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Salvaging a ruined finish taught me more than any workshop ever did
Picked up this beat-up credenza from a flea market, finish was all crackled like old paint. Everyone on the forums said to sand it to bare wood, but that felt wrong, destroying decades of history. So I started experimenting, tbh I was kinda winging it. Heard about using heat, so I grabbed my wife's hair dryer on low and gently warmed the surface. Then I rubbed in a mix of mineral spirits and linseed oil, real slow, letting it soak. After a few passes, the cracks started to close up and the finish regained its clarity. Took me like three hours, but now it looks original, not refinished. Imo, too many finishers go nuclear with stripper when a little finesse can save the day.
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roberts.stella8mo ago
Heat and oil? GENIUS move. Respect for preserving the history.
5
hugothompson8mo ago
That maple chair taught me the same.
4
sanchez.evan8mo ago
Totally, my cherry table showed me the same, heat and oil brought it back to life.
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