One fortunate soul

I have been blessed by fortune. I enjoy my work, restoring antique furniture, and am delighted when I can bring my client’s loved ones back from the ‘dead’, or in their particular case from the scrap heap. Pieces that would succumb to time and be lost, pieces that often were part of their childhood, can be made solid and durable again and be a source of pride. And I get to be part of that process.

At present I am restoring a house full of furniture for a couple who are rebuilding their home. The woman was from a very large Shaughnessy family and their home was filled with beautiful furniture. They had inherited a number of pieces and the couple were aware of the delight of being surrounded by some history so had purchased beautiful antiques themselves. One of the pieces was a Victorian Honduras Mahogany dining table. This I restored and refinished for them.

I was quite surprised when they asked if I could add another leaf to the table because the previous week I had been given a piece of Honduras Mahogany by a friend. He said that he had been given the board years ago and had never found a use for it. I went over to the board with my tape measure to see if fortune was actually smiling or just smirking at my hubris and found it to be a half inch longer than needed. By the time I had squared the ends and fitted the new leaf all the was left over was sawdust. This relatively rare wood had been around for over a decade with no purpose. I got to be the instrument to give it a function.

White ring marks on furniture

White ring marks on furniture (tables and sideboard tops) are caused by moisture entering the surface of the finish and making it opaque or appear white. The severity of the problem is contingent on the tenacity of the finish. Wax finishes can usually be left and the moisture will dissipate over a day or so. At the other end of the finish spectrum is a modern lacquer finish. While this is a hard and durable finish, it is not impervious to steam penetration – who left the pizza box on top of the table? - and it is more difficult, but not impossible, to repair.

The easiest way to eliminate white ring marks is to rub them with the grain, using a 0000 fine steel wool. Rub the surface with light strokes until you feel confident enough to apply some pressure and can see the results of your “dusting” with the steel wool. It is very important to use a fine steel wool because you will have to match the sheen as on the rest of the top of whatever you are working on. This can be done by rubbing with a coarse cloth or a good quality furniture wax. For a more matte finish you might use a 000 grade steel wool using the same “dusting stroke”. Always start gently and exercise patience so that you don’t have to repair your repair job, but always perform with confidence.