Work of Man Restores Table Top Finish on Circa 1860's Victorian Walnut Farm Table

We've had this circa 1880's American Victorian solid walnut dining table with four leaves sitting in our shop (See AF1-123) for a while so we finally decided it time to bring it back to life. As is fairly typical of tables of this type, the original finish was shellac which is a beautiful finish, especially if allowed to age, but very problematic for table tops - shellac is not compatible with water - if you leave a glass of water sitting on the table, you will get a ring in no time at all. Because of this, antique tables with shellac finishes get monkeyed with a lot as time passes on - with well intentioned "restorers" trying to remove the stains without really knowing how to go about it. 

Such was the case with this table. It retained the original shellac finish but the finish had been devastated by misuse and misguided attempts to revitalize. Luckily, the finish on the apron and legs was still in tact and very good condition and only required a good cleaning and waxing. 

Unfortunately, the shellac finish on the table top was not salvageable so we took it down so that just a very thin layer was remaining. By keeping this first thin layer we were able to maintain the patina of the wood and also maintain the filled grain of the wood. We did only very light sanding with very fine grit sandpaper - only on the finish - never on the wood itself. (Over time, as wood expands and contracts it will develop contours similar to how it develops patinas. You always want to preserve those as best you can. )

After we got the initial old shellac finish layer fairly consistent, we brushed on a new coat of shellac to bond to that initial coat and to create a base for applying the ultimate finish. For table tops that will see everyday use, we like to use a satin varnish that is applied in multiple coasts - often times 6, 7 or 8 coats. The labor intensive part of this finish is the sanding in between each coat to remove any imperfections and to create a smooth surface for the next coat. Once there is sufficient build up on the table we do a final sanding, a polishing with pumice and then a final waxing.

Properly maintained, this finish will last a very long time with every day use.