Green stain on a ercol top

[Boywonder]

I have a green stain on our pine Ercol Dresser from watering a pot plant. The matt under the pot got damp and we didnt know abouit it for a few days.What the best method to remove it as its gone through the top finish .Will i have to do the whole top.Boywonder

 

[Benchwayze]

Hi BW,

I would have thought Ercol would use a finish that would stand up to water and heat. If it's some kind of polyurethane varnish, this shouldn't have happened.

I would find out what finsih they used and if they stained the wood too. Knowing what to use, you might get away with local removal and re finishing. If the stain has impregnated the timber and you can't bleach it out, then you'll probably have to plane or sand it out. In which case the whole top is the easiest route I would think.

Hope this helps
John

 

[Boywonder]

The furiture is a pine dresser from the 1960s .Idont think its been stained there are some surface scratches on the top after all these years but not many and as it happens just were the damage is.

 

[Benchwayze]

Well BW,

I would test a small patch, where it won't show, to see if some kind of modern varnish will lie on top for the old without reaction.
If it will, then try local sanding and see if the stain will come away with sanding. If it does, then you can clean it up, remove any polish from the top and see what you get for a match with the varnish. You'll soon be able to tell if you need to go back to the timber to stain, or whether or not you can just varnish.

If you get a close match leave it for some time and see if it 'matures', as it were. Probably only you would notice it. Otherwise, it's go back to the timber and refinish entirely.
Best of luck with it.

Regards
John

 

[Boywonder]

Thanks for the info.I will ask Ercol what finish the used at the time of maufacture.

 

[Benchwayze]

Good idea,

Probably some kind of sprayed cellulose finish.
If so, oil based paints will go on top with out problem, usually at any rate.
Not the other way around though.

Hope you get it sorted okayRegards
John