Removing excess Wax

[Pamphonica]

Ok here's a problem I could not ask advice on "elsewhere".
Our last cleaning lady was very generous with the beeswax on the top of a nice chunky oak table. Problem was she did not realise you have to really polish it all off again afterwards.
Years of this has left a thick layer. not very shiny, which cannot seemingly just be polished off.
What's the best way to remove the excess so I can re-apply a small layer of wax and start to get a decent shine again.
Come on all you woodworkers, must be a problem you can solve!
any hints gratefully received.
thanks
Jeremy

[Mark R]

Jeremy
white spirit and elbow grease, don't be too vigorous though as you may remove the finish.
Then you can re apply the polish.

cheers Mark

[Pamphonica]

Aha, thanks Mark,
I had heard something about using white spirit. Am I right that the trick is to put it on in small doses and polish off quickly to avoid wetting the wood? I think I saw it described in a programme about restoring Petworth House and removing grime from 200 year old banisters!
thanks
Jeremy

[Mark R]

Jeremy
it is a matter of trial and error, with small doses on a rag, you should be able to see the wax polish come off, but if the finish is French polished do not rub too hard!
I would be inclined to try a part non visible, but attack the whole panel not just a bit. you should see a visible change in the finish and dullness. then you can apply a burnishing cream and apply a wax finish.

Just be careful!

cheers Mark

[60 oldjohn]

Just a thought, would gentely heating with a hair dryer soften it enough to be polished off, warm the whole top first by letting the sun shine through the window. Good luck with it John.

[Pamphonica]

Interesting idea to gently heat. I would worry that the basic polishing underneath might get damaged. But worth trying gently if it's stubborn.
As for trying a non-visible part, those are either rougher non-polished wood or never saw the cleaning-lady's cloth! She seemed only to attack the top.
Anyway I will report back in due course!
thanks
Jeremy

[Yorkie]

Aha, thanks Mark,
I had heard something about using white spirit. Am I right that the trick is to put it on in small doses and polish off quickly to avoid wetting the wood? I think I saw it described in a programme about restoring Petworth House and removing grime from 200 year old banisters!
thanks
Jeremy

Much depends on how the table was originally finished. Depending on its age, it may have been oiled, or French polished, or sprayed with lacquer. It's unlikely that mass produced furniture was French polished, which is a time consuming skilled task, not really lending itself to mass production. Fashions change over time, and certainly in the 50s and 60s, people liked to see highly polished surfaces until teak furniture came into vogue in the early 60s, which - being an oily wood, was generally oiled. The best way to achieve a high gloss finish on oak furniture in mass produced items such as tables, chairs and sideboards is by spraying with lacquer. Any wax polish applied over the lifetime of the furniture is of course then being applied to the lacquer. To digress a little, lacquer does not penetrate the surface of wood, which is why we see flaking on old 'woody' radios. If they are stripped back to the bare wood, the timber appears lighter. Some restorers then decide that the simplest way to get a good finish is to apply Danish oil, but that of course does penetrate the veneer, then cures (doesn't just 'dry' but a chemical change takes place), which means that the cabinet can't be brought back to its original finsh. That siad, many find the less glossy apperance more pleasing to the eye.

If your table was originally just oiled and wax polished rather than lacquered, that will have penetrated the wood, and the aim should be to get it back to more or less that stage - not to 'strip' it, and having reached that point, to lightly polish it and buff off the polish to a shine. It's most unlikely that you will 'wet' the wood because unless it originally had a lacquer finish, and you cut that right back, the wood will have become impregnated with oill and wax. White spirit would, in any event, quickly evaporate. Actually, wood doesn't absorb liquids too well in its long grain - only in end grain. The structure of timber can be likened to a bundle of straws, which when a tree, drew water up them by capiliary attraction - gallons of it every day during the growing season. Hence, any liquids applied to the long grain surface of wood, passes not into the 'straws' but between them. Sure, it will wet the wood, but not to anything like the wood taking up fluids through its end grain.

As has been said, there are two ways to remove the build up of wax - by dissolving it, or by gentle heat. You can actually by products which are designed to remove old wax, but I think most are simply light oils. (One is called 'orange oil'). I think that you need to apply such products several times over time - not just a one-off 'blitz. I wouldn't attempt to use a scraper and certainly not sandpaper, whch would risk leaving scratches and would quickly clog, but if theres' an inconspicuos area, you could try using a small pad of 0000 grade steel wool dipped in white spirit.

The aim should be to get the white spirit to dissolve the way, and it's unlikely to do that unless you wet the surface liberally and leave it for at least 20 minutes at a time, then if 0000 grade wire wool dipped in white spirit is gently used - always with the grain - never across it or in a circular motion, you should get the table back to the finish you desire. White sprit will make it look dull, but polish will bring it back. As Mark said above, burnishing cream will also be very beneficial.

Sorry it's a bit wordy, but I hope that helps.

David.

[fido]

To digress a little, lacquer does not penetrate the surface of wood, which is why we see flaking on old 'woody' radios. If they are stripped back to the bare wood, the timber appears lighter. Some restorers then decide that the simplest way to get a good finish is to apply Danish oil, but that of course does penetrate the veneer, then cures (doesn't just 'dry' but a chemical change takes place), which means that the cabinet can't be brought back to its original finish. That said, many find the less glossy apperance more pleasing to the eye.


David.

Yes, oiling furniture seems more fashionable these days and I made the mistake of applying such a finish to my pine kitchen cabinet doors. Now they look grimy as dirt has been absorbed into the wood. I think I will use varnish when I restore my radiogram cabinets.

[60 oldjohn]

FWIW I know white spirit and Metholated spirit are different, but some years ago I tried cleaning a radio from 1946. I rubbed some meths on and after a few minutes the surface started blistering, I could have rubbed the finnish off if I tried. Instead I left the set to dry and it just looked a bit rough. Lucky I noticed before the whole set was ruined. John.

[Pamphonica]

The table was hand made for us about 20 years ago, but to a very old-style pattern with a very thick (30mm) top. It was not varnished but wax polished. I will have a go at the wax removal when I have a few hours spare, as it does not sound a job to rush, or to do in bits. I must also top up on 0000 steel wool - I am on my last bit now. I use it on recently to restore some brass fittings which were badly tarnished.
By the way, what is burnishing cream - and is it easily available?
Thanks for all the helpful advice - amazing how quickly all you kind folk have offered hints.
Jeremy