How to refresh an "old" smelling wooden lamp post

I discovered the question on a profile group. Worded a little differently but you get the idea. At first glance it seemed simple, a light sanitizing and another coat of varnish, nothing complicated. Some of those who rushed to answer even went with that idea.

But a closer look at the photos shows that things are not so simple and the chandelier needs more attention. The owner of the chandelier mentioned in passing that in addition to the smell of junk,there were some imperfections. On closer inspection, these imperfections were not very small, which meant that intervention on it could be done in several ways, with different results.

A careful analysis of the photos revealed the real condition of the lamp post

The photos were quite large so I could carefully analyze every detail of the lamp. Here are the findings:

The chandelier wasn't the first time. The thick layer of varnish covering it was an indication that the chandelier had been varnished over time. Coloured varnish had been used, and in some areas the wood was completely covered as if paint had been used. On close inspection it was apparent that it had not been cleaned very well before varnishing. In some areas there was some soiling under the varnish, but not to the level of the wood.

The lake had cracks on its extensive surface. Especially at the bottom, the varnish layer had visible cracks. They were definitely due to the thick layer of varnish, hence the presence especially at the bottom, where more of it collects due to the leakage. The cracks are not due to the natural movement of the wood because they do not follow the direction of the grain.

It had numerous dents that reached the wood (those light-colored marks). In many places it had blows that reached into the wood, the light colour that appeared in those areas being evidence of this. There were also less deep scratches or dents that could easily be overlooked on an old piece, i.e. it would not have bothered it so much that one would want to rebuild it.

Tarnished areas that may show signs of long-term maintenance with wax or wax-containing products. The chandelier had been coated with gloss varnish so the tarnished areas were easily visible. Dirt had collected there and considerably diminished the gloss. My guess is that wax products had been used to wipe it down and so the dust and dirt had set better.

What could be done? In my view there were two options, one simple and one more complicated, with more work.

A refresh that cannot remove all shortcomings

The idea of the simple version is to accept the appearance with some flaws, the value of the lamp being given precisely by the old appearance. It is exactly the refreshment you want, in which case dirt and smell bother, not dents, scratches and cracks.

It is advisable to sanitise with water and detergent, possibly followed by light sanding, not with thinner. Most likely the chandelier has been lacquered with glossy tinted nitrocellulose varnish. This varnish is sensitive to thinner, it will take, tarnish the appearance even more, and the gloss will be lost. Find here information on how you can identify the product with which an old object has been finished.

You don't have to be afraid of washing your furniture with water and detergent. Indeed, it's not good for water to splash on wood, but we're not talking about washing with a hose or letting moisture sit on the object for long. Furniture is washed with a washcloth soaked in lukewarm water with liquid dishwashing detergent (it's a very good degreaser). In the detergent water you can add a few drops of essential oils, mint and lemon are recommended for their fresh scent. Other ways to get rid of unpleasant smells from objects and furniture include here.

With a well wrung out cloth, vigorously clean each part of the object. If it is not cleaned on the first pass, clean again. DO NOT use abrasives as they are coarse and will scratch the surface badly.

After cleaning the dirt, wipe the object again with a cloth soaked in clean water and wrung out thoroughly. Finally, wipe thoroughly with a clean, dry cotton cloth (cotton shirts are best) and leave to soak for at least 12 hours.

If the layer of dirt is thick and cannot be removed by washing only, after the cleaning the entire surface is sanded lightly with sandpaper with a grain size of min.400 so as not to affect the gloss of the varnish.

After sanding or after sanding and stripping, apply a colourless or walnut-coloured furniture or wood wax to the entire surface. An antique walnut colour would be most suitable in this case. The coloured wax also helps to partially cover the dents that have reached the wood. The wax is also applied with a soft cotton cloth.

Leave for at least half an hour (or as long as the manufacturer recommends) and then polish with a soft, clean cotton cloth. A very nice satin sheen will be obtained.

If the lake is treated, it is no longer a replenishment but a reconditioning

The complicated option is chosen if we want to get rid of cracks, but in this case we are no longer talking about refreshing but about refurbishment of the object. The cracks should not be covered with another coat of varnish because that too will crack as the coat will become even thicker.

The first step is to remove the cracked varnish down to the wood. The easiest way is to use a universal paint stripper. These are usually in gel form and applied with a brush. Or cloths soaked with thinner are placed over the entire surface of the lamp. The object wrapped in rags is placed in a bag. This avoids the smell of thinner and keeps the object in the atmosphere of the thinner vapour, so the effect is quicker.

If the paint stripper is solvent-based, do the same to intensify the effect. After the varnish has swollen or softened, clean it with a squeegee. The surface is then wiped with thinner and sanded with 150 or 180 grit sandpaper. Find here the method described at length, but also other methods of removing old varnish or paint.

Once the wood has been reached, it is stained in walnut colour and 2 coats of glossy coloured nitrocellulose varnish are applied (to reproduce the original appearance). For a uniform appearance, it is recommended to spray the varnish. You don't have to worry about the initial unpleasant smell because it is removed with the old coat of varnish, and the applied finish comes with a new furniture smell.

In conclusion

In short, the recommendations would be as follows:

• analyse the object thoroughly to discover any problems,
• First of all, remove the accumulated dirt, it might be enough,
• do not apply varnish over dirt and never over cracks. Do not apply polyurethane varnish over nitro varnish (I saw such a recommendation on the group), they are not compatible. Old objects are generally finished with shellac or nitrocellulose varnish, and re-coating can be done with nitrocellulose varnish,
• on an old object, scratches and dents are not always a problem. They are accepted as part of the charm of the object,
• Wax can be used to refresh the old look, but only after they have been sanitised. Polished wax has a satin sheen. You can't get mirror shine with wax,
• if you decide to remove old layers of varnish, you should know that it is not easy. Choose this as a last resort and call in the experts if you have never done this before. You may find that it is difficult along the way and abandon the project. The bad news is that by the time you abandon it, you may have ruined it further.

I hope you find the information interesting. If you have any questions or queries, please leave them in the space below. I will certainly answer them.