The stain looks blotchy and you can still see the can oval where something was left on the table.
What can I use to remove or cover these stains without using paint?
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I have stripped sanded, used Oxalic acid, toothpaste w/soda on this old 1929 drop down table and applied minwax liquid dark walnut to cover the stains but the table still looks bad. I have not put the poly on yet I wanted to try one more thing before I gave up.
On the left side you can still see another can mark.
I am thinking that if you bought some General Finishes gel stain in a darker color and used at least 2 coats-possibly 3- you would not see any of these marks. The gel stain is water based and semi transparent but it does cover up difficult areas like these. I just recently tried it for the first time and I am quite impressed. You can finish over it with the poly you have. General Finishes does make a clear sealer but I have gone over the General Finishes with Minwax Polycrylic which is a water based poly. Maybe even check into the Minwax "gel"-not the one with poly in it--just the stain. I recently refinished a vintage child desk that has a wooden top. I too used stripper and sanded and when I stained it there were areas similar to yours. I did a few coats of dark walnut stain-regular Minwax-- and then about 5 coats of poly. Still apparent that I have a old vintage desk top with years of use but it shows character and charm and I get many compliments on it.
If you want it look like new, take it to someone who does refinishing old furniture. You will be amazed what they can do. I think you will be happy with it, if you do.
No answer, but my mother resorted to antiquing a similar table back in the Sixties. Avocado green, no less! I still have the table.
How did the wood look when stripped? If the stain remains even after stripping and sanding, you may need to go darker if you want it stained. Good luck and stay safe!
Hi Beckie. I would sand it down to raw wood. If the stain persists, use a darker stain. It may take several coats. Stay well and healthy Beckie.
They look like moisture/water stains. Place a towel or cloth over the stains. Set an iron to medium heat and iron over the cloth. Check to see if the stains are being pulled out. May take a few passes. In the future when staining wood that has tight and wide grains use a wood conditioner. It absorbs more into the wide grains and less in the tight grains. Wipe off any excess. Then stain. This will give you an even finish. I especially use it when staining pine, birch, fir, and any soft woods. Hardwoods are generally tight grain so they don't need conditioner.
If it was mine I would sand it down more to the bare wood and start again.
Hello there,
Maybe start again and sand down and use a darker wood stain, if marks are still visible. Don't wax until you are sure you like the colour. It will be worth getting right otherwise like me you will never be happy with it! If it is worth doing at all, then it is worth the time it takes! Best wishes.
From the picture it looks to be a soft wood which always stains blotchy. Was it stained before? If so was probably a sprayed on finish over a sanding sealer. You need to either stain it very, very dark or just paint it. If painting Prime with an oil based primer, lightly sand the give it 2 good coats of oil based semi gloss. Will be very durable. I love mixed finish furniture- half stain, half paint.
Have you tried to lightly sand the stains to remove them?
You will probably need to lightly sand and apply stain again.
It doesn't look like you have sanded deep enough to remove the stain. You will have to sand much more to remove the stain and probably the whole top to make it match.
Hi there: I would lightly sand the table again and apply some wood conditioner before you reapply the stain. Wood Conditioner is a pre-staining step made for use on interior wood projects before finishing with an oil-based stain. Varathane Wood Conditioner helps prevent splotchy, uneven staining on soft and porous wood types, including birch, maple, alder, fir and pine. Then I would probably stain it a little darker. The basic rule for getting good results with any wood stain is to apply a wet coat and wipe off the excess before it dries. You can use any tool – rag, brush, paint pad, roller or spray gun – to apply the stain. You can even dip the object into stain or pour the stain onto the wood and spread it around.Sand the wood between coats with the steel wool substitute in the same way you sanded between coats of stain. This sanding serves the same purpose: It evens the finish and helps the next coat adhere better. Sand carefully, however, to avoid sanding through the finish and marring the stained surface.
Have you tried to sand down that spot then restrain. It .
I would just gently send it of and re-sealed it