Good Evening,
I am currently working with some white oak that has some gray staining (mold, spalt?). I’ve followed the advice in Taunton’s Complete Illustrated Guide to Finishing to use oxalic acid (Behr’s deck cleaner), followed by distilled water, then finish with a baking soda/water mix. I was doing great until I followed up with the soda mixture. I now have some pieces with a nice clean color and others that are mottled with a visual reminder of my kid’s diapers. Do I need to start over? Any help greatly appreciated – it will help keep the paint brushes in the cabinet.
Thanks,
Matt
Summerville, SC
Replies
Matt,
I can't say I've ever encountered what happened to you, but let's start from the beginning.
I would start over. To start, give it a wash with some white vinegar and then rinse it well.Then go with the oxalic acid again. You can always buy the crystals at a good paint store and mix your own. By doing this you can make a more concentrated mixture. However, if the deck cleaner worked well then you can stick with that.
You may find you have to do it a couple of times to get the desired results. Doing it out in the sun doesn't hurt either.
Rinse it well with water and dry it off with clean rags and let it sit for a day or so to completely dry out.
Be careful and wear a dust mask when you sand or you find it to be an unpleasant experience.
You didn't say whether yuo planned on staining the wood and what type of finish you were using.
Let me know how you do .
Peter Gedrys
Many thanks for the reply and the information. The small things that you pick up on these discussions is amazing (buying crystals at a paint store, etc) that the average non-pro ww does not know. Probably not a big deal for the pros, but then again, I deal with helicopters full time and not woodworking. Thanks again for the help. Oh, I do plan to stain, just not sure of the shade, etc.
Matt
Matt,
Let me know how the cleaning works out.
When you're ready to stain give me shout. Maybe we can make it easy for you.
Peter Gedrys
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