xt7s4m91b03v https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7s4m91b03v/data/mets.xml   Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station. 1926 journals kaes_circulars_001_4_199 English Lexington : The Service, 1913-1958. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 199 text Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 199 1926 2014 true xt7s4m91b03v section xt7s4m91b03v      
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I UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY  
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE    
 ifi
Extension Division  
THOMAS P. COOPER, Dean and Director. `  
 
.   .»=·
CIRCULAR NO. 199  
, it 
TOUCHING UP THE OLD FURNITURE Q  ‘ 
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` Lexington, Ky.  
July, 1926 -  ij;
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Published in connection with the agricultural extension work carried  
on by cooperation of the College of Agriculture, University of Kentucky,  
with the U. S_ Department of Agriculture and distributed in furtherance  
of the work provided for in the Act of Congress of May 8, 1914.  

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V at CIRCULAR NO. 199    
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    Touching Up the Old Furniture  
  By MARY MAY MILLER  
`   In almost every home there is at least one piece of furniture  
E that fails to contribute to the attractiveness of the room because p  
its surface has become dulled and scarred. Fine pieces of fur- ,  
A niture may be found stored in attics, cellars and outhouses  
Q which, if refinished, would enhance the beauty of almost any room Y  
‘   in the house. A piece of furniture made of substantial material  
{ with good lines is worth the time and effort required for refinish— *  
Q ing it. An old, shiny finish such as was the style during the  
  "golden oak" period is not attractive. Such a finish should be _  
1 replaced by a dull, satiny one. ,  
I A natural finish should be used for mahogany, cherry and  
  walnut so that the beauty of the wood will not be concealed, ‘  
  Birch, pine, poplar and other plain woods are more attractive  
i when painted and decorated with simple stencil designs. Usually  
i . . . . . 51-:;*,
l it is desirable that the old coats be removed so that the furniture  
  may be refinished from the wood up. '  
  REPAIRS AND eoun>MeN—r i  
  All necessary repairs should be made before the new finish  
  is applied. They should be made with care and only the sim- ‘  
V   plest ones should be attempted at home. Loose parts may be fas- i·  
Q tened by the use of fine wire nails, screws or glue. All ornate  
'   glued—on pieces should be loosened and removed by the careful  
i use of a thin knife blade and a chisel. Small pieces of veneer  
  may be glued in place. Pieces of veneer, chair rounds, spindles,  
g l rockers and pulls may be purchased from furniture dealers or W  
i if 
  i fi

 F
· 4 1(cntuc/ay Escteasiion Circular N0. 19.9
cabinet makers. Vlfooden pulls should be refinished and put on {
after the piece of furniture has been done over. It is advisable
that all work bc done in an unused room where there will be as
little dust as possible.
A The following materials may be needed: Hammer, chisel,
flake glue, nails, screws, cabinet maker ’s putty or stick shellae
for holes, binding muslin, putty knife, scraper, varnish remover,
gasoline, turpentine, alcohol, orange shellae, linseed oil, 00 sand-
paper, fine puniicc, paste wax, brushes, woolen cloths and a
smooth block of wood. V
Loose joints and wooden pulls can be fastened with glue that
may be prepared and used as follows: To 1 part of carpenter’s
. flake glue, add 1% parts hot water. Mix and melt over hot water.
` Use hot. All old glue must be scraped off. When surfaces are
;· clean and dry, the hot glue may be applied and joints bound
f with narrow strips of muslin. Too much glue may prevent the
i  parts from coming into contact, so that the joint will not hold
  well; the parts should he pressed together very firmly, so as to
Z squeeze out as much glue as possible. Allow three or four hours
3 for the glue to dry and then remove bindings and excess glue.
  (j2llll1l€l-lll&ll{(’1`7S putty may be made as follows; To some of
l thc glue prepared as above, add enough Whiting to make a stiff
i paste. When all holes and cracks are clean and dry they may
  be packed with this putty.
l Deep holes and cracks may be filled with stick shellae that
{ can be purchased in colors to match the wood. This shellae may
  be melted on a knife blade or by holding a piece of hot metal
  against the end of the stick shellae. The shellae as it melts
  should be held over the hole so that it will run into the opening.
i A paste made of dry Venetian red and thick gum arabic muci—
; lage is considered satisfactory for deep scratches and fine cracks
l in mahoganyf The necessary color may be substituted for other
i woods.
ii Surface scratches will usually disappear when rubbed with
{ a mixture composed of equal parts of boiled linseed oil, vinegar
  and turpentine.

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    Touching Up the Old Furniture 5 I   _»V,  
  · l ’‘·A :   ·
  · Dark stains may be bleached with an oxalie solution made g   T
i 3 in the proportion of 1 teaspoon of oxalic acid crystals to a pint 1 1*] .
    of warm water. This solution may be rubbed on the stains with   j_ 1}-ffl
‘ l a soft cloth and after a few hours the spots should be washed      if
» thoroly to remove traces of the acid and then smoothed with   lgji`;
Q sandpaper when dry. _ i  
. l TREATMENT r=0R MAHOGANY, CHERRY, WALNUT, OAK  
Rnmovme THE OLD F1N1sH  
Using a Steel Scraper. A thin, brittle finish may be re-  
i moved by means of a steel scraper, fine steel wool or a piece of  
T glass. The scraper is the safest one to use if the scraping edge  
is kept sharpened square with a {ile. The scraper should be held A  
L at an angle of 45° to GOO and the work done with the grain, and i  
_ j with care to avoid splintering the wood. Steel wool is preferable 1  
  for use on delicate veneered surfaces. The fingers may be pro-  
  teeted from the steel wool by old gloves or a piece of cloth. Fine =  
steel wool or ammonia may be used for the turnings, cracks and  
COl'lll‘l'S. Ammonia should be used sparingly so as not to raise the  
grain or bleach the wood. It may be applie_d by means of a `  
small stick wrapped in a cloth. Old coats of varnish or paint in  
i deep creases may be removed by the use of OO sandpaper folded  
over it una, auu blade. ·  
Using a Varnish Renwvcr. \Vhen the old finish is thick and  
hard it is desirable to use a varnish remover which may be ap-  
plied according t-o directions on the can. It will give very good .  
service if applied over a clean, dry surface which has been  
broken with sandpaper or the steel scraper. The old finish will  
become soft in a few minutes and may be removed with old  
cloths and the steel scraper or a dull blade. lt is sometimes  
necessary to apply two or three coats of the remover. All traces ,  
of the remover should be neutralized by thoro washing with gaso- T  
p line, benzine or denatured alcohol so that the new Hnish will not  
l be injured. V · — » v · - . ,  
Sandpapering. When the old finish has been removed accord- = li 
ing to the above directions and thee piece of furniture is clean ’ 
T l 

 6 Kentucky Extension Circular N0. 199
and dry, the surfaces may be rubbed until smooth with OD sand-
paper. The rubbing should be done with the grain of the wood.
An even pressure can be exerted on Hat surfaces such as table
tops, if a smooth block of wood is wrapped in a piece of sand-
paper. Fine steel wool should be used on small turnings. The
surfaces should be dusted thoroly before the next step—oiling.
Oiling. The wood in old pieces of furniture usually is dry.
A coat of raw linseed oil should be brushed into the wood and if,
at the end of twelve hours, the wool still seems dry, another coat
may be applied. The oil brings out the color and grain of the
wood. All excess oil must be rubbed into or off from the wood.
The surfaces are then ready for the stain, if stain is needed. If
stain is not to be used, then the shellac or filler may be applied,
as discussed in the next paragraph, after which the new finish
may be applied.
,- Staining. Stain should not be used unless it is absolutely
F necessary. The stain, when needed, may be applied with a flat
l ll/2 inch brush. Wlieii thoroly dry, the surfaces should be
. smoothed with 00 sandpaper and then dusted. A coat of orange
T shellac may then be applied to bind the stain and act as a filler in
‘ close-grained woods such as cherry. Open grained woods, such
l T as oak, may require a paste filler, which may be applied before
{ the shellac, according to the directions on the container. All
i surfaces, when dry, should be sandpapered until smooth, dusted
K and then treated with any of the finishes discussed in the fol-
{ lowing paragraphs.
,. SELECTING AND APPLYING THE FINISH
  The Oil Finish. The oil finish is especially suitable for the
  top of a dining room table because it is not easily marred and the
  fine, glossy texture may be renewed by an occasional applica-
§ tion of oil and repeated rubbings. The wood should be prepared
  according to the steps given above and then kettle—boiled linseed
  oil diluted one-half with turpentine, should be applied with a
  cloth and the excess oil wiped off. Clean carpeting wrapped
  around a warm brick should be used in polishing all of the large
  surfaces until a sheen appears. Mouldings, turnings and carv-
E

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ii , Touching Up the Old Furniture 7  
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ings should be rubbed with a stiff but smooth cloth such as felt    * V
_ or flannel. The rubbing should be repeated for about fifteen   f
minutes a day for about three weeks. A little oil should be ap-    
A plied and wiped off before each rubbing. This makes a very    
‘ permanent and attractive finish. The surfaces may be rubbed    
with paste wax if desired.  Tg,§f,j;_
The W ax Finish. The wax finish is perhaps the simplest  
and easiest one to apply of all finishes. The surfaces of the fur-  
niture should be prepared as given in previous paragraphs and  
then a paste wax brushed into the wood across the grain and then  
with the grain. This finish is especially good for open grained  
woods such as oak. The wax should be about the consistency of iii 
varnish. It may be thinned with turpentine when necessary. t  
After an hour, when the wax has dried, the surface may be pol- A  
T ished with a thick, non-linting woolen cloth, such as felt or Han-  
nel, first with a circular motion and then with straight strokes {  
T with the grain of the wood. A second coat may be applied and ,  
when dry may be rubbed into the wood with clean felt until a  
smooth finish is secured. The wax finish brings out the color  
and grain of the wood and can be renewed from time to time ·  
by the application of more wax. · 
The Shellac Finish. The shellac finish is attractive for most  
old pieces of mahogany, cherry and walnut. This finish is beau-  
tiful, but easily marred and usually must be repaired by a new ~  
finish from the wood up. _When the piece of furniture has been  
oiled and sandpapered according to the steps outlined above, ,  
the several coats of orange shellac may be applied. Orange shel-  
lac does not conceal the natural color of the wood. It should be Q  
thinned one-third to one-half with alcohol to the consistency of  
thin cream. Several coats, properly sandpapered, will produce A  
a very soft, satin finish, altho a satisfactory piece of work can H  
be done with the application of two or three coats. `  
The shellac should be applied with the grain of the wood by  
means of a two-inch brush. About six hours should be allowed  
between coats of shellac. Each coat, when dry, should be ,  
smoothed and dulled with 00 sandpaper and dusted before the  
-  

 8 Kcntuc/ty Extension Circular N0. .199
application of a new coat. The smoothing should be done with
the grain of the wood and should not penetrate the shellac, espe-
cially along the edges and turnings. The iinal coat should be
polished, when dry, with raw linseed oil and fine pumice. This
polishing may be done by dipping a piece of woolen cloth into
the oil and then into the pumice and rubbing the surface with
long, even strokes with the grain of the wood. For convenience,
the oil and pumiee may be put into saucers. The oil and pumiee
must be combined on the cloth to prevent scratching the surface
of the wood. Excess oil should be removed so that the surfaces
will not become gummy. A smooth, hard, satiny finish should be
the result.
  TREATMENT FOR ASH, POPLAR, PINE, WICKER
. Woods to be Painted or Stained
  Rmiovixo run OLD Fnvisu
I 1\)(‘)H()l’I·}lg llytlxl`. VVax should be removed from the furni-
  ture by sponging the surface with tnrpentine and then washing
  with warm soapsuds followed by clear water. The surfaces should
  i be wiped dry.
  lfemouing il'Y(Ll"Ill$]L and Z’t1i·nt. lf the old hnish is thick,
Z ha1·d and smooth, or is tlaking elf, a varnish remover may be ap-
Q plied according to the directions on the container. An inex-
  pensive remover can be made by mixing 3 tablespoons of lye
L with :1 quart of boiled starch solution that has been made as for
  start-lling clothes. This paste may be applied to a piece of A
  furniture which has been covered with several coats of paint or
  A varnish. The work should be done on bare ground where there
t is no vegetation. .For convenience, an old broom can be used
  when applying the paste. This- paste is recommended for use
L  on cheap woods only. A_ _ _ _ ,_ ' __ , _ ,
l lweparing Sm·fa.ccs_f0r the Finish; A varnished or painted
A surface if intact or slightly rough 1nay be washed, dried and
‘  sandpapercd and the new linish of paint applied over the old.
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I 'I’out·/mtg Up I/ic Old 1*'·2iriiitu»re 9    
T A high, glossy Hnish such as golden oak, should be washed      
and broken by the use of sandpaper or by sponging with am-   { »:;_;
monia. The new finish will then stick without flaking off. Wicker    ,i;Y
_ furniture, whether it has been stained, painted or left natural,      
should be scrubbed with soda water (1 heaping tablespoon wash-    
ing soda to a quart of warm water). It should be dried in the    _
-sun, if possible, and the new finish applied.  
New pine furniture that is to be finished in a delicate tint,  
should be coated with white shellac to bind the pitch and prevent  
_ discoloration of the paint. Orange shellac, which is cheaper,  
may be used under dark finishes. It is desirable to shellac knotty ij  
and sappy places of all woods. ={ 
For best results, it usually is desirable to apply a paste T  
p filler or two or three coats of shellac to all open-grained woods,  
such as oak.  
If the surfaces of the piece of furniture that is to be painted 4  
or stained are rubbed with 00 sandpaper, the new finish will be :  
more permanent. The rubbing should be done with light, even  
strokes, iirst across then with the grain. All dust must be re-  
moved. ‘  
Snnrcrinc. AND Ar1>i.Y1Nc run Fimsn  
V Applying the Paint Finish. This finish should be used over  
woods that do not have beautiful grain and natural color On i 
the othe1· hand, beautiful woods should be treated with a finish  
such as oil, shellac or wax, which will not conceal the natural  
grain and color. These woods should never be painted. e  
The paint should be tlioroly mixed by shaking the can be-  
fore opening and stirring the contents with a clean stick after  
opening. The foundation coats, two or three, should be applied  
in thin, smooth coats. Each coat should be brushed well into the  
wood and allowed to dry twenty-four hours and then sand-  
papered before the next one is applied. The paint may be  
_ thinned with turpentine if it does not How freely.  
Flat white is commonly used under all light-colored enam-  
els. The worker should be careful to keep the paint from set- ,` 
tling in the grooves because thick coats will not dry properly.  
T it 
 

 , 10 Kentuc/:y Extension Ciircnlair N0. 199
Each coat should be smoothed with 00 sandpaper to remove
brush marks. The last undereoat may be a mixture of the flat
paint and the enamel. lf a large can of paint has been purchased,
it is advisable to pour some of it, after mixing, into a small con-
tainer. The paint can be replenished when necessary.
The finishing coats, one or two, of enamel should be mixed
thoroly and applied without thinning, with a clean, two-inch
brush. \\'hcn enamel is applied without flat undercoats it is
likely to flake off. A desired tone can be secured by mixing tube
oil color with a can of the nearest match one can buy. Attrac-
tive grays can be secured by mixing a very small amount of
lampblack with white paint. Chrome yellow may be added to
make a warm gray.
i Soft tones of gray, buff and blue are always satisfactory A
. colors for furniture. The large surfaces should be done in soft
E tones, while the trims may be done in bright colors. Bands or
l stencils in bright colors will add character to painted furniture.
I App/ying the Stain 1¢l·infsh. This finish is satisfactory for
; cheap woods but is not as decorative as the paint finish. The
  stain should be thoroly mixed, lthen applied with a two-inch
i A brush. The surplus stain should be wiped off as soon as the sur·
i face begins to look dull. Some woods will require two or three
l· coats of the stain. A coat of white shellae may be applied after
  twenty-four hours. This shellae will bind the stain. The shiny
  finish, clue to the shellac, should be rubbed down with pumiee
, and oil.
T
i
  _ SELECTION AND CARE OF BRUSHES
  Snriicorino Tun Biznsuns
, The brushes should be of good quality and made of proper
; material, size and shape for best results. A 21/2 inch brush may
  be used for large, fiat surfaces and a 1 inch brush for narrow
Q portions. Soft, flat fitch brushes or very good bristle brushes are
l best for use in paint and varnish. The varnish brush should be
{ used for varnish only.
T l

 Touching Up the Old Furniture 11   i. ·-' _
if
Unmniue THE BRUSHES   i s e
Brushes should be kept in good condition. A new brush     ix .
i should be dipped into the liquid to be used and then worked     ij
_ back and forth on a piece of old board or heavy paper in order g   .
to remove loose bristles. If the work is to be continued the fol-    
lowing day, the handle of the brush should be tied to a stick  
that has been laid across a small pail of water, and the brush    
hung in the pail with the bristles entirely immersed but not  
touching the bottom of the pail.  
If the brushes are not to be used again for some time, they  
should be cleaned as soon as possible. Varnish and paint brushes  
should be cleaned in turpentine, the shellae brush should be  
cleaned in denatured alcohol. The brushes should then be i  
i washed in soap and warm, not hot, water and squeezed in a soft  
cloth. They may be shaken and hung up to dry in a place free A  
from dust. Wlhen dry, they may be slipped into paper bags. ,  
They should be kept. on a flat surface so that the ends of the  
bristles will not turn up.  
CARE OF FURNITURE  
Usinc Fuimrruan PoL1SH _  
The direct application of any furniture polish will, in time,  
cause "blooin," a pu1·plish cloudy film. This Elm can be re-  
moved from painted and varnished furniture by means of a pol-  
ish made as follows: To 1 quart of hot water add 3 tablespoons 5  
linseed oil and 1 tablespoon turpentine. Pour into a bottle and  
shake to mix ingredients. Vilipe off furniture with a piece of  
eheeseeloth wrung dry as possible from this solution and then  
polish with a dry cloth. Liquid wax is very satisfactory for  
waxed surfaces. .  
 
Cnmnine Summers .  
Dull, dingy surfaces may be brightened when rubbed with  
_ a. kerosene cloth followed by a brisk rubbing with clean, soft  
material such as silk.  
irciié

 A 12 Kentucky Extension Circular N0. 199
Pieces of furniture that have become dingy or marred may
be improved by means of a good cleaning liquid. A liquid made
with the following ingredients is recommended by Ray Balders-
ton in her book, "Housewifery." These ingredients may be
mixed by the druggist.
1 c. rotten stone or fine pumice % c. oxalic acid
QQ c. linseed oil IA c. alcohol
ie c. turpentine 1 Tb. sulfuric acid
Mz c. cold water
SURFACE Scrwrcnns AND XVHITE Srors
Surface scratches usually will disappear when rubbed with -
a mixture of equal parts of turpentine, strong vinegar and lin-
9 seed oil.
XVhite spots usually are caused by heat or water and usu-
1 ally can be removed as follows; Rub quickly over surface with a
· hot cloth wrung dry from 1 pint hot water that contains 1
V tablespoon ammonia and then wipe off with a prepared dust
  cloth. The ammonia water removes the spot; the polish restores
Q the finish.
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