Restoring Veneer

[richie00boy]

I have some old 70s KEF speakers which are veneered, teak I presume. There is some scratching and scraping to the veneer, or at least I think it's the veneer as I wouldn't think they were lacquered.

Would I be best rubbing them down a bit with some 1000 w&d, or 0000 wire wool?

I was going to put Danish oil on them afterwards. Any recommended brands available in the UK?

[justinc]

I refinished an old pair of Advents not too long ago. I found the best way was to sand the finish entirely off with 220 grit sandpaper, then sand any scratches that were actually in the veneer off with 320 grit. I then finished with poly. They came out great and look like new.

[FastEddy]

whatever you do, don't use spar varnish... it took about six weeks for the stink to get outta the house. (They sounded great = nice and warm = http://3dotaudio.com/waterputtyexperiment.html )

[poynton]

Hi.

I use teak oil from my local DIY store at around £1 per bottle which lasts ages.

I have used it on many pairs of old speakers mainly Wharfedales.

I usually do as you suggest using wire wool rather than sandpaper as I think it produces less new' scratches'.

Before sanding check for any loose/lifting veneer and reglue.

Apply sparingly and wipe off afterwards. A little goes a long way!!!
(also wear gloves - or get an upset stomach)


Andy

[richie00boy]

Thanks for the gloves tip, I wouldn't have bothered probably... I'll be using Danish oil as I've heard it's a lot better. Wire wool it is then, makes sense what you said.

[richie00boy]

Ed your boxes turned out nice. Mine are very similar with matt black front and rear. I've never seen that water putty stuff before, looks a bit like a kind of filler - handy I imagine. To the British, Spar varnish we would imagine to come from our local corner shop as these are invariably Spar

[richie00boy]

OK an update. I have been told that as an alternative to Danish Oil, I can use a sanding sealer and then paste wax. I believe this will not require periodic attention like Danish Oil will.

So what is sanding sealer? Can you get them in clear? Also has anybody any pros and cons of this new method over Danish Oil?

When prepping with the wire wool, do I use any kind of liquid? Or wipe down occasionally with spirit?

[pinkmouse]

Sanding sealer is dilute shellac, easily available and very quick drying. It is naturally clear, but as with all finishes, slightly changes the coulour of the wood. If you give me an hour to charge the batteries in my camera, I'll post a pic of the computer desk I'm building, veneered birch, currently only sealed as above.

[richie00boy]

Thanks Al. I was told the sealer was also available coloured. What is it's advantage over oil?

I'm beginning to suspect the original finish may be this sealer stuff, as it's almost like an extremely thin varnish that's on there at the moment, and certainly hasn't been maintained especially over the last 30 years. If the surface was just oiled it would look pretty bad by this time wouldn't it?

[pinkmouse]

That does sound like a shellac finish, (otherwise known as French polish), rather than wax. Both are pretty easy really, so it just depends on taste, though it's easier to repair marks on an oiled finish.

Sanding sealer is really just what it says, it seals freshly sanded wood to allow even staining, (if required), on porous woods, and act as a base coat for waxing or french polishing. I have seen the coloured ones, but it wouldn't suprise me that they exist.

Oh, and the pic of the desk. It's not finished yet, this is just a test fitting to make sure it all goes together okay, and all my kit fits.