Refinishing Surface of Dresser - Suggestions?

[Duman]

I have a nice dresser which is in need of some TLC. There are a few water stains and light marks which I would like to remove. (pics)
I'm thinking fine sandpaper and some type of oil, but not sure which flavor (e.g. - Tung Oil ?) Any suggestions on cleaning/refinishing are appreciated.
8101181012

[buffalobo]

Try one of the cleaners first. Formbys if still around, maybe one of the citrus wood cleaners.

Often those veneers are very thin, by the time you remove a stain by sanding you are through the veneer and exposing substrate.

[Duman]

Good idea.

[powerstroke79]

Wife has done a couple "projects" with chalk paint. Didnt turn out to bad.

[Tim K]

That appears to be maple. Maple is one of those species that changes color over time. It turns yellow. If you start sanding, you will almost certainly get through the yellowed outer layer and reveal the bone colored natural wood. That is not a problem in and of itself, but it will force you to sand every inch of it unless you want different colors on different pieces.

Can you tell if the existing finish is a film building finish or some sort of penetrating oil? If it is a film building finish I would scuff it up with the 220 grit Scotch-Brite sponge and then spray on a coat of aerosol Lacquer or polyurethane varnish. I don’t have good advice if it is a penetrating oil type of finish. I played with that years ago, but gave up on it because of its lack of protection to the surface.

[Tim K]

Correction, the sanding sponges are from 3M. They are yellow and you can buy them at Walmart.

[Jamnanc]

Agreed on the restor-a-finish.

[BPTactical]

If it's like any other horizontal surface in my house just give it a little time and before you know it it will be covered up with miscellaneous crap and you will never see the actual top again.....

[def90]

I have a nice dresser which is in need of some TLC. There are a few water stains and light marks which I would like to remove. (pics)
I'm thinking fine sandpaper and some type of oil, but not sure which flavor (e.g. - Tung Oil ?) Any suggestions on cleaning/refinishing are appreciated.
8101181012

Have any idea what the original finish is? Is it a laquer or is it a rubbed oil finish?

[Duman]

I believe it's a rubbed oil finish.

[JohnnyEgo]

I have a suspicion that you might have to sand deeper than a light surface scouring to get rid of the water marks. My guess is that it is finished with some flavor of boiled linseed oil (BLO). You don't see a lot of tung oil on production furniture because it takes a while to dry. Short of sanding the entire thing to have one cohesive appearance, you might be able to get away with just sanding the top and using Watco Danish Oil in the 'natural' color. Danish Oil is mostly BLO with some varnish additives to harden the finish. Imparts a very mild amber tint as well, which may serve your purposes here. Danish oil is also very easy to apply. You essentially wet a rag with it, or even pour it on the surface, give it 15 minutes or so to absorb, and then wipe the rest off. A couple hours between coats, with sanding not necessary between them. The wood will only absorb as much oil as it can, and because is is not a film finish, you don't need to worry about building or leveling.

Another possibility is Waterlox, which is a combination of tung oil, resin, and drying agents. Waterlox is fairly tough as oil finishes go, though nowhere as tough as a poly finish. It builds a bit, and you do have to level it before the final finish. It also takes longer to dry than Danish Oil, and it is does not like being applied in anything below mildly warm temperatures. But it is pretty tough and water resistant, and is commonly used as a furniture finish for one-off and non-production furniture. For this application, though, it may be too dark.

I love Danish Oil for small projects and things that aren't going to be subject to heavy wear and handling. But any furniture piece with enough flat surface area for a kid or spouse to set a drink on gets several coats of poly. You can buy BLO or Danish Oil at any Home Depot or Lowes. For Waterlox, you may need to go to a specialty store like Woodcraft, or order it online.