) polish the entire top with a good furniture polish such as OZ or whatever you normally use.
Remember this is only a repair and it will not make the chips or scratches disappear, in fact, depending on your ability and technique, what will be visible is your repair.
Consider it a homespun patch on your favorite sweater.
The other route is to french polish the entire top and that takes mastery of the process to do something as large and elegant as a piano.
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Q: Hi!
Somebody put a hot coffee pot on our dining table and has caused a circular burn mark...
How best to remove this and what would you charge to do so?
Thanks
A: Without seeing and examining the damage and the original finish it is not a sure determination of the proper course of action, however, most burn marks can be rubbed out.
A large table top must be rubbed and repolished in its entirety for uniformity.
I would charge $1,000.00 to do this.
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Q: Hi:
I have a Gilbert mantle clock from the late 1800's.
Whilst the French Polish is, overall, in good shape there are numerous deep, more recent, scratches that go through to the wood.
I'm not looking for a "new" look that I assume I will get if I remove the existing finish but rather a older worn look.
Can you please let me know how I can maintain the distressed look whilst protecting the bare wood in the deep scratches?
Thank you in advance for your help.
A: You can maintain a distressed look while addressing the deep scratches in this manner.
Mix a capful (about 1/4 oz.) of a little bit darker shade of analine stain than your clock with an equal amount of shellac.
With an artist's brush touch up the scratches with the mixture.
On deeper scratches use a filler or repeat the first method after a day of drying.
French polishing can always be redone over these touch-ups and maintain the original patina.
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Q: How much would you charge to French Polish two doors (each has three glass panels) in NYC?
A: Your doors may take one or three days to polish depending on their condition; calculate $1,000 per day.
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Q: Dear Cameron
We have a 50’s style wardrobe that is French polished.
The polish is starting to crack and flake in places as if it is drying out also their are scuff marks where it has been pushed against walls when moving house.
Is there a way to repair the damage without striping it?
what is the best way to clean and keep the finish once it's repaired?
Many thanks for your very informative site.
A: Your wardrobe is in need of a restoration using the French Polishing method.
If you are going to do it yourself and aren't familiar with how to French Polish then I suggest start with a panel or strip of wood to get the feel for what you are doing.
A wardrobe is a large piece of furniture and the work involved can be overwhelming to a novice trying to polish out streaks.
If you have the inclination to go ahead be assured that a French Polished piece of furniture accepts restoration as though it were the first day of application.
Start by cleaning the piece with a clean cotton rag charged with alcohol spirits.
Get the pad worked in well with the spirits and pat it into your open hand to a working rag.
Add a smear of oil (olive, mineral, raw linseed or other vegatable) across the face of the pad and clean an area at a time in nice strokes or circles ending in long strokes.
There should be dirt on the face of the pad.
Charge it up again and keep doing the whole piece, change the face of the rag by re bundeling it every so often.
This might be all that's necessary to restore your wardrobe.
You can keep going to another stage of adding to a clean polishing rubber a small amount of shellac to spirits and polish the whole piece up fresh.
You might need after cleaning to address the scratches with touch ups of color and shellac applied with an artist's brush.
My reccommendation for cleaning is any simple furniture polish monthly and clean with a damp rag as dust or spills occur.
Please be careful with rags and oil!
Dispose of them properly as they are a spontanious combustion hazzard.
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Q: Hi Cameron
I have a G-plan fresco sideboard that needs restoration to its top.
i have sanded back the solid teak top to bare wood.
my question is how do i proceed?
i am a novice at this and have been advised by many people to start with danish oil.
i am worried though that i will not match the original golden teak color of the rest of the sideboard with just oil?
any advice would be helpful
thanks
justin
A: I'm sorry that I do not know what G-plan fresco is but I am familiar with teak ad restoration techniques.
You state you are a novice and have sanded the top.
Maybe you did a good job at sanding.
Maybe you used a belt sander with coarse sand paper leaving groves and ruts.
So I say if you did the latter, make sure you use a sanding block with progressively fine sandpaper to make the wood even and smooth.
Also be aware that sanding removes the original patina that comes with age.
And unless you follow the same procedure with the rest of the sideboard you are going to have to rely on your skills with color to make a close match to the original finish.
Teak wood has allot of natural oils which makes it good for marine use.
Try wiping it down first with alcohol to see its color.
This is the best way to start.
I think you are going to find your newly sanded top lighter than the original.
Experiment with some stains to try and match.
Take your time and do not get discouraged.
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Q: Hi Cameron
I would be most grateful to you if you would offer any tips for polishing complex and intricate fretwork or carvings that can't be easily polished with a conventional rubber of any size.
If you use a brush, how do you keep brush marks out of it?
Thank you
A: Intricate fretwork and carvings are not as difficult as you may think.
Just make the polishing rubber small enough to be able to touch on the areas you need to polish and apply the polish in light touches and let alone while you work on something else.
Keep applying and polishing lightly in short quick moves and do not overwork any area.
Work with a semi dry rubber, if too much polish ends up in a crevasses on the carving just dab it away and let dry.
Come back to it later and continue as I describe above.
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Q: I have an oak panelled hall dating from the 1930's.
I am not certain how the wood was finished.
I moved in 10 years ago and the panels were looking jaded, some panels had sun bleached more than others and some of the panels had uneven colour.
A retired French Polisher cleaned up the panels and french polished with a mop.
They started off looking good but now look like they did 10 yrs ago.
Another expert wood finisher who visited yesterday was horrified that oak had been French polished at all and argued that the wood would have originally been finished with oil/paraffin/yatch varnish- which would produce a harder finish particularly on handrails, stair treads etc.
I would like to revive the wood and produce an attractive, uniform colour that will be resistant to sunlight, central heating and to stand up to traffic (where necessary).
Given that I'm starting from a tired French polished surface, what are my options?
Am I forced down the French polish route or should I look to a paraffin/yatch varnish mix.
And how do I get the colour even within a panel and from panel to panel?
This is a large area (25 sq m of panels + gallery staircase + panelled & carved doors).
Many thanks.
A: You'll have to strip all the oak to get uniformity then proceed to finish as you wish.
During the staining process is where to make adjustments in the bleached and uneven panels although theses uneven panels should have corrected from the stripping.
Oak can be burnished nicely before or after it is stained.
This should help you decide on the final finish.
You can French polish oak in a glazing method without having to bring it to a mirror shine.
Remember if you use shellac then you cannot polyurethane over the shellac.
There are varnishes and polyurethane products that offer protection from the damaging rays of sunlight but the overall look is a compromise to full clarity.
I don't know what the architecture of your home is but I suggest that the windows that allow in the sun should be covered with either shades, curtains, or stained glass.
Lastly, when the uniformity is finally achieved you can apply different finishes depending on the area;
i.e. the treads can be polyurethaned (gloss or satin) to protect from traffic, and all the rest can be waxed or varnished or shellacked.
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Q: We have recently had the frame of a three piece suite French polished and one chair has been returned a different colour to the rest of the suite, because the polisher said that the wood must be different.
I would have thought that applying the same wood dye have resulted in the same colour.
The colour is ebony.
What is your opinion on different wood coming out a different colour please.
A: All woods have their own character and behavior to dyes, chemicals, and finishes.
I believe that a capable wood finisher can match color if the differences of the character of the wood are not that severe.
In the case of ebony, which I interpret as a glossy black piano finish with no grain showing, the woods should come out the same.
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Q: A hot dish has marked the top of my mahogany table top.
How can I restore it to it's original colour?
A: Whatever damage has been done by the hot dish must be polished out.
That means that the entire table top needs to be worked over.
In doing so the damage will be muscled out and any color adjustment can be accomplished as the work becomes level and more clearly understood.
This is a job of commitment and ability.
Commitment is first if you are doing it yourself.
You can learn as you go if you are willing to make mistakes.
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Q: Can French polish be applied over Danish oil?
I am interested in acquiring a piece of furniture, however the vendor has recently applied two coats of Danish oil to it, rather than French polish which I prefer.
A: Yes, a piece of furniture can be French polished over a Danish oil finish but the Danish oil must dry a week or two and or it must be wiped with a cloth kept moist with alcohol spirits.
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spilt nail polish remover
Q: I spilt nail polish remover on french polish surface with a resultant white mark, i'm living in someone else’s house so feel bad.
Please Help!
A: Accidents happen and I strongly recommend that you let it be and offer to help pay for the repair.
Even if you could remove the white mark, there will be a gully created from the nail polish remover that only an expert can repair.
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a paper napkin burn
Q: I have a french polished teak dining table made in Hong Kong in 1950.
It has just been burnt by a paper napkin blowing onto a lit nightlight candle when no-one was in the room.
There is 6 x 4 inch area covered by a residue of blackened napkin and it looks as though the shellac surface has burnt too, but the wood underneath (where I have carefully removed a bit of blackening) looks undamaged.
I'd like to do a temporary fix for the moment, by removing the blackening and protecting the damaged surface, accepting that the mark will still show.
I'll later on want to do a full repair.
How should I remove the burnt mixture of paper and shellac, before starting the repair?
A: Remove as much of the burnt paper napkin as you can with anything that won't scratch the surface.
Try a piece of cardboard as a scraper.
See how well you progress with this clean up.
Once you have a better idea of the damage try something stronger such as a dry scrub brush.
This can scratch but you need to clean the soot out of the pores of the Teak.
If you feel confident also try a scraping tool or sharp knife to level any bubbled and pitted shellac.
With all that done the next step is to clean the area with a cotton rag moistened with alcohol and a dab of olive oil. * It is important to keep the pad puffy. i.e. If you cut a cotton Tee shirt in half and remove all the seams, fold the cloth loosely till it fits in your open hand, pour in some alcohol and then pat it lightly to spread out the spirits, then drop on about a half teaspoon of oil.
Only work over the damaged area at this initial stage and don't overwork the area.
This should clean up the damage nicely and lay the ground work for applying a coat of shellac over this area with an inexpensive brush no more than an inch wide.
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perished rubber
Q: Following a children's party, a balloon was left between a chair and my mahogany dining table.
As a result, both the table and chair have perished rubber stuck to them.
How do I remove this without damaging the surface?
Lorna,
Killarney, Ireland
A: First try removing as much of the balloon as you can without using a scraping tool.
Then try dabbing on a good furniture polish with a clean cotton rag directly on the stuck balloon.
Let it soak in a bit to soften, and gently wipe the softened mess off with the cotton rag.
If this doesn't work; make a mixture of one part vegetable oil, one part vinegar, and one half part spirits (alcohol). (40% / 40% / 20%)
Shake it up and dab it on the offending rubber balloon with a cotton rag.
Try this on the chair first.
The rubber balloon should begin to soften and clean up with gentle wiping.
Wipe off the excess mixture with a clean rag and finish with a good furniture polish.
Follow up on the table when you are satisfied that you can do it without damaging the finish.
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mahogany tea table
Q: We have a folding mahogany Tea Table, the top leaf has been sitting in the sun for too long and also has some ring stains.
Is it possible and how can we bring this top back to a finished state?
Keith White
A: Mahogany is a beautiful wood and is worth restoration.
You have not given me enough description of how much damage the sun has done but I know the sun is a powerful agent in bleaching wood and disintegrating finishes.
To begin restoration on your damaged top start with a cotton pad (tee shirt cotton) and alcohol spirits.
If the finish is loose and flakey scrape away all the damaged finish or remove the leaf and strip it.
Otherwise pad the top with the cotton and spirits and a touch of vegetable or mineral oil.
Work in circles and finish in long strokes with the grain.
This should improve the look of the finish and begin to remove the rings.
If the rings are stubborn try again.
If thy won't budge and you don't want them you'll have to strip and refinish.
If there is an improvement start to French polish with shellac and add some aniline color to the shellac to match the bleached area to the desired tone.
Once that has been achieved polish with clear shellac, and then do the entire piece.
Before doing the undamaged parts clean with the cotton alcohol and little bit of oil before applying your French polish.
I don't recommend polishing over dirt and grime.
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oil and french polish
Q: How do I remove oil from french polish finish?
A: To have to ask this question means an unfamiliarity with French polishing.
Experience, trial, and error are the best teachers but to explain in words; here goes:
First, don't use too much oil to begin with.
The oil is only to aid in lubricating the finish to allow the pad to work.
As you work the finish and pad, the oil should be evenly distributed as a thin smear.
Imagine cleaning a window pane. While it is still wet your palm placed against it should have a squeegee action with a certain amount of pull. This same resistance should be what a properly lubricated finish should have while you are working it with the pad.
Too dry and it sticks, too wet and it glides without getting the work done.
A properly lubricated work gives the right amount of pull that you desire and will polish.
When an expert is ready to remove this thin smear of oil he or she can dampen a fresh pad of cotton with a slight amount of spirits and finish up in long quick straight strokes.
Only experience with this will result in a proper finish.
Too much spirits will burn the polish off but it can be corrected with deft handling of the pad to get the spirits level to the oil removing state.
Remember even in this state the polishing continues till oil is almost gone.
The proof of the finish is looking at the work the next day.
If there has been oil left, it will pool up and leave dull patches.
If it looks clean and bright as you left it, you are doing it correctly.
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a dull circle
Q: Hi
I have been French Polishing a new soundboard on my 19th C harp and have developed a dull circle about the size of a cup.
In my attempt to "fix" it I have made the patch bigger and now think I have taken off all the layers and nothing seems to be sticking now.
What do I need to do?
Jennie
A: Dear Jennie
This is a good question.
It appears that you have overworked an area.
What you need to do now is strip the whole soundboard and start again.
I recommend this on new work because you began it, so if you start again it is still your work.
I don't believe that this would have occured on an original 19th century piece as in restoration.
It is not so easy to undo a time tested finish even with its flaws.
Don't be discouraged.
French Polishing is all about mistakes and the courage to overcome them.
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a deep black stain
Q: The TV remote was left on a valuable piece of french polished furniture for some time.
Although the battery does not appear to have leaked it has left a deep black stain on the surface.
I would greatly appreciate your advice as to how to knock this stain back a little.
Thank you
Ethan
A: If polishing does not relieve the condition then cut away, touch up, build, and polish.
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the best oil
Q: Hello, Cameron.
Thank you for your helpful questions and answers page.
I am retired and have taken up French polishing as a hobby, which I must say I find very satisfying.
My question is, which do you consider the best oil to use when applying shellac?
I am currently using virgin olive oil, but wonder if this is the best choice?
Thanks.
Eric
Luton, England.
A: Olive oil is excellent as well as raw linseed oil.
Use sparingly because it must all be removed.
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an all original finish
Q: I have an 1870 Broadwood piano that appears to be finished with shellac.
The finish is all original and has very fine "checks" on the entire case and lid.
Under the fall board you can see that the finish is very smooth and all most mirror like.
Is it possible to restore case and lid back to this state by French polishing over the existing finish?
What would be the procedure?
A: I recommend having your piano french polished as it is the most suitable conservation technique on an original finish.
The case and lid will not look like the fall board but overall the effect will be very uniform.
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drink rings
Q: how do i get rid of drink rings?
A: Polish using a comercially available product for removing drink rings.
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a white shadow
Q: Please could you help us.
We have damaged the surface of our polished table with steam.
This has left a white shadow.
How could we fix this?
A: Do the entire table top with a commercial polishing cream from your hardware store or try a cotton pad charged with alcohol.
Don't let the pad sit on any one spot, always glide on and off.
If it is working but you are getting streaks, apply a small amount of a vegetable oil to the pad.
Remember the alcohol technique is a professional one and is best handled by the professional.
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a vanity cabinet
Q: I sanded down a vanity cabinet too deep to try to fix machine marks. How do I fix this?
A: You have to start all over by re-surfacing your cabinets.
Use bondo and paint or wood.
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a cork mat
Q: A cork mat has partially stuck to the table and when removed left some cork and marked the french polishing.
What is the best way to treat the mark please?
Many thanks for your help.
A: This sounds like damage to the finish.
Could be the finish was not as hard as it should be or there was something hot that pressed the cork into the finish.
In any event the whole table has to be re polished.
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a small side table
Q: I have a small side table, about 45cm square.
The top is badly stained I think simply from liqids, tea water etc.
I want to re-polish it, but have never done any french polishing.
How do I prepare the surface, and what is the easiest way to do it?
(I know - it's a please tell me everything in one sentence question - but any brief hints would be gratefully accepted).
A: Start by cleaning the top with a pad of cotton charged with alcohol, not too wet.
Tamp the pad into the palm of your hand to distribute the alcohol and the face of your pad.
Move quickly over the entire surface around and around don't stop on the table but glide on, rub, rub, rub, and glide off.
Look at your pad.
Dirty?
Make a new surface and do it again.
Add a little flick of olive oil or raw linseed oil to the charged pad and rub and feel the surface being cleaned and revived.
That's enough for starters.
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some antique jewelry boxes
Q: Hi, i have just bought some antique jewelry boxes for my daughters, i would like to polish them, two are rose wood and one is walnut.
these boxes have i think a veneered surface.
What would be best to do to get out the scratches and polish them to a high standard.
i don't want to ruin the veneer, also one of them has mother of pearl inlay, how would i polish this one.
thanks
A: Small items should be dismanteled by their hardware or drawers and loose pieces.
Try not to dismantle any joints.
Have them all nearby and ready to be polished as one job.
Use a small pad for polishing and move from one piece to another.
Address scratches by their unique nature.
If you see the polish making some scratches magically disappear then this is good.
If they are still obvious a filler of some kind will help.
On rosewood and walnut go dark, maybe touch up with an artist brush, color and shelac and polish over.
Mother of pearl inlay should be checked for any loose pieces before polishing.
Try a cotton pad over it to see if it catches or is smooth.
Use the clearest possible shelac so as to not ruin the look with any dark toning.
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a damaged finish
Q: Hello any many thanks for your service.
I have a dining table that has the finish damaged by cat vomit (yuk!).
It has eaten into the french polish, but not back to the wood.
Any suggestions as to how to proceed with a repair would be gratefully received.
I did some successful french polishing at school about 45 years ago but have not attempted it since and my memory of the process is poor!
A link to the basics would also be appreciated.
A: You are going to have to polish the whole table top.
Even if it is in two pieces because uniformity is the rule.
You can build more body to the damaged area by applying shelac with a proper sized artist brush and letting it set while you polish the rest of the table.
You may have to let the direct application dry for a day depending on how deep the damage has gone.
After 45 years remember that polishing a large surface area takes physical stamina and a good pacing just like a runner doing a marathon.
If you become frustrated hire a professional.
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black marks
Q: I have a solid oak dining room table which has been penetrated by water.
As a result i now have black marks in the table.
Is it possible to remove them and if so what would i need to use.
A: Water will turn oak black if it has penetrated the finish.
The top must be stripped, sanded, color rematched and a finish that fills the open pores of oak is recommended to avoid this problem in the future.
Or, touch up your black marks with an artist brush, color and a skill at deftly making the marks unnoticable, then polish atop the whole thing.
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a white stain
Q: Hi There
I have a white stain on a wood table, through a damp item being left on it *kids*.
Please can you advise the best course of action.
It is a solid wood table not veneer.
With Hope!
Af/West Midlands
A: You may have children causing damage to your furniture so please be careful with polishes that repair rings and white damp marks as they contain potentially harmful spirits that need responsible handling.
Health, happiness and elbow grease.
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a lovely mahogany table
Q: We have a lovely old mahogany table that has white marks on from hot things been left on the table.
What's the cheapest and best way of removing this marks, please.
A: There are many polishing creams that will remove rings and marks from damaged finishes available from a good local hardware store.
Consult the proprietor and do it yourself.
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a sewing machine top
Q: I have polished the wood (sewing machine top) and find that after a week or so, it has dull areas and smears.
If I rub a finger across it there is a kind of smear as though I put too much oil on (quite probable).
Should I just keep on polishing without oil or is there some other way to cure this. I assume it is oil.
thanks
A: Dear Polisher,
Sounds like too much oil and you don't know the right feel.
Remove the excess with a cotton pad that has been charged with alcohol not wet, not dry.
Polish as you remove the oil until there is a uniformity and you feel a pull on the pad.
Correcting mistakes is your learning task.
Be patient, and don't overwork a small sewing table.
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an oak dining table
Q: I have an oak dining table that I think was french polished, but is now looking very bad, do I need to strip the whole thing and start again?
Is french polish the best finish for a dining table used daily?
A: Answers to this two part question:
Part one - No.
Part two - Of course!
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some bookcases
Q: Hi and thank you for offering free advice.
I am restoring some bookcases and have been succesful with using a fine haired brush to apply the shellac on Oak.
However with Mahogany I have not been that successful, perhaps because the shellac has been tainted with a dye?
I am thinking about using a rubber and see what the effects will be in comparison to the brush.
As the Shellac is meth based it dries very very quickly and I just want to know how this effects using a rubber?
Also using a rubber means a lot of the shellac will end up on your hands, normally I do not like wearing gloves as I need to feel what I am doing.
Any advise on what gloves to use?
Thanks for you advice.
Paul
A: No success with Mahogany is because this beautiful wood needs to be french polished with skill and tradition.
So does the oak but oak's character is more forgiving to a quick shellacking finish.
Shellac dries quickly, but it can be rubbed into a previous layer of itself which is what french polishing is about.
Gloves to wear?
Whatever feels comfortable to you.
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bloom
Q: how do I remove bloom?
A: Make a clean cotton rag pad, and lightly charge with spirits.
Work the entire area while focusing on the defect.
If the area needs extra work, use a little oil for lubrication.
Finding and keeping the right balance of spirits as they cut clean and clog the pad while eliminating the bloom takes practice.
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a fine mahogany federal table
Q: I am restoring a fine mahogany federal table.
The top was so badly and extensively stained with ink that I took the cabinet scraper to disguise them.
After sanding thoroughly the result is good.
The staining I used after was a mixture of rosewood and red mahogany. When dried, although is a quite satisfactory and deep colour, there are some darker patches along some lines of grain.
Can I use french polish to obtain a more uniform finish?
I have got the right patina, but perhaps you could tell me what to add to the shellac to deepen a darker finish.
Javier
A: You may add aniline stains to shellac but only make enough to blend to your desired shade.
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a french polished table
Q: Recently, I spilled Eucalpytus Oil on a french polished table?
Do you have any reccommendations for removing the oil stain?
Thanks very much, Danielle
A: First wipe with a damp rag and some furniture polish, if there is no improvement: Strip, re-stain and re-polish the table; or try cutting into the finish with a cotton rag pad charged lightly with spirits.
Both later methods require skill and patience.
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a waxed wooden chest
Q: how to achieve a french polished finish on waxed wooden chest?
A: Remove wax with spirits and cotton rags.
Work the entire chest.
When there is no waxy whitness or slimy color, wipe chest with spirits and shellac using a fresh polishing rubber.
Go lightly at first.
Looking good?
French polish away!
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a beautiful shaker bed
Q: Hello there. Thanks for reviewing my question.
I have a beautiful cherry, four post, shaker bed.
I disassembled it this weekend for a steel wool and danish oil treatment and noticed a crack running down one of the posts.
It's about 3 inches long, but starts at the corner of the post about 1' from the top, so two sides are affected.
It's not in an area that's affected by weight, but I would like to repair it. Is there something I can inject into the crack somehow, then clamp it off?
This bed has been in my family for about 70 years so you can imagine it's treasured.
Any advice you have is very much appreciated.
john NYC
A: Wood glue or hot hide glue will do, but the clamping must be precise and economical.
Have your clamps and clamp blocks all ready before gluing.
If the crack is tight try to move it.
You want the glue to vacuum into the crack.
A slightly watered down wood glue will sop in more easily.
With your tools and action mapped out, do the job.
Remove excess glue that has skinned over in ten minutes.
Clamps come off in a day.
Not sure you want to risk ruining you valuable heirloom?
It might be time to call in a professional.
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a mission rocker
Q: I used to do furniture restoration, but it's been a long time (fifteen years).
I'm about to attempt a French polish on a mission rocker.
The dark finish on the arm has chipped off in places, and under the wood is lighter.
As I recall, the French polish melts the previous finish into a smooth one.
I was planning on doing a bit of touch up with a stain (since I no longer have access to pigments) and then appying the polish on top.
Do I need to do something else, or will the polish take care of the uneven layers where the finish has chipped off?
Thanks for your advice,
Martha
A: French Polishing is is an excellent conservation method because it saves the original finish and patina.
Shellac mixes with analine stain and makes a good touch up.
If the stain you have is oil or water based then touch up with the stain alone first and let dry.
Then touch up with a dark shellac.
Touch up with shellac to a desired build up and let it dry.
The heavier the touch up, the longer the dry time.
Chair parts such as arms have natural wear spots and it is hard to touch them up without a good analine stain.
Be carefull polishing over touch ups.
They melt quicker than the surrounding areas and need a quicker, lighter touch plus longer dry times.
Don't overwork a touch up!
Skip it, and come back fresh.
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a clock case
Q: Hi, I have just started French polishing, but its not turning out quite as I expected, so I'm sure I am doing something wrong and hopefully you can point me in the right direction.
I am using wool for the fad covered wwith fine woven cotton cloth and sqeeze out any polish before putting the rubber to the wood.
I am howver, but perhaps this is how its meant to be prior to cutting out, getting lines on the surface from the cotton covering.
It looks like fine brush marks and whilst this can be cut back, it makes a lot of hard work trying to bring the shine up.
I am also getting streaks on the suface as I work the rubber on the surface.
I have read that the rubber should be moved in figure of eight, circles etc. But when I try this or course the lines are formed in which ever way I push the rubber, so when appling the next coat these lines can be seen. I have therefore kept with following the grain so any crossed lines underneath don't show.
I think I must be doing something wrong to get these lines and don't know how apart from cutting back to get rid of them.
Is this something to do with the rubber or the way I am appling it to the wood?
I am completely baffled how to rectify this, so any ideas would be a big help.
Otherwise I am enjoying doing the clock case which is what i am trying to do, in English Walnut and its really looking great and far better than trying to varnish.
Many thanks.
Ian.
A: Trial and error is a big part of the French Polishing process.
You must balance the number of pieces and their sizes with an appropiate dampness to your rubber.
Don't squeeze!
Tamp the polish and spirits into the rubber with your one hand holding the pad and the other with fingers touching at the tips to tamp with.
Apply the polish with the rubber as damp as a dog's nose.
After getting an even application move on and come back quickly.
Soon you'll have to press harder to get more polish out of the rubber or you'll have to recharge and tamp the rubber.
In any case, you'll have to dab on some oil on the face of the rubber to polish evenly without streaking.
This takes practice and oil has to be worked off and not left on the surface.
Patience.
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a pair of oak candle sticks
Q: I have been given a pair of oak candle sticks.
They are 4 feet high.
I have just sanded and washed them down, but how can I achieve a glossy finish on them?
A: You will “achieve a glossy finish” if your “sanded and washed” wood has been:
1) Properly fine sanded or burnished
2) Open pores filled
3) And then a suitable glossy finish applied.
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a crack in a mahogany top
Q: Due to inexperience, I carried out an inexpert repair to a crack in a mahogany top.
Repair not entirely even, also colour match not great.
The repair is coming through no matter how many coats of french polish applied.
I have stripped and redone the repair half a dozen times, to no avail.
Any suggestions.
Regards.
Seamus
A: Dear Seamus, thank you for your inquiry.
A crack in wood needs to be repaired with glue and clamps whether it is solid or veneer.
Filler is for pores and scratches.
Color requires a light touch and a good eye.
French Polish is a finish, which means the start of your project has to be correct.
1) Isolate your problem.
2) Remove all filler and junk from the crack.
3) Repair the crack with glue and clamping.
4) Fill, if necessary.
5) Color to match, if necessary.
6) Polish overall.
7) Evaluate your progress.
8) If all looks good, polish again to your heart's content.
If not, there is more to this problem that needs to be addressed.
Sincerely, Cameron Cates
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a chest of solid oak
Q: How do I go about polishing a chest of solid oak which I have already sanded down?
This is not an expensive item but i was going to varnish it and was advised otherwise.
Thankyou
A: Solid oak is very nice.
Try burnishing the wood with 0000 steel wool and some muscle.
Take your time.
Then wax the piece.
Oak will french polish but the open pores must be filled and they will absorb the polish in a week, and that means you have to polish again. Cameron Cates
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a french polished cabinet
Q: what finish do you recommend to apply on top of a french polished cabinet for added durability?
A: French Polish is the last word in finishing.
There is nothing that needs to be applied over it.
If it is damaged by water, alcohol, or scratching it accepts another French Polishing and thereby deepens it's beauty.
Cameron Cates
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a few books on the subject...
Q: What book is the most thorough and developed on the art of french polishing?
A: There are many books on the subject of French Polishing and while the best ones burned at the Library of Alexandria long ago, here then are a few I know of to begin your search.
Staining & Polishing Edited by Charles H. Hayward
This is a good British book published in the US by Drake Publishers in 1969, ISBN 87749-708-7
Classic Wood Finishing by George Frank
Mr. Frank tells lots of tales.
Look him up by name.
French Polish by Jeff Jewitt...published by Taunton Press.
Taunton has excerpts from everyone including George Frank and others. Thank you for your query.
Cameron Cates
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