[GAF]

I am refinishing a large dining room table top made of teak veneer on the primary surface and solid teak on the 4 edges. After stripping the table top I cleaned it with denatured alcohol. Then I hand sanded it and again cleaned it with denatured alcohol. There still seems to be more residue (color in the wiping cloth) being picked up that I would expect.

Perhaps what I am seeing as residue is the natural oil in the teak. Any education would help me here.

Also I plan to apply top coats (but no stain) to the piece. Can I simply use polyurethane like I have been doing on my mahogany and walnut projects? Does teak need anything special to seal it first?

Thank you.

 

[Steve Neul]

You may very well be picking up the oil wiping the raw wood. I would recommend you take it a step further and wash the wood down with rags with acetone to get as much of the surface oil off as you can. If you are going to use a water based polyurethane I would seal it first with zinsser sealcoat. If you are using an oil based polyurethane you could put it directly on the wood. Keep in mind an oil base poly will yellow over time and might not be a good choice for a natural finish.

 

[cabinetman]

Teak, IMO, needs no finish. It may depend on the design. If you choose a finish, keep in mind that Teak is a very oily wood. Oil finishes work out nicely.

.

 

[GAF]

You may very well be picking up the oil wiping the raw wood. I would recommend you take it a step further and wash the wood down with rags with acetone to get as much of the surface oil off as you can. If you are going to use a water based polyurethane I would seal it first with zinsser sealcoat. If you are using an oil based polyurethane you could put it directly on the wood. Keep in mind an oil base poly will yellow over time and might not be a good choice for a natural finish.

Thank you, Steve. I have acetone in my workshop and will clean the piece as you recommended. I plan on using oil based polyurethane. Personally I find water based poly impossible to work with quickly and this is a very large table and I need to keep a wet line.

I alway appreciate your feedback.

Gary

 

[GAF]

Teak, IMO, needs no finish. It may depend on the design. If you choose a finish, keep in mind that Teak is a very oily wood. Oil finishes work out nicely.

.

Thank you, Cabinetman. I will be using an oil finish all the way because this is a dining room table and the customer wants it coated / sealed.

Gary

 

[Steve Neul]

Thank you, Steve. I have acetone in my workshop and will clean the piece as you recommended. I plan on using oil based polyurethane. Personally I find water based poly impossible to work with quickly and this is a very large table and I need to keep a wet line.

I alway appreciate your feedback.

Gary

I like the oil based poly better and it is a better finish. I just felt you should be warned that the finish will yellow over time. Chances are by the time it's really noticable it will be time to refinish it anyway. Everybody and critters are rough on furniture at my house.

 

[GAF]

I like the oil based poly better and it is a better finish. I just felt you should be warned that the finish will yellow over time. Chances are by the time it's really noticable it will be time to refinish it anyway. Everybody and critters are rough on furniture at my house.

Steve, oil based poly will be my choice. Your warning is helpful but you are correct in that refinishing again in the future is only a small consideration. Thanks again.

Gary

 

[GoIrish]

I am not sure what was on ours to start but I used Teak Oil (product name not actually teak oil) to retreat and it blended nicely and covered spots that had lost their finish and color. I believe is a version of Danish designed to be a little darker so it will build a finish.

 

[Rick Mosher]

For a table top I would consider using Rock Hard table top varnish. It is designed specifically with table tops in mind and it dries mush faster helping to keep dust particles out of the finish and allowing you to rub out the finish sooner.