Reviving oak fitout

[snigsnig]

Hi

 

I've just bought a secondhand boat with what was originally a really good quality oak fitout - walls and ceiling are both oak ply with real wood trim. Its all still pretty solid and it would be a shame to rip it out, but all of it is looking a bit scuffed and generally tired. I would like to keep it, and just wondered if anyone had any handy tips for revitalising woodwork like this? Oils? Varnish? Any other specialist products out there?

 

Any tips greatly appreciated

 

Neil

[Ally]

Hi Neil, it would be helpful to know what the timber/ply is already coated with if you know....or can hazzard a guess!

[snigsnig]

Hi Ally

 

The fitout is about 14 years old so its difficult to say, but the oak-faced ply is as it would have come originally (varnished?), it doesn't look like it's been touched at all since it was fitted, and I would guess the trim was originally varnished or oiled (though it isn't glossy). I have no experience with wood at all though, so I'm open to any advice, as general as you like!

 

N

[alan_fincher]

Oak faced ply is unlikely to have been supplied varnished, or with any other treatment, I would say.

 

If it is treated, it will have been after fitting, I think.

 

The actual oak veneer layer can be remarkably thin, so if the "tiredness" includes any significant damage that has penetrated the veneer, (or maybe permanently stained it), then refreshing it may not be that easy.

 

If it is just generally dull or scuffed, but with little actual physical damage, then it should be possible, but, before over-coating with anything, it would really help to try and work out what the original treatment was.

 

If you can't easily do this, try a small test area where it is relatively inconspicuous, if it doesn't go well.

 

Oak ply darkens considerably with age, so if you end up doing work that puts in any new panels, it can be quite hard to make them look like the originals, rather than standing out as a very different colour. But it is possible, with suitable treatments - I'm a fan of some of the Ronseal products for this.

[Ally]

The solid timber will be fairly stable to re-coat. I would assume at that age it will have been varnished, though it may be an oil. Varnish gives a glossy finish..even satin has some gloss, or if taken back to raw wood, it could be oiled with something like Osmo polyx oil. Easy and quick to use.

As Alan says, laminated ply is usually very thin, though again, that age it may be a thicker laminate than available these days. To remove the (?)varnish would be difficult without potentially damaging the ply facing beneath (by sanding it down).

Are there any signs of any peeling or crackling on it? This would tell you it is a varnish. If so, gently sand it to the best finish you can and re-varnish. Again, test it somewhere inconspicuous and leave it a couple of days to ensure there is no reaction between brands/types.

There are various other treatments you could use if you wanted to lighten the wood, but you need to really try and find out what is on it now, from a cleaned inspection.

Are you lucky enough to have any paperwork that might say? or old tins lying around the boat to hint what it may be? Or know the fitter/builder who may still be going?

Finishing options are huge, so first what's on it now, then what do you want it to look like..then how to do!

Even a really good clean up might help it along to start with.

[bizzard]

Old varnish is cheaply revived with a 50-50 mixture of vinegar and water swabbed on with a rag. Old pickled onion vinegar is especially good for this job as the combined aroma of vinegar and onions keeps spiders at bay.

 

I nearly forgot.

Peanut butter makes a good wood filler with no waste as you can eat the rest.

If you take a sample of your wood to a large supermarket they will have a variety of makes,just hold your bit of woo against the glass jar to match it.

The cheap makes tend to be lighter in colour getting darker as they go up in price ''more peanuts in it''to Sunpat and then onto the natural type the ultimate for wood care.

Warning;--it take a long while to dry hard.

Edited February 21, 2012 by bizzard

[snigsnig]

bizzard - I don't think they are peanuts in your peanut butter!

 

Thanks for the advice guys, sale of the boat is still going through so can't do anything just yet but I'm sure I will be back for more advice once I crack on with it. Will certainly find out what the original treatments were before going ahead with any refurbing.

 

Cheers!

 

Neil

Edited February 21, 2012 by snigsnig

[bizzard]

bizzard - I don't think they are peanuts in your peanut butter!

 

Thanks for the advice guys, sale of the boat is still going through so can't do anything just yet but I'm sure I will be back for more advice once I crack on with it. Will certainly find out what the original treatments were before going ahead with any refurbing.

 

Cheers!

 

Neil

The vinegar and water treatment does work,seriously. Bizzard.

[Grace and Favour]

If there are areas of your oak that have really darkened with age, and a general clean up (with or without Bizzard's pickled onion & peanut butter sandwiches!) - there are a number of excellent wood bleaches (NOT household bleach!) that will lighten the timber nicely - - and these are bought from 'proper' decorators merchants (Not B&Q/WICKES & similar sheds) but I'd try other cleaning methods first.

 

Just be aware, as mentioned in previous posts - oak faced ply can have EXTREMELY thin oak laminates - so if you are going to sand it - I'd strongly suggest a 400 or 600 grit sandpaper (NOT grey Wet & Dry) - otherwise with coarser papers you could sand through the oak finish in seconds.

[Masquerade]

A couple of choices, you either use a finish reviver such as Rustins to restore the original finish or if it is too far gone, a surface cleaner with wire wool and then more aggressive approaches with thinners. If you're happy with the colouring then try the reviver, it maybe all it needs. I would avoid sanding the veneered boards unless you really know what you are doing. Personally I'd steer clear of the bleaches as it's easy to end up with a patchy finish. If it was my boat, I'd try some white spirit and wire wool somewhere it can't be seen first and if that works out ok do the whole boat. I'd then use a good wax and rub in a good few coats again with wire wool followed by a good buff up! You won't find the good stuff in B&Q, find a proper timber yard and ask advice.

 

Tim

[bizzard]

If there are areas of your oak that have really darkened with age, and a general clean up (with or without Bizzard's pickled onion & peanut butter sandwiches!) - there are a number of excellent wood bleaches (NOT household bleach!) that will lighten the timber nicely - - and these are bought from 'proper' decorators merchants (Not B&Q/WICKES & similar sheds) but I'd try other cleaning methods first.

 

Just be aware, as mentioned in previous posts - oak faced ply can have EXTREMELY thin oak laminates - so if you are going to sand it - I'd strongly suggest a 400 or 600 grit sandpaper (NOT grey Wet & Dry) - otherwise with coarser papers you could sand through the oak finish in seconds.

I love peanut butter on toast. So make your wood strong and fill it with protein.

[Grace and Favour]

A couple of choices, you either use a finish reviver such as Rustins to restore the original finish or if it is too far gone, a surface cleaner with wire wool and then more aggressive approaches with thinners. If you're happy with the colouring then try the reviver, it maybe all it needs. I would avoid sanding the veneered boards unless you really know what you are doing. Personally I'd steer clear of the bleaches as it's easy to end up with a patchy finish. If it was my boat, I'd try some white spirit and wire wool somewhere it can't be seen first and if that works out ok do the whole boat. I'd then use a good wax and rub in a good few coats again with wire wool followed by a good buff up! You won't find the good stuff in B&Q, find a proper timber yard and ask advice.

 

Tim

 

Please DO NOT use wirewool on oak - if there are any traces or wirewool left (even minute ones) they will definitely stain the oak black

 

If you wish to abrade the oak, use either 400/600 grit (ultra-fine) paper, or one of the modern proprietary nylon scouring sheets (but still be very careful)

[Bob18]

Second the comments about wire wool - that's a "very bad idea" on oak. Another useful tool is broken glass used as a scraper to get old finishes off. In my limited experience window glass is better than bottles, but avoid toughed glass as it shatters, leaving too many concave edges to be of any use - you want a shallow convex edge. Needless to say great care is needed both is breaking the glass and using it.

[bizzard]

Second the comments about wire wool - that's a "very bad idea" on oak. Another useful tool is broken glass used as a scraper to get old finishes off. In my limited experience window glass is better than bottles, but avoid toughed glass as it shatters, leaving too many concave edges to be of any use - you want a shallow convex edge. Needless to say great care is needed both is breaking the glass and using it.

Coo you took a risk there young Bob,brushed very close to the health and safety mob on here.Luckily you gave out the risk warning bit.

[owen]

Coo you took a risk there young Bob,brushed very close to the health and safety mob on here.Luckily you gave out the risk warning bit.

you could try making a mop from a pair of old jeans as the inside then a strong piece of lint free cotton try as small area with a mix of raw linseed oil with same amount of turpintine not white spirit if really dirty use cigerette ash in small amounts as an abrasive. blizzard is quite right with the vinegar usually white vinegar which is used in most pickled onions its a really good cleaner for wood finishes .If you need to use a new panel you can darken it by putting in a tent made of plastic sheet then place a dish of ammonia in tent with oak seal end of tent and leave for few hours just keep checking colour and take out when right colour reached .DO NOT BREATH ANY OF THE FUMES OR YOU WILL BE AWAY WITH THE FAIRIES

[Masquerade]

Please DO NOT use wirewool on oak - if there are any traces or wirewool left (even minute ones) they will definitely stain the oak black

 

If you wish to abrade the oak, use either 400/600 grit (ultra-fine) paper, or one of the modern proprietary nylon scouring sheets (but still be very careful)

 

Stainless steel wire wool. None of these ideas will work unless we know whether the finish is reversible or not.

[Rojo]

Hi

 

I've just bought a secondhand boat with what was originally a really good quality oak fitout - walls and ceiling are both oak ply with real wood trim. Its all still pretty solid and it would be a shame to rip it out, but all of it is looking a bit scuffed and generally tired. I would like to keep it, and just wondered if anyone had any handy tips for revitalising woodwork like this? Oils? Varnish? Any other specialist products out there?

 

Any tips greatly appreciated

 

Neil

We have a boat of similar age which was finished with oil. We duly 'revived it' with Danish oil, which was quite simple to apply using cloths. In my experience if you try some oil on a surface that has been previously varnished the oil will not penetrate so it will be immediately obvious that the panels have been varnished. May be worth trying an oil on an inconspicuous place to see what effect you get. Could save a lot of work!

[snigsnig]

We have a boat of similar age which was finished with oil. We duly 'revived it' with Danish oil, which was quite simple to apply using cloths. In my experience if you try some oil on a surface that has been previously varnished the oil will not penetrate so it will be immediately obvious that the panels have been varnished. May be worth trying an oil on an inconspicuous place to see what effect you get. Could save a lot of work!

 

This is my kind of reply!! Dead straight forward. Thanks Rojo! I think it could very well be oiled so this will be the first thing I try.

 

Neil