The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California

The Care Of Wood Work In The Home

If you do this, you will not wash the oil or varnish right out of the wood and it will quickly patinate up again with a good waxing. Before waxing, wipe the stripped surface with methylated spirit or other solvent advocated by the maker of the stripper and leave to dry naturally. Caution: Some strippers are inflammable.

Although modern strippers are quick and do not soften the wood as much as caustic soda, they may be too drastic for delicate, fragile carvings, made brittle by age. Such objects we strip when necessary by brushing on acetone or carbon tetrachloride with a tooth brush; though more laborious, this is effective. Carbon tetrachloride is only safe on light woods, because it causes fading of some of the deeper-colored varieties. Speed is essential with it too, because it is extremely volatile and unless wiped off rapidly after application, it will evaporate, leaving the coating redeposited; only a small area should, therefore, be treated at a time. Caution is necessary when using both these materials: acetone is inflammable and dangerous near a naked light; carbon tetrachloride is mildly anaesthetic and should not be used in a confined space.

1. Furniture wax is a food and sealing coat, as well as a polish. It should be applied to seen and unseen parts alike. 'End grain' is the most vulnerable to splitting. Under the base and inside the bottom of this loving cup are the most important parts to coat with wax.

2. It's a fiddling job to inject each worm hole, but it is quickest in the long run. This ancient gingerbread mould has the top left-hand corner broken away by worm tunnel- ling. The corner has been 'made up' with plastic wood to prevent further damage.