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Black and White marks on a table without a finish

Hello I am Cathy and I have a few questions for you. The table in question was stored in and out side shed and it has weathered some and the finish is off in places. The table is one that my Grandfather made for my mother and the top has water stains on it and the finish is gone. It is down to the bare wood. The stains are black and some are white. She watered her plants on the table and they over flowed. I'm trying to repair it so I can use it in my home with out a table cloth on it. Please help.
Thank you,
Cathy

Cathy Kienow
hobbyist - Aberdeen, SD, USA
October 21, 2009

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First of two simultaneous responses --

Sand it until the stains are gone, and refinish. Polyurethane looks good and is quite durable.

Jeffrey Holmes, CEF
Spartanburg, South Carolina
October 22, 2009

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Second of two simultaneous responses --

Lots of sanding followed by stain if desired and then either an oiled or wax or lacquer or polyurethane finish. Varnish yellows a bit too much for my likes.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
October 22, 2009

Strip the table (or have it stripped) chemically with a varnish remover to remove all old finish, dirt, grease, wax, etc. and then an Oxalic acid solution will remove black mineral stains from plants. It's available in any hardware store in crystalline form and mixed with warm water. Always read, understand, and follow ALL directions and precautions on any product BEFORE use.Sanding will remove a lot of patina and minor imperfections that give a piece of furniture it's Antique character, and Veneered furniture has to be handled carefully.. so sand very sparingly if you want to save the character.Gel stains, which are thick bodied stains in a polyurethane carrier, and a wipe on Gel Satin Urethane are a do it yourselfer's dream when refinishing a table such as this. Easy to use, and simple to get Pro results, with very little fuss.The General products at WoodCraft or other online retailers are Pro quality products.

Greg Scholl
- Middlebury
October 26, 2009