I volunteered (my first mistake) to refinsh the oak doors at my church. They are only about 3 years old but take a beating. They face north so they get sun and when we have a storm they get pounded. The original finish was flaking off so I figured I would scrape off what I could and sand the rest and apply some spar varnish.
When I took a closer look at the raised panels I noticed that the finish was completely gone in some areas and the oak had turned black. I would rather not have to sand very deeply on the moulded parts but I don’t know how to remove the black color.
Is there a bleach I can use? Do I need to strip the whole door before using bleach? I did not try anything yet so I don’t know if it is some sort of mold or just a stain.
Thanks for the help.
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CCI,
I would try in this order: Clorox, hydrogen peroxide, oxalic acid, and the commercial 2-part wood bleach. Keep going til one works. Rinse with water, then apply finish of your choice. Yes, you'll need to strip, scrape or sand all old finish off first.
Good luck,
Ray Pine
Thanks for the info. Will these bleaches return the oak to its original color or will it be lightened? The doors were not stained before the original finish was applied so it will be tough to match a "bleached" look on parts of the doors.
Thanks.
CCI,
Best to plan on bleaching the whole job, esp if you use the two part product. That's why I recommend stripping the whole thing. You can spot treat the dark areas, then most likely will want to treat the rest of the job, to get an even color. In my experience,the two part bleach will really lighten things up, to the point where you'll need a light stain to get a "natural" color.
Regards,
Ray
Water+oak=blue stain.
It's not mildew, it's a reaction between the tannic acid in the oak and the iron in the moisture. Oxalic Acid is your best bet. To find it at the big box stores, look in the finishing department--you may have to dig for it. It's in crystalline form. You just mix with water, apply, let it sit for a while and remove it.
As an aside, those doors may need work on the finish every year or so.
"Kinky for Gov. of Texas"
Thanks for the info. I would love to minimize the amount of prep done each year. I don't mind a light scuffing and then applying a new coat or 2 of finish. Is there any special prep I can do to get the first layer of varnish to "stick" better? The doors have not been stained prior to the original finish being applied so I am dealing with bare wood where the finish has come off.
I would rather do the right thing once and be done with the "mess" rather than have the finish fail every year or two.
Thanks.
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