My daughter bought a nice solid wood table at a great discount because it has a finish problem on the top. It appears that the pricing sticker (about 6×8 inches) somehow adhered to the finish. When it was removed, the finish had a whitish color to it and no longer adhered to the wood. The finish is basically blistered and can be flaked off or sanded off. What is the best way to fix the top? Can just the one spot be repaired or does the entire top require sanding and refinishing? Help! She thinks I can fix anything!
Rob Johnstone: It sounds like finish is completely broken down under the price sticker. Although there are many variables, if the table was mine, I would not try to fix just the area affected: the chances of making it look right are pretty slim. Despite the fact that it is a lot more work, I would refinish the entire top. I would mask off the top, strip the old finish, and then put down a sturdy new topcoat. One reason for doing this is that I am a bit suspect regarding the durability of the current finish. An advantage to doing the entire top is that any minor deviation in color or look of the new finish will be less noticeable, and could even look intentional. Hope this helps.
Chris Marshall: I agree with Rob. It’s time to apply some elbow grease (and some liquid stripper!).Trying to patch the damaged area and blend it in with the rest of the finish is tough to do well. Better to start from scratch. I would strip the edges of the tabletop too, to make sure you get consistent finish color over the whole visible top.
