I recently purchased an Ethan Allen table which is an espresso finish.
My wife left a scented oil thingy on the runner and some oil must have
leaked through. I don't think it damaged the wood but the protective
finish and the stain was removed and a bubbly residue remains. I can't
get anyone to help on such a small project and Ethan Allen has been
useless. At this point I'm going to try to do this myself. Any
thoughts or suggestions would be very much appreciated. I can send you
pictures if you want to try to help me.
Thanks.
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:2395df9a-6d61-484b-a8e0-d2ba636d6c81@n77g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
>I recently purchased an Ethan Allen table which is an espresso finish.
> My wife left a scented oil thingy on the runner and some oil must have
> leaked through. I don't think it damaged the wood but the protective
> finish and the stain was removed and a bubbly residue remains. I can't
> get anyone to help on such a small project and Ethan Allen has been
> useless. At this point I'm going to try to do this myself. Any
> thoughts or suggestions would be very much appreciated. I can send you
> pictures if you want to try to help me.
> Thanks.
>
I feel your pain. The SAME EXACT thing happened to me with an Ethan Allen
piece. What happened is the oil dissolved the lacquer finish. Because
Ethan uses a lacquer toned with a stain (glaze) the stain was dissolved with
the lacquer.
If the effected area is small (quarter-ish or smaller) you might be able to
fill it with some lacquer/dye. Get yourself some trans-tint dye
(http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=1718) and some lacquer
(http://www.refinishfurniture.com/deft_lacquer.htm). Tint the lacquer and
test on scrap until you get a decent match and fill the effected area and
let dry. This worked for me because the effected area was about the size of
a quarter.
If the above doesn't work then you will have to re-finish the entire top.
--
www.garagewoodworks.com
I should add that you will have to remove all of the lacquer that was
damaged from the top. Use a rag and rub it until you can't remove any more
by hand. I should also add that mine was damaged from the scented oil that
you put in a ring over a lamp bulb. Some how it dripped on the table.
(Disclaimer: Your results may vary from mine.)
Without seeing what you have, without knowing what type of finish it
is, without knowing what kind of sheen you are looking at, without
knowing if it is tinted one step clear spray finish or not, without
knowing how the finish is applied....
you are up against it.
While suggestions are good, they won't be much more than that. If it
is a valued piece, take to to a finish repair shop. If the oils
dissolved the finish (no matter what the finish is) then no doubt they
penetrated the wood.
To attempt to neutralize the effects of the remaining oil left on the
wood (penetrated?) to leave a bondable substrate for your finish while
matching an existing color is not for the inexperienced.
Good luck, and I mean that sincerely.
Robert