<p>Long story short I got a beautiful Buffet Server with Barley Twist legs. </p>
<p>My problem is the Veneer. It is peeling away in clumps, but then I have parts that are completely adhered to the wood.</p>
<p>Do I use a sander or wood stripper solvent?</p>
<p>The piece is very large 6X4X3 feet.</p>
<p>I intend to leave the legs and the trim in dark stain, but doors, shelves and top in honey oak stain…think Restoration Hardware or Pier One style.</p>
<p>Any suggestions?</p>
<p>Our other thought is to put granite on top to match the counters if it is impossible feat to strip down.</p>
<p>If it’s a nice piece, it’s worth refinishing. If you’re a novice, there are lots of how-tos on the web, plus lots in libraries. I’ve refinished a few pieces, always using store-bought stripper (a gel-like substance) and then a scraper. Sand lightly by hand or with sander, depending on how bad the wood is. Some people hate stripping - when I do it, I get into a kind of calm, zen space and take a lot of breaks. When the stripping is done you can stain and seal. The work is very satisfying and nothing beats that feeling of having brought a neglected piece of furniture back to its original glory - or better.</p>
<p>I don’t know if they still make it, but I have used a Homer Formby’s product that cleans and takes the old finish off but doesn’t strip the wood of it oils, etc. It was quick and easy to use then I was able to stain and varnish. Also after the stain and varnish on old pieces I have had luck using paste wax and a lambs wool buffer attached to a drill. Gives a lovely antique mellow shine. I have also after a thorough cleaning used a product by Minwax that has stain and finish combined in it, very easy then finished up with the paste wax procedure.</p>
<p>If it’s really an antique it never should be refinished by a novice. It should be restored by an expert. Most re-finishing destroys the value of a real antique.</p>
<p>What Pima forgot to mention is that I will be there to check her progress. It’s not a “Wow, what a find! This came from a small furniture maker outside of Monticello who was known throughout the Eastern Seaboard. I’d appraise it at $30K” kind of piece that pops up on the Antique Road Show kind of piece. Just a nice piece of old furniture that needs some TLC and elbow grease. </p>
<p>But she is right. It will be a beautiful piece once restored. Now I just have to convince her to let me work with her on it. She doesn’t like it when I get all “You have to do it THIS way” / perfectionist-y on her. </p>
<p>But keep the advise coming! It just confirms for her I’m right! :)</p>
<p>Off to find my belt and orbital sander. Perhaps a wood pick or two for the delicate work…</p>
<p>Actually NO, but I already told him that was not happening. </p>
<p>Bullet is great at installing ceramic tile and hardwood floors with intricate work, but he doesn’t understand restoring is not that way, it is much more delicate.</p>
<p>I have restored many pieces in my time, so this is not my first shot at it, but this is the largest piece I have ever approached and the size is daunting. I am just hoping that I will not find wood worm as clean away the grit and yrs of polish :(</p>
<p>You will all know if I do because there will be a new thread on treating wood worm ;)</p>
<p>Remove the veneer. Parts of the veneer were already missing and I could see the wood is oak, not soft like pine. As I stated I want the piece to be done two tone in stain color. (Think Pottery Barn and/or Restoration Hardware catalogues) The parts that I want to remove the veneer are the doors, drawers and top. The legs, and trim are detailed scrolling so they do not have any veneer at all.</p>
<p>Currently I have about 75% done on the doors, drawers I have yet to tackle. Top will be my last, which has the most veneer that is adhering, but you can see it is crackling, so it has to be removed. It also has to be removed because it is warping in a ripple effect against the back of the piece. Bullet and I can tell at one time there must have been a backsplash attached to it and now it is gone. There is a lip in the back sunk lower straight across as if there was something there once.</p>
<p>Trust me, I understand the wincing. My sister inherited/pilfered a table from my grandmother that was in her basement for yrs. She was young and a newlywed, she figured she could refurbish it herself. She did. Unfortunately, yrs later when her MIL died and she got valuable antiques from her estate she had an appraiser come in to evaluate. The guy went straight to her dining room and started looking at the table. My Sister said oh that piece is nothing it came from my grandmothers basement. The guy looked at her and said it’s worth nothing now, but had you not fixed it, I would have appraised it at 10K! It was a Duncan and Fife dining room table with 8 chairs. She actually SHELLAC the table top to bottom.</p>
<p>I know that there is some kind of “ironing” tool that one can rent for flattening veneer that has risen. I don’t know if it would help you remove veneer remnants.</p>