recommendation for product for wood furniture

[mint]

Can someone recommend a beeswax, oil, polish, whatever-works for use on wood furniture, svp?

Name and make would be good.

Jonzjob, perhaps this one is aimed at you?[:)]

[alittlebitfrench]

LIBERON - CIRE BLACK BISON

http://www.liberon.fr/finitions-cirees/cire-antiquaire-black-bison-pate,183,192.html?&args=Y29tcF9pZD0xNjYmYWN0aW9uPWZpY2hlUHJvZHVpdCZpZD0zNiZ8

[mint]

Thanks, ALBF, I find your link very interesting.  However, I don't think I need a product as "powerful" as that.

The furniture is already beautifully polished (except for one small area of arm where it might be damaged by sun or some chemical) and I just want to give everything an all over protective feed and rubover.

I have lots of other wood furniture where I use a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice (recommended by an Irish friend) and that's a once a year job.

However, I now have some retro furniture that has never been used but kept in storage and I think it would benefit for some TLC before use.

Thanks anyway and, if you can think of anything else now you know more of what I need it for, I'd love to have your thoughts.

[mint]

ALBF, having now read a bit more around this subject, I think your recommendation might just be the very thing I need.  I note also that I need to use a special wire wool to apply it and that was the sticking point for me because I was afraid that it would scratch the wood but, apparently, that is the best way to do it.

So have just come back to say thanks.  I think I'll see if I can get it on line.

[Loiseau]

You probably need the very fine-grade wire wool, mint. I think it's 000 grade in the UK.

[mint]

Oh, Loiseau, what a knowledgeable bird you are!

Thank you, I have sent off for some from the UK, grade 0000 as the only wire wool I could find locally is only grade 00.

BTW, I learned the French for wire wool in the course of my quest!  Mais, oui, it's called paille de fer.  OH, in his eagerness to help, said just ask for laine métalique!  I suppose there is some logic to his suggestion.  HOWEVER, I have fought shy of trying what might SEEM logical.....not after, about 9 years ago (having a mere smidgen of French), I went into a music shop and asked for des fils de violon. Then, getting nowhere at all, I gave the chap fits when, in desperation, I asked for des strings de violon[:-))]

[alittlebitfrench]

Minty, I don't use wire wool to apply it. Never heard of that before ?????

Just use and old rag. Remember it comes in both a pate and liquid. The pate is better. Apply it to the wood and then buff it up at the same time. Wait until it dries and add another coat then buff it up some more until it is nice and smooth.

Also, note that it comes in various shades. If you don't need to darken the wood use 'incolore'. All brico shops sell it.

If you have furniture that has lost its colour (water stains or sunlight etc) in certain places, buy a shade that matches the original colour of the furniture.

Getting the right colour match is the hardest thing.

You need white spirt to clean your hands.

It smells loverly by the way. I use it a lot. Furniture, stair cases. I even used on my snooker table. It came up wonderfully.

Good luck.

[mint]

Yes, ALBF, I have bought the incolore, the pate, because I believe that that would be better.  Now I have ordered the wire wool, I shall wait to try that.

The furniture is packed into the sous sol and I can't get it outdoors at the moment because of the rain.  First chance I get, I am going to have a go.  There is rather a lot of wood so I will be taking my time and doing it properly rather than in my usual dive right in and just get it all done attitude!

Shall let you know how I get on.

[idun]

And I use orange oil, I used to buy it in France and it would bring up my wood lovely.

At the moment, I find I am using lemon oil or orange oil, both bought in the UK, one certainly at Lakeland.

[Jonzjob]

Sorry Mint I have only just found this? Is there any chance of a photo or 2 to see what sort of damage it is? If it is a water mark then it's different to sun, general wear, etc.

For instance, if it is a water mark then a mix of cigarrette ash and linseed oil will remove it. It makes for a very delicate abrasive.

It also depends on what the wood is? If it's oak then wire wool  isn't good because tiny particles of the wool break off into the wood and the tanin in the wood rusts the bits and stains the wood.

Rustins make an Intercrystaline Wax. It's like a furniture polish with attitude and I use it with some stuff called Hard Wax Oil, http://www.liberon.co.uk/product/hard-wax-oil/

It's used on hotel reception wooden floors and is a tough as hell. I get mine now here in France from a wood dealer in Carcassonne, I haven't seen it in the brickos. I use it for everything from bowls to work surfaces.

But a photo or two would be a great help.

[richard51]

Very interesting post JJ.

Just a thought but could wet and dry paper of the very fine grade used for car painting be of any use in your armoury for wood?

[woolybanana]

I have stinkwood furniture which is both very heavy and hard; using sandpaper is definitely a Nono so one has to use the finest of wire wools with turps to get it clean and then a special paint on polish and protection.

Not sure if this is good for other, lighter woods though.

If the wild has been highly polished - eg French polished- won't it have to be sandpapered and repolished?

PS. Nimt, I have pm'd you twice, not sure if messages are getting through.

[mint]

Oops, apologies, reply composed and sent[:)]

Will be back later to talk wood furniture and their care

[Jonzjob]

As I said Wooly, steel wool leaves tiny bits in the wood, and yer fingers too, and it will go rusty. I have had a packet of 0000 for years and very rarely use it.

Wet/dry, as Wooly said is a no no. If you had one fine enough it would clog within seconds. Vehicle paints are harder than wood polishes and the wet washes it out of the grit, but wood or polish has no chance. Even proper wood working abrasives are no good on polished surfaces for the same reason. If the making is bad or deep then a cabinet scraper would do, but I would not recommend it to a novice. Too much chance of more damage.

As I said before, it depends on the type of wood and the type of damage? So, any photos lass? A couple of the wood too if you like [:-))][6]

[woolybanana]

Eh oh 'lass'!

[Jonzjob]

Eye, 'appen that's reet [:-))]

[mint]

Jonz, thanks for the advice and I have noted down the products you have recommended;

When it stops chucking it down for 5 minutes, I will go down to the sous sol, clamber over the car, the lawn mowers, the packages of bedding,  and everything else and get to the piece concerned and take a photo.

I wasn't the least concerned about the damage as such.  It is just on the end of one of the arm rests of the settee.  I examined all the other pieces and there were no other marks at all, not even scratch ones.  It's curious why it should be just the one "worn off" bit.  I was just going to polish it up and leave it as I shall certainly not be looking at it and being bugged by it.

But, you know what, since you have been telling me all the stuff you have, I am beginning to see the spot get wider and longer and more noticeable.........all your fault; lordy, keep experts and perfectionists away from me, please!

I thought beech or oak to begin with, finished off in light oak colour, but I can see from the bit where the colour has been removed, that it is most probably oak, got the right colour and grain.  I can perhaps get a confirmation from the manufacturer as the pieces are marked with a serial number.

More later and thanks again[:)]

[Jonzjob]

You are very welcome. I've been called an artist before, but always when I have a glass in my hand [B], but a perfectionist?

That's a first [:-))][8-)]

A serial number??? Obviously one of Ikeas [:-))]

This is the stuff that I use. You can get it in smaller tins too. If you have a look at Amazon.fr there's loads of the different ones on there. I have no idea what they are like becuase I only need the one. It does our garden furniture too.

[mint]

Thanks again, Jonz, now I know what to look for.  Haven't poked my nose out of doors as yet, it's the heaviest rain we have ever seen for yonks, coming off the gutters like spouts.  Knew we should have added gargoyles or even some hopper heads!

Will try ALBF's cire en pate as I have ordered that already and then I'll look at the finished result.  Hey, I'm not into perfectionism like some on here........duh!

[mint]

OK, back to tell you what I have found and special thanks again to ALBF and, of course, to the knowledgeable Jonz.

Had a thorough look at the affected settee arm and found a light coloured polish (lacquer?) on the original wood.  First of all, rubbed down lightly and then used the hard wax oil recommended by Jonz.  After the bit dried (about 24 hours), the colour was a perfect match of the original.

Then, a small bit out of sight on the back with the Black Bison recommended by ALBF and, although, I have not yet buffed it, it looked super beautiful.  It's darkened the wood very slightly but given it a subtle "shine" though I really need a word that is a bit more subdued than "shine" but can't think what the word is.

Can't wait to spend a couple of hours doing the rest of the settee and looking at the overall effect.

There.........it's only right that I come back and report so that others might benefit (oops, all smileys gone into a black hole!)

 

[Chancer]

Sheen.

[mint]

"sheen"! Of course!

It's not fair, now you have remembered more English than I have!  As ALBF keeps reminding me, I live in Dordogne heaven swarming with Brits so must go find some to practise English with.

Now if someone can explain to me how I get my smileys and frownies back, I shall be a happy bunny!

[Jonzjob]

As the lifts say in 'The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy' Mint

"Glad to be of service"