Loading…
9
My old boss told me to never use steel wool on walnut, but a tricky piece proved him wrong
Honestly, he said it would leave tiny gray bits in the grain that you could never get out. I had this 1920s walnut dresser with a super gummy old finish, and nothing else was cutting through it. Out of ideas, I tried 0000 steel wool with mineral spirits on a small spot. Ngl, it worked perfectly and left a smooth, clean surface ready for oil. Has anyone else found a time where the 'never do this' rule didn't apply?
5 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In5 Comments
cole_murphy3mo ago
Honestly, I was totally on your boss's side until I tried it myself on a sticky old desk last year. @erickelly, your grandpa's turpentine and linseed oil mix is next on my list if steel wool ever lets me down.
6
ryant505mo ago
Tbh, had the same thing happen with an old oak table. That sticky varnish just laughed at sandpaper. Used steel wool with some paint thinner as a last resort and it came up clean. Sometimes you just gotta break the rules.
5
erickelly5mo ago
My grandpa swore by a mix of turpentine and boiled linseed oil for stubborn varnish.
5
nancy3265mo ago
Wait, so you're telling me the secret to refinishing furniture is just ignoring all the instructions? I tried to be so careful with a chair last year, used the "right" stripper and sanded for hours. It looked worse than when I started, like a sad, sticky monster. My partner still calls it my arts and crafts failure. Maybe I should have just gone straight for the paint thinner and chaos.
2
anthonynelson3mo ago
Hang on, hold up. Your partner still calls it an arts and crafts failure? Like, they gave it a permanent name and everything? That's brutal but also kind of funny. I've got a bookcase in my garage that my wife calls "the silent hill of shelving" because it came out looking so cursed. At least you got a story out of it, even if the chair is a sticky nightmare.
4