Sanded an 'antique' table top to find some kind of MDF/Veneer horror. Suggestions?

[Mark Gunther]

I've a problem. I've taken on a refinishing job and have made a horrific discovery/error. It's a dining table and it the legs were wobbly, so I took the table apart leaving 4 legs, the side aprons and the top. To my knowledge it was clearly a solid wood table. The legs needed repair at the bottom so I sawed off the damage and then moved to stripping off the old finish on the table top before repairing the feet.

That's when I found that it was no usual finish. Rather than happily bubbling and peeling away, instead the top began to feel very soft and spongey. Immediately I removed any excess stripper but the whole table has been affected.

As you can see from the photos the finish/wood grain pattern appeared to just have been a paint job, and I believe the finish over the top to have been shellac.











The questions, what on earth can I do now? Clearly I can't stain this. My client is an acquaintance so I have some leeway, but I must do *something*. Veneer? Paint? Any suggestions are appreciated. Clearly I've messed this right up.

Mark

[..Kev]

Rebuild the top with solid material?

[RichardA]

Show the customer, explain the remedy and go from there!

[Vyrolan]

The questions, what on earth can I do now?

 

Stop taking refinishing jobs. =p    On a more serious note, I agree with RichardA.  If it were my piece, I'd prefer you inform me of the situation and present options rather than just going at it.

[..Kev]

I agree about involving the client.  

[Tpt life]

I am going to agree. I assume with this level of deterioration and original build quality that you have not ruined the piece but merely revealed its true nature.

[dwacker]

Looks like you opened up a can of worms. Take it to the owner set it on his front porch ring the door bell and run.

[Mark Gunther]

Stop taking refinishing jobs. =p

Hahaha, yeah, right! I'm only a fledgling woodworker, perhaps this was above my pay grade.

I delved a little deeper (removed one of the mitred borders) and found that the table is in fact 3/4 ply, with some kind of woven fabric on top, and then ontop of that is the unidentified... STUFF... that I had issues with. It's 1/16" to 1/8" thick and is like a brittle rubber. Can anyone identify this? The table does seem legitimately old (not antique, just, old) so I assume this was some pioneer form of veneering.

Anyway, seeing as the table was essentially just a cheap/old form of veneered plywood, I don't feel as bad using the modern equivalent to repair it.

I'll call the client tomorrow with the proposed remedy of 3/4 oak plywood. Work will start shortly after due to the fact I've already purchased said 3/4 oak plywood.

Thanks for all of your replies. I look forward to sharing/learning.

[wtnhighlander]

Are those nails through the top and into the leg?!?!

I think you have certainly chosen the best route to "restoring" the table, but I suspect that aside from sentimental value, you'd do better to just build a new one from scratch.

[Mark Gunther]

There's enough sentimental value to not want a new one built, but not enough to be unhappy with a new table top.

And yes, whoever 'maintained' this table did a real number on it. Someone also opted to remove the hanger bolts from 3 of the legs and replace them with 5" carriage bolts drilled right through from the outside corner of the legs all the way to the corner brace.

[dwacker]

I will give you my best guess on the table. I would guess at one point in time that was a leather top. Fake or real who knows. Leather may have been remove or it just came in different options from the maker like fake wood grain or leather. I burned an old leather top table years ago and remember seeing something like that mesh. Search the web.

[ponderingturtle]

That almost sounds like a linoleum type product and stripper should dissolve the linseed oil holding it together.  And that would explain the burlap.