Refinishing a Vintage Table with French Polish - a Fixing Furniture Restoration Project
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- čas přidán 6. 09. 2024
- This vintage wood table had a damaged finish on the top and on the shelf. There was no way to save the finish, so I used furniture stripper to remove the old finish. I share some refinishing techniques and collaborate with Trena on the @johnsfurniturerepair CZcams channel to test out a new furniture stripper.
Once the finish was removed from the table, the top still looked really bad. I sanded it down past the stain to the bare wood before building up the color with dye stains. I chose to use a French Polish finish on this table. I've been doing a lot of research on French Polish and this was my first time using it on a project. I share my experience as I built up the finish through multiple layers of shellac to get a beautiful finish.
RESOURCES:
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Book - Classic Finishing Techniques (French Polishing - amzn.to/3XMghdx
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🇨🇦 Canadian link - amzn.to/3PLGmVq
Garnet Shellac Flakes - amzn.to/3W2K3Kc
Book: Classic Finishing Techniques (French Polishing details) - amzn.to/3FVWIcn
🇨🇦 amzn.to/3YvBhpD
Book: Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Finishing - amzn.to/3HFFeST
🇨🇦 amzn.to/3hyZkU0
Book: Understanding Wood Finishing - amzn.to/3BExjS4
🇨🇦 amzn.to/3iZUbVq
Book: Methods of Work: Finishing: The best tips from 25 years of Fine Woodworking - amzn.to/3HIvdEh
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#refinishing #vintage #FrenchPolish
Bro, you drove 3 hours to consult with another CZcamsR???? Stellar move, Scott. Wisdom and promoting others rather hindering. Bravo, sir.
Glad you appreciate it. Thank you for sharing that! Scott
This is the Bob Ross of woodworking guys.
Leave the tack strip off in my opinion. Amazing job you have done on that, nice work!
I agree, the table looks amazing without the tack strip.
Thank you for sharing that! Scott
@@FixingFurniture Looks more like a period piece without the tack strip. The tack strip looks... well, "tacky". :) Watched most of your videos this year. Enjoying the channel and your approach to repairs.
Definitely off. I have a clover table also; but it’s walnut and English. I got it at an estate sale at a large Colonial house built in 1750 in Norfolk, CT, USA. It is smaller than yours but has the same round water mark where someone left a flower pot on it-who knows how many years ago? I haven’t tackled it yet, but think I’ll have the courage now. Thanks for all the careful instructions.
@@QueenBee-gx4rpwell that comment was 1 year ago, so how long were you planning on taking?
In the meantime, a full housing estate has been built round the corner with Road names like clover and people jibing on the mind map seems worse than ever? Although admittedly I’m still being pointed back to comments and read what people are saying completely differently; nothing like feeling like you’ve been in limbo under a space ship for decades, like flight of the navigator and ever covert content is streamed as an algorithm through a tv or radio. I mean…was it intended as satanic ritual/spiritual abuse towards some test tube babies, or is there an actual purpose? The bullying ghosts and the long amount of time watching constant deceit is rather disheartening to faith in humanity and the hope of peace in the mind at some point in life? If only later life.
I think it’s the right decision to leave off the tack strip. Thanks for including the Canadian sources! 🇨🇦 I sometimes find it difficult to get things like shellac and burn-in sticks in the local stores.
You're welcome. Thanks for sharing that feedback. Cheers. Scott
Noticed you were adding the DNA right over your top. Any drops of alcohol would have ruined your finish. Don’t ask me how I know this.
I love your method of French polish. I use a similar method regularly in my shop with different colors of shellac. Something that gives my French Polish a little something extra, a little bit more depth, is that I add a hi light color with dye in blond shellac in the final coats. Sometimes it’s a color that is naturally occurring in the grain or just something that I feel makes the piece really pop. It’s popular with many of my customers.
You need a tighter rubber. Put the cotton in the centre of the outer rag and form it into a parcel by bringing up all the sides to gather and twisting them until the cotton is tight inside a little wad. The wad is then able to be glided lightly across the surface leaving a fine film of shellac. You open up the wad or fad I think it’s called to add more shellac to the cotton, twist up again test to see the shellac is coming out and keep going again. 100 coats I was taught. 😂 it goes quickly though!!
Thanks for the advice Jeanine! That's helpful and I hope others like it too. Cheers. Scott
lol, you don't count coats with a french polish.
I really appreciate the fact that you brought out the SDS. I feel like it's something that maybe a lot of people don't know about, and I very rarely see it mentioned at all, especially on CZcams, so I appreciate the fact that you took the time to show it and warn people about the potential hazards that chemicals can pose and what you can do to mitigated the risk, and also how to find that information.
I'm glad you appreciate that Jonathan! I included it to help people stay safe as I've seen some retired craftsmen with health issues. Cheers. Scott
Definitely looks better without the tack strip. It was my immediate thought when seeing this table. It just looked wrong, like it was an add on at some point in its history of refinishing.
Thanks Dawn!
First and foremost, II'm a great admirer of your workn order to achieve a beautiful result with my shellac polish, first comes the pore filling, without which, in my opinion, a satisfactory result cannot be achieved with open-pored wood such as mahogany, walnut or even ash (Biedermeier furniture from southern Germany often has an ash veneer). I generally also give birch and cherry tree veneers a pore filling, because the more closed the pores, the shinier and smoother the shellac polish is afterwards. To fill the pores, I use shellac blonde wax diluted in a ratio of 1:5 or 6, and I use pumice flour as a pore filler. The bale is constructed like the one for the shellac polish: an old, fine linen on the outside, then a piece of cotton and pure wool on the inside, because pure wool has the best absorption capacity for the liquid. When filling the pores, the ball soaked in shellac must be wet, unlike when polishing. I dip the cotton side of the bale into the pumice flour, add the linen over it and can now rub the pumice flour into the pores. Each piece of wood needs several passes. I let a day pass between each cycle so that the filling can settle, then I sand lightly and start again. With cherry trees and birches, only three passes are often enough, and with ash I have had more than 10 passes. Then the shellac polish follows. The pores all need to be closed. Of course not. But I love a mirror-smooth, glossy surface, especially with Biedermeier. Yes, it is a complex process. But the benefits are unmatched when it comes to synthetic polishes. You can always build on a shellac polish!
Thank you for sharing the techniques that are working for you. That's helpful to understand for me and our viewers. Thanks for taking the time to explain this. Scott #tip
This is known as a turnkey table, because the clover shape looks like the top of a skeleton key. Skeleton keys were also known as "turnkeys" at the end of the 1800s. It is also commonly called a "turkey table", where the N was dropped, because the word turnkey dropped out of common usage. Turkey sounded almost exactly the same, so the common name became a "turkey table".
Interesting. I haven't heard that terminology before. Thank you for sharing that. Scott
Some people have such patience!
I think the tack strip looked nice, added some more character and definition to the table.
Trena did one of these tables on her channel and she put the tape back on and even ordered replacement beads.
I marvel at your skill & patience. The table is stunning.
Glad you like it Joan. Thanks for sharing that. Scott
Hi, I think you should get a tack strip with a darker color almost matching the table. My reason for this is that the wooden edge of the table will be protected from bumps and damage, it will look good without being too obvious and will be more in line with the original concept of the table.
You paying for it? 😔
Love Trena and now I'm glad to have found you too!
That's great! Trena is a lovely person to work with! Scott
I loved to see you working with Trena, (She was the first restorer that I came across, a few years back) but what made me smile most, was the way you set off, on a 3/4 hour drive, as though you were just "popping out to the shops". In the UK, that would almost be considered an expedition, LOL. I'm also glad that you made a point of underlining the potential hazards, and the precautions that must be taken when using a harsh chemical stripper! Thanks for that, 👍
Beautiful table! The finish turned out great! Don't add the edging, it looks much better without.
Thank you for that John. Scott
I think you made the right chouce. The tack strip makes the whole table took bad. Nice job polishing too
Thank you Al. Scott
Love Trena!
I love Trena! She rocks.
Great video.
One comment on the 3rd step is to try sprinting the mineral oil directly on the piece, rather than on the polisoir. It seems to be easer to control. It is a bit like sprinkling holy water on the area that you want to polish. I find it easier to feel for the resistance.
I use a scrap from an old Italian sheet for the outside of the polisoir and a scrap from an old wool undershirt for the inside.
I was fortunate to learn the techniques from a master of French Polishing in Florence Italy.
It takes time and so much of it is just muscle memory.
Wow, thank you for the tips! That must have been a fascinating learning experience. I appreciate you sharing that. Scott
So much nicer without the trim. Gorgeous!
It’s a beautiful finish.
Beautiful job!!
And I'd leave the tack strip off. 👍
Good job on the French polish! For stripping the old finish I use Kleen Strip 3 and lacquer thinner. Either do it outside or use a strong exhaust fan. Wear gloves,a respirator and an apron.
The method I have used for stripping shellac is a mix of lacquer thinner and paint thinner. The thicker the shellac the more paint thinner needed to soften it. Of course proper mask safety and ventilation need to be used with these chemicals. The advantage is that there is no waiting and it is less expensive than strippers. The disadvantage is that everything needs to be washed to get the smell of lacquer thinner out of the wood. I use a mix of Murphys Oil soap, vinegar and Borax in water which I learned from Thomas Johnson. Also this would not be a useful solution where you cannot clean areas properly like the joinery on a panelled dresser. Thanks, Scott, for sharing your expertise with us.
Thank you for sharing those details! I appreciate it! Scott #tip
Neat to see you partner with Trenna on this project. When it comes to finishing she’s not only a master craftsman but a true artist. That table looks incredible. I would leave off the faux nail heads.
Thanks for sharing that. I appreciate it! Scott
In my research I have seen most of these tables without the trim. Great job and have a very Merry Christmas and continued success. Two of my favorite furniture re-finishers, Scott and Trena. In regards to stripping the legs, I have seen this done many times by Trena. She basically places the leg in a container and then washes the stripper over the leg again and again with her brush, then finishes it with the steel wool. It seems to work well for her. Thanks for what you do. John here from the back-roads of Northeastern Tennessee.
Thanks for sharing that John. I appreciate it! Scott
I like your process of a timely decision. So many people get too impatient. Well thought out plans and time and error are reliable teachers. Thank you for the video. I am going to watch it again as I have had thoughts of french polishing but the jury is still out for me. Again, you provide very good videos for people to learn their craft. Ps, off with the tack strip is my vote.
I'm glad you enjoyed this video Dave. I appreciate the feedback as I find it encouraging. Thanks for your thoughts as well on the tack strip. Scott
Nice! High, high, quality work! Thanks for Sharing..
That is the same mirror finish my new Stickley mahogany dresser had. Exquisite!
What a transformation. Very well done, and a beautiful piece of furniture!
PS: When working with natural materials, remember: Nature is perfectly imperfect!
Thanks for the tip!
No tacks! Table looks amazing. Ann Marie@48
Thanks for sharing that Ann Marie! Scott
Enjoyed the video Scott and the visit to Trena's shop. Wow what a transformation. That shine is awesome. I'm like you I don't like the tacks around the top edge. I'd leave them off. Never heard of or seen that Dutch treat here in North Carolina. You all take care and God bless. Happy New Year.
Thanks Ron. Happy New Year to you too! Scott
Most excellent! Thankyou for sharing your journey!
I love Trena's work. You couldn't ask anyone better for expert advice.
thank you but I live in the UK so maybe you can choose someone else.
There was someone impersonating our account with a scam that left that previous comment. I've blocked them from posting comments and reported them to CZcams for the scam.
Thank you for a most complete tutorial! And definitely no tack strip - the bevel look to the edge of the table is graceful and lovely.
Thanks for your thoughts on that. Glad you enjoyed it. Cheers. Scott
Thank you for the tidbits, I'm just learning about the different woods and the types of finish to use
Yay you are both my favorite furniture restoration channel plus the thomas johnson guy would be great to see all 3 of you guys collaborate
Thanks for sharing that Lisa. Here's a video I did with Tom about wood glue for furniture restoration. Cheers. czcams.com/video/qK0IR8WT_jE/video.html
Aside from this being interesting and informative, I really appreciate your highlighting of safe handling and responsible disposal of all chemicals involved. Wonderfully done! Thank you!
Nice video. I liked the comparison between strippers. In the past I have used the gel type stripper to keep drips to a minimum. I also installed a 24 inch fan in one wall of my shop to move out chemicals.
For my last refinishing project I chucked up the legs in my lathe and turned it by hand to sand, stain and varnish them. It give you an extra pair of hands and better visibility for checking your work. A bit of news print will protect your lathe from any spills.
That's a great tip Herb to use a lathe on the turned parts! That's smart! Thanks. Scott #tip
No tack strip.
Great job!!!
Yes! Thank you!
no tack strip.Less is more in this case.AWSOME french polishing lesson.Thanks.
Glad you liked it Jordan! Scott
Good job and greetings from the UK. My view is leave the tack strip off - looks a lot classier without
Thank you Nick! Cheers. Scott
Thanks Scott. That was really interesting and turned out beautiful. I was especially impressed with your magentic tipped hammer. And I would leave the tack strip off
Thanks Greg! Good to hear from you. Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for sharing your thoughts on the tack strip.
Looks amazing. Regarding the tack strip, if you had the table placed among antique furniture that also had tacks like that, I think it would make sense to include the tack strip. As you had it displayed alone next to the wall, I think the cleaner look of not having the tacks looks better.
Thank you for sharing that Andy. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts on it. Scott
Thank you for sharing your work. I would leave the tack strip off. You should watch Thomas Johnson's Antiques, he has a great French Polish video I think he would be a great resource for you. I didn't miss your sharpening tools with Trena either.
You're welcome. Yes, Tom has a lot of experience. Here's a video we did together about wood glue for furniture restoration. Cheers. czcams.com/video/qK0IR8WT_jE/video.html
For me I use a piece of PVC Pipe with a cap on one end. that is just bigger in diameter and about the same length as the leg im going to strip. then i put the leg in in to the pipe and pour the stripper over it and let it set. after a wait time i take the leg out and clean off any finish that i can, then put it back until it is finished, just flip the leg over and do the other end. it makes it nice because you don't have to throw away the stripper, you can reuse it again just put a cap on the open end so it doesn't dry out. it also helps to contain the fumes from getting in to the shop.
Hagelslag... chocolate on toast for breakfast! 👍👍👍👍
Yes! A breakfast of champions! Cheers. Scott
love your working with a friend and neighbor. Thank you for the information you have given us.
Beautiful table, I love you the fact that you're joining forces with Trena.
Thank you. As you can tell, we had fun working together. Cheers. Scott
Nicely done.😊
Thank you! Cheers!
wow wow wow! so glad I fond you.
Glad you found our channel. Please share with others. Thanks. Scott 🇨🇦
Considering you need to use 4 or 6 times the amount of "safe" stripper and expose yourself to it for hours, I wonder just how safer it is compared to the old fast-acting chemicals.
Your table looks very similar to one my grandmother bought in the late 1930-early 1940s.
I've had the best French polish results following PabloRequena on youtube methods for using shellac and pumice filling.
Flexner's book is great.
I'd hit the tack strip with a couple of coats of ruby shellac to tone it down.
Lovely results!
Thanks for suggesting PabloRequena. I will look at his videos. Thanks as well for your thoughts on the tack strip. I appreciate it. Scott
I don't like that tack strip. I'd definitely leave it off. Beautiful job restoring that table!
Thank you! Scott
Definitely watching the before and after pics, I prefer without tackstrip. Does not look right being on there to begin with. Great job on the finishing.
I really like the collaborations with the other professionals. Funny thing is that I follow Trena and Tom as well as you. I guess technically the the tack strip fits the era of the piece but I would leave it off.
Thanks for the feedback on the collaborations Les and your thoughts on the tack strip. I appreciate it. Scott
Thanks for the awesome time! Great work on finishing it! Cheers!
I'm seeing some comments here that viewers watch your channel as well Trena. I had fun working with you on this! Maybe we should plan something for 2023! Cheers
Leave the tack strip off. It looks fine w/o it.
Thank you Mary for sharing your thoughts on that. Scott
My two favorite furniture restorers in one video. I'm going to feint, but I'll wait until the video ends. Thank you,
Hey Scott. I only recently found your channel, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I dabble a little with woodworking and have made the exact mistakes that you say to avoid, and as a result I've learnt a massive amount from your channel.
On the question of stripping, I've always preferred the heat technique using a heat gun, followed by a 220-320 grit light sanding, and used a polyurethane varnish. I'm not a great fan of chemicals at all unless absolutely no other option.
Great channel. Regards from Australia.
Thank you for all your incredibly valuable information! You are a brilliant workman!
Tack strip off good job once again.
Thanks for sharing that Mary! Scott
The stuff thats worse for you is always the best
The piece looks great as is. Leave the tack strip off. Nice job.
Thank you for sharing that! Scott
leave the tack strip off - the table looks better without it. You've doen a great job with the finish, looks fantastic.
Leave it off it looks clean and elegant
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on that Les! That's what Laurie (my wife) thought too. Cheers. Scott
Great job! I know it's not meant to be, but I kept seeing Mickey Mouse in the cloverleaf design and couldn't unsee it throughout the video.
I like the decorative strip.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on that! Scott
I can't put my finger on it, but something is missing without the beaded tape. The edge doesn't looked finished...something is off. Great work for a polish finish, wish I had your talents.
the tack strip on the original was not quite so brassy-shiney. It gave the whole piece a unique flare. Perhaps if you could darken the new strip it would be more appealing. We really have enjoyed the process. Many thanks.
Thanks for the feedback. Glad you liked it. Scott
That surface is beautiful
Thank you Laney!
Thankyou for saving this absolute piece of art! Beautiful job!
I love French polish, I love Trena, and I'm fond of you. I would restore it to the way it left the factory. Thank you,
I would put the tack strip on. It adds another element to the piece. Looks great!
you realize that you can make a humungous amount of dollars (US) french polishing. and your excellent 1 hr and 3 minute video will make you a pauper!
Thomas Johnson Antique Furniture Restoration has some videos on what you are trying to accomplish. Great job!
I have this same table. Thank you for this video. I have left the studs on the top. Because that is the way my grandparents had it.
Oh, cool. Do you have any idea of the age of your table?
@@FixingFurniture I don’t know it was at my grandparents and afte they died I spotted it in a back bedroom storage room. So I would be guessing.
I think a tack strip would mimic a pie crust edge, that would be appropriate for the tables curved shelves.
Thanks for sharing that Jack. Scott
Good job, especially for the 1st time.
I first used shellac and oil on lathe work when I was 12. In fact, in woodshop class, shellac and varnish were the only 2 finishes we were allowed to use in 7th and 8th grades. I've had over 20 years experience as a professional furniture maker and finisher in a high end custom shop. I use mostly nitrocellulose lacquer, though sometimes varnish, shellac, oil and wax, polyurethane (my least favorite finish), and epoxy are called for.
When doing finish work at home, I usually use shellac and oil, mainly because of fumes and flammability issues. By the way, when using oils and oil based stain, never dispose of the rags in the trash. They can spontaneously combust! I've had it happen when my bosses teenage son didn't heed my instructions to put the rags in a bucket of water. It happened when we were driving back from Dallas in his father's truck. People kept honking at us on the freeway and pointing. Finally I looked and saw smoke coming from the back of the truck. We pulled over and several moving blankets were on fire. He had stuffed the oily rags in a bag and the blankets were on top of it. I sprayed them down with several cans of Dr. Pepper, which helped, but we ended up leaving them beside the road.
For stripping you can't beat KS-3! It contains methyl chloride which works great. I use it in the finish room, which has an heavy duty exhaust fan. Always wear gloves! It stings really bad when it gets on your skin, so make sure to wear goggles and don't breathe the fumes.
Keep practicing the French polish and learn to build up the finish in multiple coats. You can also get a satin or even a full finish by using #4 pumice stone or 0000 steel wool lubed very lightly with flax soap. Good luck!
I like that you left the 80s biker jacket vibe off the side if the table! Awesome job!
Interesting... I didn't think anyone used tacks anymore.
BTW...very nice job. The table looks great!
Thanks for sharing that process Scott , nice work 👏👏👍
Beading off, even the original didn't look correct for the piece
Thanks 👍
I love Trena! I am huge fan of hers besides your of course!
That's awesome! Thanks for sharing that Tanya! Scott
No tack strip. Good video.
Thank you! Scott
No tack strip. Nice French polish with the Christmas cards reflecting. Thanks for the info n the hazards of chemicals. Merry Christmas to you and your family. I have been watching Trenna for awhile.
No! It looks beautiful as is!!
Those warnings are no joke! Met a customer who was on the brink of death due to liver failure from careless exposure. He was stripping furniture and using finishes in his basement, and even though he wore a respirator while working, those fumes linger. Now he cannot even risk using something low-voc. He will never work with furniture again.
Amazing!
The tacks on the outer edge absolutely beautifully accent this piece. DEFINITELY keep them on. 👍🏻❤️
LOVE Trena. So amazing. Thanks for doing the colab. Your piece turned out beautiful.
Glad you enjoyed our collaboration. Cheers! Scott
Thank you
You're welcome
Scott, I really enjoy learning your techniques for repairing and re-finishing furniture, and the care you apply in your work. I followed your suggestion and got myself a copy of “Classic Finishing Techniques”. Very nice book that provides a detailed guide for the French Polishing techniques, and a nice history and description of the old-style wood finishing products used in the last 200 years, which helps put in perspective their usage and usefulness for specific applications. Thanks for all the info you provide.
Thanks for sharing that Patrick. Glad you like the book. Cheers
Well done! I agree with you, it looks better without tack strip
Thank you Nick! Scott
Love Trena’s channel
Yes, she does great work!
I think it came out beautifully, nice job.
I would leave the beading off. I like seeing the wood on the edge much better. I learn so much from both you and Trena. Thanks! One of the things I learned this time was I don't ever want to do French polishing. I've seen a few you tube videos on French polishing but none of them showed the powder being used. Interesting. Beautiful job on the table.
Awesome! Thank you Charleen! Scott
Trena's stripper is supercharged.
Yes, the commercial product works very quick, but you have to be licensed to use it. Cheers. Scott
I love how you explain things. I can always pick up a new tip.
Glad it was helpful! Scott
Very nice. And I was able to get my Trenna fix! Happy Holidays!