Refinishing question (UPDATE 5/3/10)

[planovet]

The piece he has is/was made of cheap, blemished wood.

The truth comes out. Yer right, ya kant make a silk purse outta a sow's ear!

I never stated that it was anything but a cheap piece of furniture nor was I trying to make it into something worthy of Antiques Roadshow.

I just wanted it to look presentable

[S. Heisley]

Having seen your work, I have no doubt that it will turn out prettier than when it was new. Once you've completed your refinishing project, would you please post a picture of the outcome so we can all enjoy it?

By the way, I have an antique mahogany and walnut piece that had been my mother's. She had always wanted to see it refinished, as did I; so, she willed it to me when she passed on, knowing that I would see to it. Since certain family members had expressed considerable concern over the refinishing of it, I had it professionally done by a fellow who does this for antique dealers. (He used a vat to remove the old finish and then hand-applied stain to it and finished with 6 layers of hand rubbed oils.) Here's my point: He told me that some blemishes are intentionally left in refinished antique and vintage pieces, as this adds character and charm and helps identify them as old.

[eamarquardt]

I found this statement enlightening as I hadn't considered the quality of the piece to be a factor.

The piece he has is/was made of cheap, blemished wood.

My comment: The truth comes out. Yer right, ya kant make a silk purse outta a sow's ear! was only an acknowlegement of what
Rob pointed out.

Your comment: I never stated that it was anything but a cheap piece of furniture nor was I trying to make it into something worthy of Antiques Roadshow. I just wanted it to look presentable.

It wasn't my intent to infer you misreprested it. Just that there are limitations on the final outcome dictated by what you have to work with.

I'm sure you'll do the best possible job!

Cheers,

Gus

[caseydog]

I would use a pretty dark stain, and leave it on a while to go for a dark color.CD

I always thought that "cherry" furniture was ugly because it was so dark and forboding looking. I find dark furniture "dark" in emotion. Then I found a Stickley television cabinet on Craigslist for three hundred bucks (it was probably over 3K new). It was almost a natural finish and the colors and wood grain are beautiful. I got it home and it exactly matched a Stickley bed we had purchased at a furniture store that was going out of business. Because the bed consisted mostly of narrow slats the beauty of the grain didn't stand out. I "got lucky" and found a Stickley china cabinet, dresser, and serving stand that now serves as a nightstand for our guest room all off of Craigslist for a fraction of the new (I have to have it now) price. I also got a Stickley writing desk and my wife (but she got it on sale at 1/2 the "I have to have it now price) bought a brand new chair that matches it. The desk and chair are stained dark (as all the other pieces of Cherry I'd seen in the past) and they are not nearly as pretty (IMHO) as the lighter Cherry with it's reddish hues.

I vote (not that my votes ever count) you figure out how to lighten it with some kind of bleach or other treatment, then stain it a color that will bring out the grain and not hide the grain with a dark stain.

Cheers,

Gus

Stickley makes Crafstman style furniture. I love it. It generally starts off light in color, and darkens with age into a rich golden brown. Pretty stuff.

CD

[eamarquardt]

Stickley makes Crafstman style furniture. I love it. It generally starts off light in color, and darkens with age into a rich golden brown. Pretty stuff.CD

CD and I AGREE! Maybe not a first or last time but the stars had to be in alignment, ha! Years ago (36 to be exact) we were at an auction in Pensacola, Florida and we got a Stickley Brothers buffet/server for $55! I've seen nearly identical pieces go on EBay for $2400! That got us started. It has a pretty "natural" finish (original). Some of the Stickley pieces were "fumed" in ammonia (I think) to achive darker finishes rather than stained as is the case today. As the Stickley klan operated many businesses over a fair time span there are many "flavors" of "Stickley".

We have a lot of Stickley and have purchased a fair amount of it from CL for a fraction of retail. I will admit to having paid the "I want it now price" for some pieces but only on sale for 30-50% off of the list price. I practice what I preach and scour CL daily (well almost) looking for a few more pieces we'd like to have. We're almost "Stickley'ed out".

Stickley has made/makes several styles of furniture not just Craftsman/Mission. It's all pretty cool stuff (if not all my style).

Cheers,
ur
Gus

[planovet]

Well, it's finished! Thanks for all the replies.

I decided that I was over-thinking this whole thing and decided to just "git 'er done". I did not fill in the cracks and I did not strip it any further than my original pics. The wood/previous finish had a reddish tone so I picked a Brazilian Redwood gel stain. It was dark enough to cover most of the blemishes. I then coated it with 3 coats of a semi-gloss polyurethane. It turned out better than I thought it would.

Not bad for my first refinishing project.

BEFORE:



AFTER:

[absolutsnwbrdr]

WOW! Great transformation! Looks beautiful!

[starleen2]

Now, How ya' gonna fit that into your teardrop It looks really cool

[BILLYL]

Now - that turned out far better then I thought it would.

Nicely done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Bill

[S. Heisley]

I think you turned a potential sow's ear into a silk purse. It looks beautiful. Nice job.