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Question # 117 - Hi, I have an oak desk with leather top. The leather needs replacing any
> clues where to get it from?
Answer - Hi Richard,
I would try an Upholstery Shop.
Regards,
Phil
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Question # 118 - am hoping to fit  a thick protective cover to an oak table, if possible by cutting it from a sheet of material. Can you help me please?

Answer - 

Question # 119 - 

Hi there-

Wish you were in California and I’d send you my table. Instead,

maybe something you could advise me on:

I’ve stripped, double sanded and spirits-washed a coffee table. I know it’s not pine, but I don’t know what it is. Walnut or oak maybe? (lightly yellow-white, varied grain; not a dark wood like mahogany or cherry).

Anyway, I’ve applied two coats of a minwax Jacobean oil stain to get it a dark color I’d like.

Legs are dark, sides are blotchy and top looks like honey pine now. It won’t get dark to save my life. It’s possible it’s a wood veneer, though a thick one, as sanding did not make its edges appear. Whether it’s solid wood or veneer, the top is dense and not taking the stain. (the top has 4 glass inserts, so it’s really just a square perimetre with stiles in the middle, not a full surface)

Now I’d really like the top dark. I’m considering getting oil paint, thinning it down 3-1 and painting it dark mahogany, because the stain doesn’t seem to penetrate the top at all.

Someone said a ‘toner’ would do the same thing. But I’ve never worked with one or know where to buy it.

Should I used the thinned oil paint, mix some oil paint with my oil stain, or use a lacquer combined with a toner? I’d like a semigloss to gloss finish and wouldn’t mind if some wood grain showed, but am willing to omit the grain to get the dark color I desire.

I REALLY don’t want to strip it again.

Any tips would be great. I’m hoping to get it going Saturday after being in a transition state in our garage for 2 weeks.

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Question # 120 -I recently moved from an apartment to a house.  In the process of moving, the movers broke an approximate 12x16 glass window out of my brand new Cherrywood Armour.  In addition there are minor nicks and wood scrapping near the bottom of the Armour.  Also, there were scratches to my eight drawer Cherrywood chest of drawers.  Can you tell me approximately how much the cost to these items will be.  Please keep in mind that these items are solid wood and particle board.
Answer - 

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Question # 121 -  Phil,
>
> I have many friends in AL and FL asking me what are
> the first steps to take in trying to save furniture
> that has been exposed to salt water as a result of the
> hurricane floods. What do you recommend?  How should
> they attempt to dry the furniture?  Thanks so much
>
Answer - Hold on Mike,
I have sent your question to a group of Refinishers and will get back to you
as soon as I hear from them.

Regards,
Phil

Hi Mike,
After consulting with my fellow refinishers,here is what I have come up
with.
#1- Dry up the furniture inside and out with cotton cloths.
#2- Move all the furniture to the driest room and place the furniture on
blocks, up off the floor.
#3- Run a dehumidifier to help remove moisture.
#4- DO NOT try to force dry with heat.Let the pieces dry as naturally as
possible.Force drying will produce warping and cracking.
#5- Remove all drawers,and open all doors to permit air to circulate.
#5- Applying DRY sawdust to all areas will also help absorb the
moisture.Also Denatured Alcohol applied to all areas will remove moisture.Do
Not use Denatured Alcohol on any Shellac finishes.
#6- An O-Zone generator may also remove moisture.
#7- Once all the moisture is removed, ( wait a few months, and on a dry
day ) seal the carcass including the insides and outsides of all drawers
with shellac, to keep moisture from absorbing the furniture, in the future.
If I get any more responses from my fellow Refinishers, I will pass it along
to you.

Regards,
Phil

John Polgar writes first:

40% of our work is insurance work, 80% of that is water damage. Key to
minimizing loss and damage is remove from source.  You won't stop it
entirely, but you WILL lessen it a LOT!

1. Put items on foam blocks out of water. (2x4 chunks still can let water
seep up to wood furniture.

2. Towel dry then allow to air dry.  It will be two weeks or more Before all
movement and damage is done and the wood returns Back as far as it's going
to.  If doors and drawers a swollen shut DON'T force open.  Leave it alone,
they will open when the item returns to equilibrium. (except particle board
usually).  If something is in the drawer it is vital then try open it but be
careful. Otherwise, just let it be.

3. You can also pre-clean items.  After towel, dry excess water use A 10%
bleach solution in water, dampen a rag and wipe the Furniture down.  This
will also inhibit mold/mildew growth, Sanitize questionable water
contaminates, AND rinse off salt.  Constantly rinse rag and wring out.  Use
large 5 gallon bucket otherwise you end up with salty water after one item
getting wiped down.  After wiping several items And you feel the water is
"dirty" enough, dump it and start with fresh mix again.

4. Call me to restore it :-)  We can pickup, pre-clean/treat, store, then
restore when ready, then store until home is rebuilt for them to inhabit
again. Almost all insurance covers storage and the costs of mitigation as
outlined above in addition to the repairs.  As long as it costs less than
buying new.  There are also ways to get if fixed even if it costs more than
new if there are no like models on the market. Most replacement value
policies will pay any price to repair or replace something or part of a set
regardless of original cost if there isn't one like it available.  We did a
chair for $600 once that cost $300 new.  But a new one was not available.
It was cheaper than a whole new set. Another time we did a dresser for $1800
though a new one would have been $900.  No new one available that was the
same other than have one built, and that would have been 3 grand.
Replacement value in that case was 3 grand, rebuild and refinish of 1800
where cheaper.  There are variables and a pro will help.  Especially if the
pro already has worked with a carrier and built a relationship it goes a
long way in getting your claim settled faster and better with your furniture
back sooner and better as well.

The steps listed above will save items from total destruction though it will
not totally stop damage or restore anything.  All it does is keep the damage
to a minimum.  Some finishes will be further damaged by the process.  It is
a small percent that will. But you have a choice to let it just fester and
definitely be destroyed totally, OR, take the steps, cut the losses up to
80%, maybe lose one piece or increase damage slightly.  The increase is WAY
offset by the total decrease.  Antiques, artworks, upholstery, metals, will
require additional services.

Upholstery is basically shot.  It will have to be recovered.  It is not cost
effective in probably 3/4 of the furniture out there to recover.  Take off
the bottom dust cover to allow air inside.

Artworks, high dollar items, call a PRO instantly!  Don't do anything other
than remove from water and blot dry.  STOP if you are damaging it further.
(Gesso frame would be an example)

Metals, wash THOROUGHLY with clean water.  Lube wheels with a spritz of
Wd40, 3 in 1 oil, even a drop of cooking oil.  Cooking oil will need to be
washed off later and replaced with real lube. This will inhibit rust.  If
rusting has started, wash as stated then spray it with wd40 and rub with
steel wool, wipe clean again and coat again with wd40.  Don't worry about
scratches, you have pitting, it will sand out and be repainted later.

Antiques, If available use a non-chlorinated mildecide/sanitizing solution.
Bought at restaurant supply houses usually.

Do NOT use a heat gun or hair dryer to try and dry an item faster. The wood
and finish will be damaged further and faster by doing so.  If dehumidifiers
are working in the home keep furniture away from the units.  You want to
allow it to dry slower so it will return to a natural equilibrium.  Speeding
it up doesn't allow the cell structure time to adjust so you will get extra
cracks, splits, etc....  Save any pieces that fall off!  Glue joints fail.
Even if it looks ok, check out all the joinery in a couple weeks.

Don't throw it away if you like it or it has special meaning. There is
nothing that cannot be repaired, rebuilt, restored or replicated.  It is
only a matter of cost effectiveness and the right company to do the job.

If you have clients in Florida that require Disaster Restoration Services of
their household contacts we work with all major carriers.  We do service far
reaching areas on major projects. Any home with flood or hurricane damage is
going to be a major project with a house full of stuff to fix so please feel
free to refer them to us if they want it handled.  I am sure there are other
Groopsters in Florida that handle insurance work as well. We are about
midway between both damaged areas from Ivan and Charlie.

Hope this helps.

John Polgar Clearwater, FL

~~~~~

the newly transplanted Dick Patch responds (hope you didn't move just to
experience a hurricane!)

The important first step is to dry the furniture as soon as possible so that
mold does not form on the furniture. Mold can begin forming after 72 hours
of constant moisture. Use a fan, as large as possible and good ventilation.
Placing the furniture in the sun may do as much harm as the water.

Dick Patch VA

~~~~~

An excellent resource for treatment of water damaged furniture is the web
site of The American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works
(AIC). http://aic.stanford.edu Click on Public Info Then click on Outreach
Materials Scroll to Disaster Response Click on Care of Water Damaged Family
Heirlooms

Paul Garbarini
Charleston, SC  with lots of experience in hurricanes

~~~~~

Don Weisman writes:

I wouldn't think that Salt in the water would make any difference to
stripping and refinishing in a flooding or hurricane situation. The main
problem is drying and mold.

I know the Archives are not available, but when Houston had a great floor a
few years ago I did write quite a few suggestions. Best as I remember is,
Lease a warehouse 1000 sq ft and more to generously provide air circulation
between objects. A Dehumidifier or AC running 24/7. Work cannot be started
until wet wood is not any longer cool to the touch. Place in warehouse as
First in, first out (when dried). Get some product for bacteria and mold.
Get deposits, as many people will Cash out leaving you with their goods and
also leaving you with Disposal problems and costs. Be sure to have a monthly
warehouse storage charge. When leasing, divide up the total cost into sq.
foot cost and measure the square footage plus half the walk around space.
Believe me, after they dump the furniture on you, you'll be happy you did.
Be sure to explain storage fee cost is to be paid monthy or you will
dispose! You'll encounter additional costs in logistics. Add into cost. Be
prepared to make wood moldings, depending upon the level of rising water.

That's what I currently remember.

Don Weisman, TX

~~~~~

Virgil advises:

Hi  Phil

There are many ways of doing this and it depends on what you available in
your area.

1. For some pieces you can use a vacuum bag as the air is
expelled the water vapor from the wood come out next.

2.  If you have means of freeze drying the furniture the same thing happens
the long er it sta ys in freeze dry condition the more moisture comes out of
the wood.  After the L.A. library fire there were thousands of books
saturated with water.  They used the freeze dry method.

3. A temperature and humidity controlled warehouse where all the furniture
is stored for a time.  Turn up the heat and turn down the humidity for about
a week.

4.  Move the furniture to arizona where the temperature is 100 degrees F.
and the humidity is lower than can be measured.

regards virgil CA

~~~~~

Ron Gibbs has similar problems:

Hi Groop,

Along the same lines. I have a dining room set coming into the shop this
week. It's been subjected to alot of heat and water.

Since I have never done something damaged in this way, what kind of
surprises would I be likely to encounter?  Maybe I can send some pics to the
groop.  (Might be a good one for my first "Before and After" contribution).

and  responding to Steven's and Kevin's posts:

Steve and Kevin,

I got a call from a "potential" customer with a house fire. The Dining room
set is smoke and water damaged, but she did not do anything special to dry
it out.  I am not sure what to expect.

Any help with "water damage" will be a plus too me, so I will wathch this
thread closely! But yeah, I would wonder about the salt too.

I really have no expeince with salty water furniture, but I would want
something made of wood that was found in the same room and do some testing
on it first... as to getting the salt out...I don't have a clue!

Ron Gibbs---Olean MO

~~~~~

Phil writes:

To dry salt-water damaged furniture is pretty much the same as fresh water,
though I haven't tried the dehumidifier trick.  I normally see the 'toilet
flooded on the second floor' furniture. and by that time the splits and
warps have happened.  Due to time constraints on getting the work back to
customer, I don't know that if it ever returns back to it's original state,
by slow drying.  In Florida water damage happens and then is followed by
sauna-like heat.

Phil Tortorici-FL


~~~~~~~~~~
I will pass along any other responses to you as I get them.

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Question # 122 - I'm interested in your diary. but I an't tell in what form your diary and
other
> information exists.
>
> Do I receive a downloadble file?  Is it all referenced only on line?
>
> I appreciate your feedback.
>Answer - Hi Jim,
All my guides, including my Refinishers Diary are available Online Only.
For more information, and to receive your copy,click the following link.
http://www.antique-furniture-restoration.com/refdiarypre.htm

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Question # 123 -

>