I think you could recover it.

I've seen several tables in restaurants that have a bullnose solid wood
edge, that have a sheet of Formica just applied to the top. It is held back
from the edge a uniform distance, and looks good. Yes there is a 1/16"
height difference between it and the perimeter of the edge, but it has never
caused me any problems (and I am a klutz.)

It is a fix, not a restoration, but I think a field of solid color matte
laminate framed in the existing oak edges would look OK, and when the next
aquarium is placed on it, there won't be any problems.

Good luck, whatever you do. Hope the neighbor helps you with YOUR next
project.

Old Guy

"Bubba Wood" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 02 Dec 2006 00:20:57 GMT, "Juvenal"
wrote:


"Bubba Wood" wrote...

So my neighbor asks me to look at his kids desk to see if I know how
to fix it. He had a 10 gal aquarium on it for about a year with a
towel between the tank and the desk top. There are black spots and
streaks in the top where moisture was trapped.

The top is MDF core red oak veneer with what looks like about a 1/64"
thick veneer.
[...]

Oxalic acid bleach is usually used to remove black stains from oak.
Available at any hardware store.

Try stripping the finish, let dry, bleach with oxalic acid solution, let
dry, sand ever so gently by hand with 150 or 180, stain and finish.

Thanks everyone.
Looks like the Oxalic Acid bleach is the way to go. I know it is a
water based stain in oak.
This piece of furniture will not stand for much sanding, and since it
is a MDF veneer with a breadboard border of solid oak with a full
radius bullnose re covering is not an option.
Thanks for all the suggestions.

Larry