"john hamilton" wrote in message
...
We have a dining table with a two sided top. One has a good real wood
veneer finish and the other a fairly pleasent woodgrained pattern formica.

I decided to take some scratches out of the formica with some very fine
1200 grade wet and dry carborundum paper. Since we often use that side for
everyday use.

I now have certain patches rubbed down that are very different in the
table top finish. Mainly those that have been rubbed down and those that
have not.

Not desiring to rub down the 'whole' table top with the carborundum paper,
(which i suspect is not far from totally removing the thin layer of the
wood pattern) what might I use now to buff up the whole of the surface, to
bring it to a uniform finish over the whole area?

I've tried using a green scotchbrite kitchen scouring pad with lashings of
scouring cream on it; but it doesn't really seem to do anything much, as
well as being hard work.

Any suggestions as to what I might use to work up a kind of semi-sheen all
over on the formica? I don't want to use any type of rotary power tool,
since the grain in the pattern runs from one end to the other. And any
circular patterns would not look right. I have a rubber rubbing down
block, but what to put on it?



Green scotchbrite pads will put serious scratches in any plastic ....not a
good idea for formica. Softscrub type scouring cream without the green pad
is safer but will degrade the surface as well (if used ....a soft even
pressure only). White scotchbrites are good or safe for plastic or
metals.....If your spots are scratched from the green pad I'd try the 1200
grit sandpaper(wet) and then use a paste wax (will last longer), regular
furniture polish(easiest) or a oil (a stainless steel polish like Sheila
shine) to even out the shine. Rod