Replies

1. 
   9619 | Nov 23, 2007 06:01pm | #1

   Warren,
   You were very lucky that the fire didn't do even more damage. Tables can be fixed or replaced.

   You are going to have to refinish the table top, as a minimum. So Strip it and assess how much more damage was done.

   You don't want to sand the entire table top. Is it veneer or solid wood? If it is veneer, be very careful. You haven't got much to work with.

   You can try to sand only the burned portions of the top. If you do that, your remaining problem will be to make the newly sanded portion look like the old portion. This is a skill that comes with experience. My approach to make an entire top look the same is to treat it all the same. I would try to sand and refinish it all in the same manner. That is much less frustrating to me than trying to match new and old work or different stains, or different types and amounts of finishes, etc.

   Hope that helps.
   Remember that advice is generally worth what you pay for it.
   The real problem with advice is interpreting it into something that you can use.
   Have fun.
   Mel
   Mel

   Measure your output in smiles per board foot. 

1. 
   WarrensWoods | Nov 23, 2007 07:09pm | #2

   Thank you, I was hoping to avoid stripping the entire table top. Guess I was looking for a secret cream or something. It is solid oak so that is a plus.

1. 
   9619 | Nov 23, 2007 07:38pm | #3

   Warren,
   It is possible to avoid stripping the entire table top, but it introduces the problem of "feathering in" the new part to the old one. You have to be VERY VERY good to do that. If you try, you will spend much more time messing around trying to get the new portion to be just as smooth and the same color as the old part. Have fun.
   MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot. 

2. 
   bigfootnampa | Nov 23, 2007 10:45pm | #4

   Personally I would likely carve or rout the damaged area away and then glue in a surface inlay.  I'd probably use about 1/8" to 3/16" material and carve the edges to a pretty flush fit and then finish the patch to blend with the existing finish.  The trick is to treat it as an embellishment (like a decorative patch on a shirt or pair of jeans).  Nakashima has done a lot of dovetail inlays like this but shapes can be pretty varied and still look good.  The patch will (ideally) become the most attractive feature of the surface. 

   This approach has been VERY successful for me and with lavish care and an artistic eye the problem area becomes opportunity for beauty rather than a patching problem.  I now will sometimes deliberately create such features rather than waiting for serendipitous accidents (but the best ones are the result of natural wear situations).

1. 
   WarrensWoods | Nov 24, 2007 03:55am | #5

   Very cleaver!