Novice advice please

[sarahe]

Hi,

I hope somebody can help.

I have varnished a mid century Ercol chair with Colron Danish Oil (Georgian Medium Oak) and hate the colour!  I had previously sanded this back and was hoping for a more natural oak colour, but the resulting colour is quite orange.  A complete rookie error, as I know now I should have tried the colour first in an inconspicuous place.

The chair is still drying, so there may be some hope still.

However, is there anything I can do?  I'm more than happy to sand back and start again, but is it too late?  Any help or suggestions would be gratefully received!

Thank you

 

 

[wtnhighlander]

Colron appears to be a British product, so I am not familiar with it here in the U.S. The data sheet available on their web site claims it to be a blend of resins and oils thinned with 'white spirit'. Assuming that is the same product we refer to as mineral spirits, I would moisten a rag with said spirits and wipe away as much of the uncured product as possible. Aside from that, allowing it to cure and scraping or sanding back to bare wood is my suggestion. You can always attempt to go over it with a darker color, but I fear you will simply have more to remove, in the end. 

You said you wanted a 'natural oak color', but is the chair actually made of oak? In my experience, attempting to color one wood species to look like another is rarely successful, short of almost paint.

[TerryMcK]

Yes white spirits is mineral spirits.

Sarah you may be better using a water based finish from General Finishes Europe which is now trading as EuroFinishes out of Scotland. I use them all the time. EnduroVar is one of the best, expensive yes, but real quality stuff. It dries quickly and doesn’t smell. EnduroVar satin is the best.

https://www.eurofinishes.com/general-finishes-water-based-interior/general-finishes-var-top-coat/general-finishes-enduro-var-top-coat-satin-946ml.

 

[sarahe]

Thank you @wtnhighlander and @TerryMcK for your advice.  I will attempt to wipe off some of the product, although it may be too late.  I'm glad to hear that I will be able to sand the chair back.

@TerryMcK the product you recommend, this is an alternative finish after sanding?

Thank you both again.

 

[TerryMcK]

44 minutes ago, sarahe said:

The product you recommend, this is an alternative finish after sanding?

Hi Sarah. Yes this can be applied to a sanded surface. It gives a slight amber tint which is very attractive. It will work really well on oak and try to use satin rather than matt or gloss. Matt shows up finger prints and gloss shows up imperfections in the surface.

[sarahe]

Just now, TerryMcK said:

Hi Sarah. Yes this can be applied to a sanded surface. It gives a slight amber tint which is very attractive. It will work really well on oak and try to use satin rather than matt or gloss. Matt shows up finger prints and gloss shows up imperfections in the surface.

Hi Terry, thanks very much.  After wiping with white spirits and sanding, will the Danish Oil have treated permanently?  Or will I be able to get back to the natural wood that I started with (pre treating)?  Thanks so much for your help!

[TerryMcK]

Yes sanding back to wood will clear off the Danish oil. Wipe it down with white spirits or meths after you have sanded back. Start with something like 60 or 80 grit then go up in increments. 80-120, 120 to 180 before applying the first coat of water based finish.

Wait until it has cured overnight then very lightly sand at about 320 grit as water based finishes raise the grain of the wood. Essentially this gives a slight rough feel. However hitting it with 320 or even higher will remove that roughness. The good news is it only raises the grain once so subsequent coats will end up really nice. Once finally cured after a couple of weeks I normally burnish the surface with a brown paper grocery bag, seriously, and that makes the surface silky smooth. So when you go to your local grocers shop try to get some veg in a brown paper bag then save them up to do furniture 

You have no need to apply furniture polish or beeswax to the finished article as the finish is polyurethane varnish and you will find the polish will sit on the surface. So just wipe it down with a damp cloth.

Hope this helps.

[sarahe]

3 hours ago, TerryMcK said:

Yes sanding back to wood will clear off the Danish oil. Wipe it down with white spirits or meths after you have sanded back. Start with something like 60 or 80 grit then go up in increments. 80-120, 120 to 180 before applying the first coat of water based finish.

Wait until it has cured overnight then very lightly sand at about 320 grit as water based finishes raise the grain of the wood. Essentially this gives a slight rough feel. However hitting it with 320 or even higher will remove that roughness. The good news is it only raises the grain once so subsequent coats will end up really nice. Once finally cured after a couple of weeks I normally burnish the surface with a brown paper grocery bag, seriously, and that makes the surface silky smooth. So when you go to your local grocers shop try to get some veg in a brown paper bag then save them up to do furniture 

You have no need to apply furniture polish or beeswax to the finished article as the finish is polyurethane varnish and you will find the polish will sit on the surface. So just wipe it down with a damp cloth.

Hope this helps.

Hi Terry, this is great news!  Thank you so much for the detailed reply (and the paper bag tip!), I will give it all a go!

Have a good day! Thanks again.