I have a friend who has asked me to refinish his teak dining room table that has the original manufacturer’s laquer finish on it. There are black stains on the table that the owner says is due to cat urine (I know, I don’t go there for dinner anymore). I have read the messages in the archives and understand that oxalic acid or two part bleach may work to remove the stains. However, the woods mentioned were always cherry or oak. I have never worked with teak and thought the the oils in the wood might (1) be a problem with these agents or, (2) there might a better solution for teak. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Discussion Forum
Get It All!
UNLIMITED Membership is like taking a master class in woodworking for less than $10 a month.
Start Your Free TrialCategories
Discussion Forum
Digital Plans Library
Member exclusive! – Plans for everyone – from beginners to experts – right at your fingertips.
Highlights
-
Shape Your Skills
when you sign up for our emails
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. -
Shop Talk Live Podcast
-
Our favorite articles and videos
-
E-Learning Courses from Fine Woodworking
-
-
Replies
P3,
I have reclaimed teak lab benches which had a lot worse than catwee on them. Remove 0.25mm or less off the surface and you are likely to find pristine teak underneath. It's tough stuff, which is why it's used for lab benches of course.
It seems unlikely that'll you'll be able to rescue or successfully patch the lacquer (finishing experts may disagree) so perhaps sanding/scraping is the only option, with a re-laquer of the whole surface?
But if it's veneer you are stuffed, unless you do a Dutch patch.
Lataxe
Lataxe,
Thanks for the reply. The table is solid wood, no veneer, and I plan to scrap down all the old finish. I will see if I get can down to beyond the stain easily. Thanks again.
I would strip off the old lacquer rather than scraping it, particularly if it is really NC lacquer that redissolves in lacquer thinner--(but think VENTILATION.) Stripping will generally give a more "evenly open" surface for the oxalic acid to work. I do think it means the entire top must be re-done. While oxalic won't massively bleach color from the teak, it may have enough effect that you need to bleach the entire surface to get a uniform look.
Two part bleach does remove the natural wood color. It's a last resort. You can use it in ways that only give partial decolorization, but it means not following the manufacturers directs. I've not used it that way, but if it looks like you are heading that way I think I know where I can scape up a description of the necessary modifications.
Edited 2/23/2009 7:50 pm ET by SteveSchoene
lataxe,here we go again. with all the nationalities, ethnic diversities and multiples of human differences available, why is it we of the woodish ilk continue to fill the voids in our lives by picking on the hapless dutch. why is it called a dutch patch anyway? why not a lithuanian patch or a portugese plug?
dutch patch, indeed.eef-longing for a new way to name those pesky hole fixings.
Edited 2/23/2009 7:40 pm ET by Eef
Possibly left over from the Anglo-Dutch wars of the 17th century, whence came also "Dutch courage" and "Dutch uncle." See also "French letters," "French leave," and "Spanish windlass."
Eef,
At least we didn't mention the Nederlands cap. Oh bugger, I've gone and went and mentioned it!
Lataxe
lataxe,
casino affiliates program ?
the closest i ever get to a casino is when driving across an indian rez on my way to as remote a place as is possible to find.
eef
Eef,
I did stay in Las Vegas for a bit - the pointy-roofed hotel with the electricity-guzzling light shining out of the top. It was very, very cheap as they hope you will dump your wad in their gambling dens. Ah ha! I am too mean to gamble and not one cent went into a bandit nor even a guess at the roulette wheel. I did buy a nice model of an Eygptian cat though.
I also stayed in the outskirts of LV, in one of the many suburbs currently emptying Lake Meade at an alarming rate (you Californees will soon be dry too I hear). The desert was wonderful - Red Rock Canyon and the Valley of Fire but also various other places whose names I can't recall now. And naturally, a flight in a paper & string aeroplane over the Grand Canyon.
Our host was reluctant to let us walk the desert (crmnls behind every rock, imminent flash floods would sweep us away, gangs of snakes are coming). But we went anyway and somehow survived - no crmnls (no people!) floods or snooks to be seen.
Wunnerful!
Lataxe
Lataxe
On this side of the pond, we call that a Dutchman.
Cheerio,
Jeff
Jeff,
I have a mental picture, now, of Eef insisting that he is from Californee not Holland and that you shouldn't be eyeing him up for size as you boils the glue, sharpens a large craft knife and heats up a big iron.
Lataxe, who isn't from Holland either although it's just over the horizon.
shoot the cat.....
Mark Rhodes
Vinworx.com
>shoot the cat.....<Surely there are wilder skies than these . . .Catapult any one ? Any wonder how it got it's name ? ): )rocGive me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )
Edited 2/24/2009 2:41 am by roc
If you have a marine supply store nearby, they will have a plethora of teak cleaners. Most of them combine oxalic acid with some type of foaming action that gets out most stains and returns the wood to that beloved golden color. Here's a list from a marine mail order house:
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/search.do?refineType=1&refineName=Type&refineValue=Teak%20Cleaner&refine=1&page=GRID&history=1cd54w3v%7Cother%7CfreeText%7Eteak%2Bcleaner%5Epage%7EGRID
I've used the Semco and the Boatlife brands. The Boatlife is most effective, but is quite caustic.
That said, I would only go this route if the sanding that Lataxe suggested didn't work. If you do end up using the teak cleaner, do not scrub with the grain using a brush; it will make ridges in the wood. Scrub in either a circular pattern or at a 45° angle.
Any USN Squid will tell you that teak decks were cleaned with a "Holy Stone".
Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled