Restoring oak.
 

A new neighbour wishes to restore the oak panelling in his hall - the
house was once owned by a coffin maker. ;-)

When I first saw it many years ago it was stained very dark - near black.
The next owner painted it white.

The present one wants it back to natural, but even after sanding there are
traces of the original stain - and the intricate mouldings make sanding
difficult without damage. Any tips?

--
*Who are these kids and why are they calling me Mom?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Restoring oak.
 

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

A new neighbour wishes to restore the oak panelling in his hall
When I first saw it many years ago it was stained very dark - near black.
The next owner painted it white.

Why do people who shouldn't have nice things always manage to get them?

The present one wants it back to natural, but even after sanding there are
traces of the original stain - and the intricate mouldings make sanding
difficult without damage. Any tips?

Nitromorse.

Restoring oak.
 

On Fri, 23 Dec 2005 00:48:01 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

The present one wants it back to natural,

He'll be lucky.

but even after sanding there are
traces of the original stain - and the intricate mouldings make sanding
difficult without damage. Any tips?

Same as any complicated stripping job - you probably have to use a
number of methods in sequence. Try one of the "blanket" strippers if
it's mouldings - something like the usual Nitromors recipe of methanol
and dichloromethane, thickened with cellulose and laid on under a layer
of thick polyethylene. Some of this depends on the stain - pigment
stains will lift off the surface but not out of the pores, dye stains
will be near impossible to shift from oak.

Sandvik also do some nice long-handled scrapers with carbide blades and
a ball handle to apply pressure with,

As a final measure, try oxalic acid bleach to lighten aged oak.

Restoring oak.
 

You could try caustic soda, Dave. Although you will have to make sure
you rinse every last crystaline trace of it off the walls when you're
done unless you want to have visitors telling you how their clothes
have developed holes after leaning on your friend's panelling (this
will often occur after clothes have gone through the wash).
See he
http://www.motherearthnews.com/libra...tain_Chemistry

There are also strong pastes that seem to do a better job of stripping
old paint, especially on uneven surfaces.

And one last thing - a tad dangerous - but I've always found a good way
of creating cheap razor-sharp scrapers is to cut convex pieces of scrap
glass with a glass cutter. When the edge wears off, cut a new piece.
Get your glass from a glazier's skip.

Restoring oak.
 

Andy reminded me: How come when I repeatedly mention how I'd love a big
Skarsten scraper for Christmas no-one in my family ever takes the hint?

Dave - My dad used to have a Skarsten with a big knobbly handle like
Andy mentioned and it made life so much easier.

Restoring oak.
 

"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 23 Dec 2005 00:48:01 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

The present one wants it back to natural,

He'll be lucky.

but even after sanding there are
traces of the original stain - and the intricate mouldings make sanding
difficult without damage. Any tips?

Same as any complicated stripping job - you probably have to use a
number of methods in sequence. Try one of the "blanket" strippers if
it's mouldings - something like the usual Nitromors recipe of methanol
and dichloromethane, thickened with cellulose and laid on under a layer
of thick polyethylene. Some of this depends on the stain - pigment
stains will lift off the surface but not out of the pores, dye stains
will be near impossible to shift from oak.

Sandvik also do some nice long-handled scrapers with carbide blades and
a ball handle to apply pressure with,

As a final measure, try oxalic acid bleach to lighten aged oak.

It will be messy but you could also get it sand blasted. One of my customers
is having this done to oak beams.

Restoring oak.
 

On 22 Dec 2005 18:32:12 -0800, "Buzby"
wrote:

You could try caustic soda, Dave.

Dont EVER EVER use caustic soda on Oak you will open up the grain and
ruin it!

Use Nitromorse!

Restoring oak.
 

Stephen Dawson wrote:

It will be messy but you could also get it sand blasted. One of my customers
is having this done to oak beams.

This is an effective way to round off all the details, ruin mouldings
and expose worm holing in beams. Not recommended.


NT

Restoring oak.
 

Buzby wrote:

See he
http://www.motherearthnews.com/libra...tain_Chemistry

ohh. On google that comes out shortened to 'secrets of pain'


And one last thing - a tad dangerous - but I've always found a good way
of creating cheap razor-sharp scrapers is to cut convex pieces of scrap
glass with a glass cutter. When the edge wears off, cut a new piece.
Get your glass from a glazier's skip.

Would that be lses likely to scratch the glass than a steel scraper?


NT

Restoring oak.
 

Buzby wrote:
Andy reminded me: How come when I repeatedly mention how I'd love a big
Skarsten scraper for Christmas no-one in my family ever takes the hint?

Dave - My dad used to have a Skarsten with a big knobbly handle like
Andy mentioned and it made life so much easier.

If your other do it yourself efforts are anything like the use of
caustic on oak then the answer must be that your family would prefer to
have their surroundings adjusted less Buzbyly.

Restoring oak.
 

Agreed. Absolutely the worst thing to do is sand blasting. Next worst
is any scraping or sanding. Nitromors or similar only, used gently with
plastic brushes etc. Impossible to remove stain so you might as well
learn to like it. Treat it with raw linseed/real turps half and half.
Will be rich and dark but will polish up. If you don't like dark oak
then paint it. If you've already done much sanding it will probably
look a mess so you might as well just paint it and forget it.

cheers

Jacob

Restoring oak.
 

marbl2 wrote:
On 22 Dec 2005 18:32:12 -0800, "Buzby"
wrote:

You could try caustic soda, Dave.

Dont EVER EVER use caustic soda on Oak you will open up the grain and
ruin it!

Use Nitromorse!

Inspector or code?

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

Restoring oak.
 

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
A new neighbour wishes to restore the oak panelling in his hall - the
house was once owned by a coffin maker. ;-)

When I first saw it many years ago it was stained very dark - near
black. The next owner painted it white.

The present one wants it back to natural, but even after sanding
there are traces of the original stain - and the intricate mouldings
make sanding difficult without damage. Any tips?

Hah! you've taken on a job you wished you hadn't now. :-(

For thr intricate Nitromors and a dremel drill or similiar, using the brass
conical bit, this is so fine and soft it won't gouge the wood, put drill on
slowest speed.
Providing you have a dremel that is?


--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

Restoring oak.
 

Stephen Dawson wrote:
It will be messy but you could also get it sand blasted. One of my customers
is having this done to oak beams.

wince

Restoring oak.
 

For thr intricate Nitromors and a dremel drill or similiar, using the
brass conical bit, this is so fine and soft it won't gouge the wood,
put drill on slowest speed.
Providing you have a dremel that is?

Oh and if you haven't a dremel a "brass suede shoe brush" is your best bet.

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

Restoring oak.
 

In article ,
The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:
The present one wants it back to natural, but even after sanding
there are traces of the original stain - and the intricate mouldings
make sanding difficult without damage. Any tips?

Hah! you've taken on a job you wished you hadn't now. :-(

I'm not doing it - he is. I was just hoping to pass on some tips as he's a
bit of a DIY newbie.

--
*Heart attacks... God's revenge for eating his animal friends

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Restoring oak.
 

In article ,
The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:
For thr intricate Nitromors and a dremel drill or similiar, using the
brass conical bit, this is so fine and soft it won't gouge the wood,
put drill on slowest speed. Providing you have a dremel that is?

Oh and if you haven't a dremel a "brass suede shoe brush" is your best
bet.

Sounds better to me - I'd be worried about the dremel throwing the
Nitromors around.

--
*Few women admit their age; fewer men act it.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Restoring oak.
 

On Fri, 23 Dec 2005 10:24:42 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:
For thr intricate Nitromors and a dremel drill or similiar, using the
brass conical bit, this is so fine and soft it won't gouge the wood,
put drill on slowest speed. Providing you have a dremel that is?

Oh and if you haven't a dremel a "brass suede shoe brush" is your best
bet.

Sounds better to me - I'd be worried about the dremel throwing the
Nitromors around.

Simple solution. Buy a Prion. They come with a rubber suit. Or you
could borrow Dribble's....


--

..andy

Restoring oak.
 

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:
For thr intricate Nitromors and a dremel drill or similiar, using
the brass conical bit, this is so fine and soft it won't gouge the
wood, put drill on slowest speed. Providing you have a dremel that
is?

Oh and if you haven't a dremel a "brass suede shoe brush" is your
best bet.

Sounds better to me - I'd be worried about the dremel throwing the
Nitromors around.

Thats what batman suits are for. ;-)

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

Restoring oak.
 

The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:
For thr intricate Nitromors and a dremel drill or similiar, using the
brass conical bit, this is so fine and soft it won't gouge the wood,
put drill on slowest speed.
Providing you have a dremel that is?


Oh and if you haven't a dremel a "brass suede shoe brush" is your best bet.

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite



The *only* way to make a good job of panelling is is to have it dipped,
preferably by the non-caustic method. Dip 'n Strip used to have
franchises dotted about.
Scratching about in situ will do your head in, and give you the classic
d-i-y 90% stripped look like all those staircases you've seen where
people say, "Took us a year but we're *so* pleased with it". And you
think, "Yeah, I can see how it used to be 'cos you've left paint in all
the grooves".
Caustic can work quite well on oak as long as you don't heat it (a lot
of commercial outfits use heated tanks). Bleach it with peroxide to undo
the greying effect.

Restoring oak.
 

Stuart Noble wrote:
The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:
For thr intricate Nitromors and a dremel drill or similiar, using
the brass conical bit, this is so fine and soft it won't gouge the
wood, put drill on slowest speed.
Providing you have a dremel that is?


Oh and if you haven't a dremel a "brass suede shoe brush" is your
best bet.

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite



The *only* way to make a good job of panelling is is to have it
dipped, preferably by the non-caustic method. Dip 'n Strip used to
have franchises dotted about.

Thats the way to go but if its the 1930's? paneling in this situ then it
would be a bugger to to take orf with a lot of making good putting back on.

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

Restoring oak.
 

In article ,
says...
snip
It will be messy but you could also get it sand blasted. One of my customers
is having this done to oak beams.


Sandblasting is a great way of ripping out the softer parts of the
grain, while leaving the harder parts raised and roughened - if that's
what you want then go ahead, but it should never be considered for
"restoration" purposes.

Restoring oak.
 

In article ,
The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:
The *only* way to make a good job of panelling is is to have it
dipped, preferably by the non-caustic method. Dip 'n Strip used to
have franchises dotted about.

Thats the way to go but if its the 1930's? paneling in this situ then it
would be a bugger to to take orf with a lot of making good putting back
on.

It certainly would.

--
*When I'm not in my right mind, my left mind gets pretty crowded *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Restoring oak.
 

On 22 Dec 2005 18:42:18 -0800, "Buzby" wrote:

Andy reminded me: How come when I repeatedly mention how I'd love a big
Skarsten scraper for Christmas no-one in my family ever takes the hint?

Skarsten don't do big scrapers. Sandvik do _big_ scrapers.

Friend of mine has a panelled room (sloped ceilings too) in a building
which was allegedly built as a dairy. But it's either a Welsh
priest-hole or else it was built by someone who normally did Chapels
(and very finely he built it too). Now scraping the flat surfaces of
that really was hard going - tried everything on it he did. In the end
he got very attached to one particular top-end model of Sandvik scraper.

Restoring oak.
 

On Fri, 23 Dec 2005 00:48:01 +0000 (GMT), Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

A new neighbour wishes to restore the oak panelling in his hall - the
house was once owned by a coffin maker. ;-)

When I first saw it many years ago it was stained very dark - near black.
The next owner painted it white.

The present one wants it back to natural, but even after sanding there are
traces of the original stain - and the intricate mouldings make sanding
difficult without damage. Any tips?

Sandblasting is the only hope. In situ.

Not that expenisve - a few hundred only - use calcium carbonate for wood.
Helluva mess afterwards. Strip area of EVERYTHING and expect to hoover ten
times or so.

See yellow pages


If dismantled, caustic may work.

After blasting, it will be grain etched. Sanding will help for a newish
look, or leave it etched for Ye Olde Worlde look.

Restoring oak.
 

On Fri, 23 Dec 2005 06:43:33 GMT, Stephen Dawson wrote:

"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 23 Dec 2005 00:48:01 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

The present one wants it back to natural,

He'll be lucky.

but even after sanding there are
traces of the original stain - and the intricate mouldings make sanding
difficult without damage. Any tips?

Same as any complicated stripping job - you probably have to use a
number of methods in sequence. Try one of the "blanket" strippers if
it's mouldings - something like the usual Nitromors recipe of methanol
and dichloromethane, thickened with cellulose and laid on under a layer
of thick polyethylene. Some of this depends on the stain - pigment
stains will lift off the surface but not out of the pores, dye stains
will be near impossible to shift from oak.

Sandvik also do some nice long-handled scrapers with carbide blades and
a ball handle to apply pressure with,

As a final measure, try oxalic acid bleach to lighten aged oak.

It will be messy but you could also get it sand blasted. One of my customers
is having this done to oak beams.

I had it done on some new ones after stupid builder painted thick varnish
on them..

Came out well, but heavily grained. No trace of varnish left anywhere.

Restoring oak.
 

On 22 Dec 2005 23:48:55 -0800, wrote:

Stephen Dawson wrote:

It will be messy but you could also get it sand blasted. One of my customers
is having this done to oak beams.

This is an effective way to round off all the details, ruin mouldings
and expose worm holing in beams. Not recommended.

NT

Thtas why we used calcium carbonate. Not sand

It did etch, but that merely made the beams look older -

I agree, on delicate carvings, its a nono,but on flat old paneling, it will
work.