lim waxed oak- how to re-finish?

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Aloha,

I'm more of a mechanic type, with very little refinishing experience...so thanks for any/all advice!

I have a circa 1908 round oak table that my father stripped and refinished in the late 60's. He used Briwax liming wax (which I have located and purchased).

After 50 years of near daily mealtime use, I really want to restore the tabletop to it's 60's finish (to match the rest of the dining set that he also refinished). It has several areas that have become quite dark, and other areas where it appears all of the wax has completely worn off, showing the more typical oak look.

Primarily, I only plan on doing the top, as the skirt and legs are 95% as good as the day he finished them. It seems like it should be pretty simple, but I am not sure how best to proceed. Details would be greatly appreciated. Also, I am wondering if, after I finish, can/should I apply polyurethane or something else that will better protect?

Mahalo!
 
Welcome to the forum, Richard. :wave:

I've used liming wax on a few pieces of my lathe work. It's pretty easy, although I'd suggest working on one small area at a time. The basic idea is that you apply some wax, then wipe off the excess until you get the look you want. You may have to get pretty vigorous with the wiping, though, since it seems to dry pretty quickly.

Once you've got the liming looking the way you want, then yes, it's a good idea to seal it in with a few coats of poly or other clear coat finish of your choice.
 
I've not had any problems with finishes directly over the liming wax, but you bring up a good point. To be safe, it'd probably be a good idea to cover the liming wax with a coat or two of spray shellac before using another clear coat.


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Aloha,

What would you suggest for prepping? Chemical? Orbital? I'm assuming I need to prep the entire top to get a reasonably even finished appearance.

Mahalo!
 
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