I recently replaced the severely water-damaged veneer on a small antique side table with quarter-matched Carpathian elm veneer. The new veneer is darker than the aged veneer that it replaced. How can I slightly lighten the new veneer to more closely match what was there originally? I’ve considered bleaching with sodium hydroxide solution, but I’m afraid that saturating the surface with bleach will cause the temperamental burl to bubble or lift. Any ideas?
ST
Replies
strestoration,
I would lay up a piece of this veneer as a sample and practice on that. You could bleach it but you don't have to saturate it. A couple of light applications of the bleach may be the answer. Just get the surface damp a couple of times. You'll have to neutralize it afterwards and I would use a light touch there also.
It may sound like extra hours to do this, but it can be time well spent. There is nothing worse than hoping something will come out properly on a finished piece and then having to do it over ( And how do I know that?)
Peter Gedrys
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