# burl table refinishing



## ray2009 (Nov 21, 2014)

I am new to wood work, just bought a half finished burl table at a good price at $100. I am planning to refinish the top and finish the stand. The stand is rough and pretty natural. What.s the best way to strip the existing coating? Paint stripper or using belt sander? Should I use grinder to clean the stand? What's the best coating I should use? Thank you very much for your help, I have no clue at all now . And, does anyone can tell what kind of the wood is? Pine, elm redwood or teak?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

The best way to remove an old finish is to use paint and varnish remover. That may be difficult to impossible this time of year though. No remover works well below 70 degrees and because removers are a carcinogen shouldn't be used indoors. The problem with sanding the finish off with a belt sander is you will only remove what is on the flat area. Then if you don't have a lot of skils with a belt sander could make grooves and dents all over the table. Even someone with a lot of experience would need to thoroughly sand with an orbital after using a belt sander. They just make dents you can't see until you start putting a finish on. 

What is wrong with the finish someone else started? Is it truly necessary for the finish to come off? It would be easier if you could just continue with it or coat over what is there. There are any number of finishes you could use. Probably the easiest would be polyurethane. Another would be a pour on epoxy. 

As best as I can tell from the picture I think the wood is redwood.


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## ray2009 (Nov 21, 2014)

Steve Neul said:


> The best way to remove an old finish is to use paint and varnish remover. That may be difficult to impossible this time of year though. No remover works well below 70 degrees and because removers are a carcinogen shouldn't be used indoors. The problem with sanding the finish off with a belt sander is you will only remove what is on the flat area. Then if you don't have a lot of skils with a belt sander could make grooves and dents all over the table. Even someone with a lot of experience would need to thoroughly sand with an orbital after using a belt sander. They just make dents you can't see until you start putting a finish on.
> 
> What is wrong with the finish someone else started? Is it truly necessary for the finish to come off? It would be easier if you could just continue with it or coat over what is there. There are any number of finishes you could use. Probably the easiest would be polyurethane. Another would be a pour on epoxy.
> 
> As best as I can tell from the picture I think the wood is redwood.



Thank you so much,Steve. I will try to cover over it, but there's some water rings and paint is missing on the sided. Shouldn't try to remove the water rings fist before coating. I am really appreciate for your help.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Yes you should remove any water marks. Unless the finish is shellac or lacquer that the water marks will just melt away the water marks will just stay there. Polyurethane just covers over what is there. Then you shouldn't be putting poly over shellac or lacquer anyway.


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## RandyReed (Jul 30, 2014)

Dampen a lint free clean cloth with denatured alcohol and gently wipe over the damaged area. Dampen the cloth and the finish just barely enough so that it leaves the appearance of a comet’s tail as you gently wipe the finish. Too much alcohol, too much wiping or too much pressure may damage the finish. Since alcohol absorbs moisture, this procedure will pull out most fresh water marks.


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## ray2009 (Nov 21, 2014)

Steve Neul said:


> Yes you should remove any water marks. Unless the finish is shellac or lacquer that the water marks will just melt away the water marks will just stay there. Polyurethane just covers over what is there. Then you shouldn't be putting poly over shellac or lacquer anyway.



Thank you, I am not sure what's the existing finish now, pretty gloss I can say.the heat mark would not get away by alcohol . I should say it is water mark, they are heat damage actually.I bought a Howard brand cleaner& wax and use 0000 steel wood, they are gone in 1 second. Amazing! Then I tried the same method on my birch veneer dining table, the mark was gone but the paint was damaged, I may need to re-coating it, too sad. I think the dinning table was coated with stain then.






I have attached the photo, any simple ways to fix it? Thank you!


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## ray2009 (Nov 21, 2014)

RandyReed said:


> Dampen a lint free clean cloth with denatured alcohol and gently wipe over the damaged area. Dampen the cloth and the finish just barely enough so that it leaves the appearance of a comet’s tail as you gently wipe the finish. Too much alcohol, too much wiping or too much pressure may damage the finish. Since alcohol absorbs moisture, this procedure will pull out most fresh water marks.



Thank you, but they are white heat stain instead water mark. I tried alcohol, but won't work. I should read your post earlier. I should wipe gentle. I used 0000 steal wood with wax to wipe off, works great on the burl table, but my huge dinning table was scratched.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

ray2009 said:


> Thank you, I am not sure what's the existing finish now, pretty gloss I can say.the heat mark would not get away by alcohol . I should say it is water mark, they are heat damage actually.I bought a Howard brand cleaner& wax and use 0000 steel wood, they are gone in 1 second. Amazing! Then I tried the same method on my birch veneer dining table, the mark was gone but the paint was damaged, I may need to re-coating it, too sad. I think the dinning table was coated with stain then.
> View attachment 101446
> I have attached the photo, any simple ways to fix it? Thank you!


It's hard to tell from the picture what the finish might be. If it's lacquer you might put a drop of lacquer thinner on the spot and it will melt the white spot away. Before you do this though put some lacquer thinner in an inconspicuous place and see what it does to the finish. If it is lacquer the finish will disolve. If it is polyurethane it's likely to wrinkle up like you put paint and varnish remover on it. If this procedure works just put the thinner on the spot and allow it to sit and dry. Don't touch it or brush it or anything. Then after it dries you can recoat it or polish out the spot with rubbing compound.


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## ray2009 (Nov 21, 2014)

Tank you so much for your quick reply. Now , the white spot was gone, but cause a lot scratch since I used steel wool. I may have to recoat it with stain or something on the dinning table. I tried wax it, but still stay.


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## ray2009 (Nov 21, 2014)

it what looks now. Sad


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

You may have used too much pressure with the steel wood. You might try a lighter buffing and then go over it with rubbing compound. I like 3m rubbing compound just like you use on a car. I doubt if it will require recoating.


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## ray2009 (Nov 21, 2014)

Thank you. I found one is for marine, works?






I will try anything to recoating the whole table. Much appreciate for your advise.


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## ray2009 (Nov 21, 2014)

ray2009 said:


> Thank you. I found one is for marine, works?
> View attachment 101453
> I will try anything to recoating the whole table. Much appreciate for your advise.



To avoid to recoating I mean.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Any rubbing compound should work. It will make it easier if you lightly steel wool it again rubbing with the grain. The only problem you might have is the compound may make the finish glossier than you want.


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## RandyReed (Jul 30, 2014)

Well, since its a heat mark, you can take a towel and place over the white heat mark and then take an iron *with* steam and go over the heat mark with only a few passes. You should see the mark start to go away.

Ive done this several times with tables that people have brought to me thinking it needs to be refinished.


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## ray2009 (Nov 21, 2014)

Steve Neul said:


> Any rubbing compound should work. It will make it easier if you lightly steel wool it again rubbing with the grain. The only problem you might have is the compound may make the finish glossier than you want.



Thank you, Steve. Great result, just exactly like you said " it is a little glosser than the original finish. But it is much better looking now. I may just need to polish the whole table sometime, it looks fine to me anyway. Does the compound make the coat thinner? Are there some scratch on my black SUV. If I use the compound on the area, will result glosser as well?


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## ray2009 (Nov 21, 2014)

RandyReed said:


> Well, since its a heat mark, you can take a towel and place over the white heat mark and then take an iron *with* steam and go over the heat mark with only a few passes. You should see the mark start to go away.
> 
> Ive done this several times with tables that people have brought to me thinking it needs to be refinished.



I am so appreciate, will try tomorrow on my coffee table. However the table is not solid wood, I can see the scratch is deep, and some veneer has been damaged. Anyway I'm going to replace it with solid burl table I am working on. It is a good practice anyway. Thanks again for your advise.


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## ray2009 (Nov 21, 2014)

RandyReed said:


> Well, since its a heat mark, you can take a towel and place over the white heat mark and then take an iron *with* steam and go over the heat mark with only a few passes. You should see the mark start to go away.
> 
> Ive done this several times with tables that people have brought to me thinking it needs to be refinished.



I used form applicator instead steal wood. I'm so afraid to make more Scratch.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

ray2009 said:


> Thank you, Steve. Great result, just exactly like you said " it is a little glosser than the original finish. But it is much better looking now. I may just need to polish the whole table sometime, it looks fine to me anyway. Does the compound make the coat thinner? Are there some scratch on my black SUV. If I use the compound on the area, will result glosser as well?


When you rub out a finish you are literally rubbing some of the finish off however it is so little it's not worth mentioning.


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## ray2009 (Nov 21, 2014)

Steve Neul said:


> When you rub out a finish you are literally rubbing some of the finish off however it is so little it's not worth mentioning.



So, I can use it on a small area on my car?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

ray2009 said:


> So, I can use it on a small area on my car?


You can do your whole car if you wish. That is really what it is intended for.


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## ray2009 (Nov 21, 2014)

Steve Neul said:


> You can do your whole car if you wish. That is really what it is intended for.



I will try on a small area first. The car is pretty new, 2012. Just too much scratch in a black car. Maybe I should avoid to buy a black car anymore. Thank you!


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