# Using Oxalic Acid on Walnut Veneer



## Phillip Jones (Dec 24, 2014)

I recently bought a complete set of William and Mary furniture at an estate sale. Unlike most of the W&M furniture out there this stuff is very chunky and heavy, which is what attracted me to it. However the house was just beyond run down and water was leaking thru the roof creating these water rings. I have never used oxalic acid but have bought some and read a fair amount about it. I can't decide based on what I have read whether to bleach the entire surface or just the stained areas. With it being veneer I am a bit concerned. Depending on the results I intended to use either a dark walnut stain or if I have to an ebony stain. Worst case I could paint the tops a high gloss black, but I want to try this first. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. I intended to use a satin spar urethane as a topcoat after the stain but I am open to any suggestions of something better. I have included pics of rings on table top, the dark stained area on the top of the server, and a light area on the table top. Thanks in advance for any help!!!


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I think as bad as those rings are it is unlikely to get them completely out. I would try it anyway. Be sure to heat the oxalic acid up to about 100 degrees and allow it to soak for a long time adding more warm acid from time to time doing the entire surface. If the veneer lifts the veneer in spots you can rinse it off and towel dry it and then go over the bubble places with a hot iron and it will stick the veneer back down. Then once dried you can finish it or use the ebony stain if you need to cover the marks. Personally I would be inclined to replace the veneer if the rings don't come out. 

A spar varnish isn't the best finish for furniture. A spar is an exterior finish formulated to be a little soft so it can expand and contract with the temperature extremes of being outdoors. A interior polyurethane is just as water resistant and makes a harder finish which would resist scratches from the day to day use of furniture.


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## Phillip Jones (Dec 24, 2014)

Thanks for the response Steve!! I will try the acid this weekend and see what happens.


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## Phillip Jones (Dec 24, 2014)

*Oxalic acid not effective*

Well it's on to the next logical thing, replace the veneer. I will try that first on the small piece and see how it goes. If it works out I can go ahead and do all of it.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Phillip Jones said:


> Well it's on to the next logical thing, replace the veneer. I will try that first on the small piece and see how it goes. If it works out I can go ahead and do all of it.


When laying a sheet of veneer don't use wood glue, use a two part glue like epoxy or a resin glue. Wood glue will tend to dry great around the edges and stay wet in the middle for a long time. I've left veneer clamped over a weekend and had it still not harden in the middle so I changed adhesives.


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