Refinishing a teak table....

[A930Rocket]

Well, at least I think it's a teak table...

We have an old table that my wife bought and she wants to sand it back to the natural grain.

I'm not a woodworker, but I've started with a belt sander and have most of the finish removed on the flat surfaces, but have a question on what's left. It looks like maybe it's some kind of water/liquid stain. How can I remove that without sanding to China?

Can it be bleached or ?.

Also, what is the best/easy/fastest way to sand the table legs?

[Zeke]

Sand the legs with a vibrator or RO sander. Clean up with a 120 grit belt cut open and used like a shoe shine rag. Finish going with the grain with 220.

The top might bleach out using wood bleach.

[A930Rocket]

Good ideas.

Thanks!

[drcoastline]

If it is stain you will have to sand until it is gone. Use a razor knife blade as a scraper held at a 90 degree angle to see if the finish scrapes off the legs. If not use a heat gun and anything you can find that will work to scrape the finish off the legs. Follow up with 80/100 paper then 120/150 finish with 220.

If it is real teak leave it out in the sun a few days it will turn blonde naturally. Wipe it with mineral spirits to see the color with a finish applied. If you want to rush it go to your local marine store and pick up teak cleaner and brightener apply per the directions.

For what it's worth it doesn't look like teak to me at least not good teak. Could be Acacia, Eucalyptus or Luan which is a cheap Mahogany.

[Don Ro]

To get rid of, or at least reduce, a water stain, I've use a steam iron on steam function. Do it a few times to see if it reduces.
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I'd remove those round legs and spin them with sand paper to remove finish.
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Good luck
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Hold the steam iron an inch or closer to the stain...push the steam button.

[MBAtarga]

I'd suggest using a paint/finish stripper on the legs. It will be rather time consuming AND difficult to use a RO sander on the curved surface. If you've got access to a lathe - it would go much quicker and be much easier though.

[tevake]

After you get the old finish off, you could apply a few coats of Howards wax and feed very easily. It will soak in and bring out the color and grain nicely. It's easy to reapply occasionally to keep it looking nice.
I just did this on a very weathered teak table, after wet sanding, and letting it dry.
it came out looking great.

Cheers Richard

[island911]

Teak cleans up well (typically) w/o sanding.

Lots of vid's, out there; the best advice is to start with the least aggressive solution first.

[A930Rocket]

We are at about 75% complete in sanding it. Just have to finish up the legs. The RO sander has worked well on the legs, it just the detail work on the legs that is taking time.

I'm still looking at everyone's ideas for the staining.

As mentioned, if it's teak, its not a good grade, but it will look good when finished.

[crb07]

Post a pic after you sand. Teak is pretty obvious. If it is teak try Semco. We use it on teak decks. Easy to touch up. If the table is always in the weather and the sun, once or twice a year clean it with a soap and scotchbrite pad and re-seal. Will look perfect year round.

[A930Rocket]

Crb07...he first two pictures are after sanding. All of the light brown stain is gone.

It’s the liquids staining that you see.

[Evans, Marv]

I think I have to agree with 'drcoastline" that it doesn't look like teak. He's been around more teak than most of us. I have two mid century solid teak tables (inside so the wood is that rich, dark golden color which I like), so yours might be just different from mine. I bought one of the tables used several years ago and refinished it - or maybe I should call it "refreshed it." The lady I bought it from had used baby oil on it instead of teak oil. I sanded the top, edges, & legs with different grades of sand paper to get it off, vacuumed it, wiped it with a damp rag, and applied teak oil after letting it stand for awhile. Turned out very well.

[crb07]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

Crb07...he first two pictures are after sanding. All of the light brown stain is gone.

It’s the liquids staining that you see.

I would keep sanding. Or maybe that is not teak?

[crb07]

This teak deck is treated with semco. The thing with teak is the grain raises easily. The soft part is really soft. If you get the teak smooth and sand out the parts in the grain that turn white the teak should have a gold color. We use semco to protect the soft parts of the grain from washing away or scrubbed away is a better word for it.

There are so many kinds of wood, not sure from the photo if that is teak.

[drcoastline]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

We are at about 75% complete in sanding it. Just have to finish up the legs. The RO sander has worked well on the legs, it just the detail work on the legs that is taking time.

I'm still looking at everyone's ideas for the staining.

As mentioned, if it's teak, its not a good grade, but it will look good when finished.

My apologies on the "it's not good teak" sorry if it offended you, that wasn't my intention. Not good teak meaning it isn't marine grade lumber. That isn't to say it isn't good wood. But judging from the grain and the knots I am leaning away form teak to some other hardwood that is used for exterior furniture that resembles teak. Such as the Acacia, Eucalyptus or mahogany. The grain in your photos resembles a lower grade of mahogany to me. Again that doesn't mean it is bad wood just not the rich golden or red uniform tight grain associated with Mahogany.

Regardless of whether it is teak or not I would not stain or put any sort of hard finish on it if it is kept and used out doors unless you are prepared for a lot of maintenance to keep it looking good. After you sand it to where you like simply brush on Teak oil. Two three coats per day for a week or more. Modern teak oil not only contains natural oils but has UV inhibitors. After the wood absorbs as much oil as it can. Maintenance will consist of applying two or three maintenance coats of oil per season. Spring, mid, end of season. If a section does silver or gray simply clean with Oxy-powder mixed into a paste about like tooth paste and rubbed across the grain, allow to sit of a while to lift the dirt/mold out of the grain, rinse let dry re-oil. On tough spots lightly sand and re-oil.

[A930Rocket]

No offense taken. I appreciate your advise.

I have no idea what wood it is, only what the sanding company told my wife when she got a bid ($650). We figured we could sand it a lot ourselves for $650.

We’ll keep sanding the top, and finish all the rest today. It will be an interior table and treated with something to bring out the color etc.

Originally Posted by drcoastline

My apologies on the "it's not good teak" sorry if it offended you, that wasn't my intention. Not good teak meaning it isn't marine grade lumber. That isn't to say it isn't good wood. But judging from the grain and the knots I am leaning away form teak to some other hardwood that is used for exterior furniture that resembles teak. Such as the Acacia, Eucalyptus or mahogany. The grain in your photos resembles a lower grade of mahogany to me. Again that doesn't mean it is bad wood just not the rich golden or red uniform tight grain associated with Mahogany.

Regardless of whether it is teak or not I would not stain or put any sort of hard finish on it if it is kept and used out doors unless you are prepared for a lot of maintenance to keep it looking good. After you sand it to where you like simply brush on Teak oil. Two three coats per day for a week or more. Modern teak oil not only contains natural oils but has UV inhibitors. After the wood absorbs as much oil as it can. Maintenance will consist of applying two or three maintenance coats of oil per season. Spring, mid, end of season. If a section does silver or gray simply clean with Oxy-powder mixed into a paste about like tooth paste and rubbed across the grain, allow to sit of a while to lift the dirt/mold out of the grain, rinse let dry re-oil. On tough spots lightly sand and re-oil.

[drcoastline]

OK good I didn't want you to think I was dissing your table. There are a lot of great ways to finish the table. What ever you do flip it upside down and test your colors, finishes on the bottom first.

Post pics.

[gr8fl4porsche]

I have used Penofin Hardwoods Penetrating Oil on a couple recent projects.

They have the oil natural and tinted in a few colors. The Tiger Wood color looks very nice.