Ercol drop leaf Windsor table and chairs refinishing

[Feksake]

Hi, I'm new to the forum....
Bought the above broken and with black spots and in a poor state generally, but its beautiful.
I have stripped, repaired and used Oxcalic acid for the black spots.
I am poised with 240 grit, but do not know what product to use to finish it with.
I wanted a light finish but an original finish. Ercol state that they finished their furniture with Clear Mat Lacquer, but which one? which range of their funiture.?
I am tempted to go for a water based clear mat, but need advice to get it right first time!
The original finish seemed to be a varnish on the spokes and I presume the same on the elm seat bases, but I am not an expert.
Is Manns water based a contender?
Kind regards to all that chip in with advice.

 

[AndyT]

I wouldn't get too worried about using the same stuff to refinish. At the factory, they would want something that could be sprayed and would dry quickly, and need the fewest possible coats.

At home, for a one-off, you can take your time and probably won't mind doing two or three coats. And you will presumably be wiping or brushing your finish.

There do seem to be some excellent, tough water based acrylic or polyurethane finishes now. There is also the newer category of " hard wax oil " from Osmo or Chestnut.

So I suggest you use what you are comfortable with, and do the underside first, to make sure.

 

[Beau]

I re finished in the in-laws Ercol table. Used Liberon finishing oil and it came out very well. They were over the moon about it and it still looks good today and sees plenty of use.

 

[Feksake]

Hi Thanks for reply. Looks fantastic. The colour is just as my table was before I stripped it! (it was damaged..)
How durable is it? I have small children and hot cups will be placed on it at some time!
What is your opinion of modern acrylics for such jobs?
Rgds

 

[Beau]

It's pretty durable but the thicker the better if want ultimate protection. Used Finishing on our kitchen worktops very thickly like a varnish and it has been completely hot coffee cup proof. This table had only three coats but is relatively well cared for and probably has not had a hop cup on it since I did it.

Problem I see with acrylics is their pale nature. Great on maple or birch ply but not good on oak, cherry and elm IMO. Also I have yet to see it add depth to a surface. You can't see in the pictures but the swirls in the grain look 3d in the flesh. Less so now admittedly but that was 7 years ago and still looks good today. Great thing with oils is the ease of which you can add another coat without completely re finishing if an oops does occur.

 

[custard]

I hope you stick around, I'll look forward to saying "that's a good question for Feksake".

Incidentally, you've got one of the very few items of second hand furniture that's actually growing in value rather than becoming worthless before your very eyes. Consequently it makes sense not to screw it up. So, if you like what Beau has done (and what's not to like, it's stunning), then just follow his method to the letter and you'll get the same.

Good luck!

 

[ED65]

Super job on that Beau, I bet that looks a darn site better than it did when the table was brand new in the showroom.

 

[Beau]

Thanks you two. It was one of those little jobs that went better than I could have hoped (not many do). Had no idea how much sanding was going to be needed to remove the existing finish but as it happened it was pretty easy to sand off. I was a bit worried about how dramatic the grain looked as I applied the oil and the onlookers went a bit quiet but thankfully the in laws loved the contrast that arose from a fresh finish. Snag is they have lots of old Ercol furniture so made a rod for my back when this came out well haha.

 

[Feksake]

Beau, AndyT thanks for tech advice. Thanks for encouragement, Custard.
After much thought...
Now that I have stripped it to pine looking colour and got rid of the black spots with Oxalic acid, I would like to get a slightly lighter colour than the Liberon oil gives and as the table was before the strip.
I dont like that aged yellowish tint that my furniture accumulated. So I am not keen on the oils.
I can imagine that the acrylics wouldnt do justice to the Elm, but when wetted with water the Elm chair seats and table top look good. Would they look similar with acrylic when dry? ( I really do feel that out of my depth here)
So the polyurethane would give the Elm more depth and be very durable, sounds like I should do that, but ( i really do feel.......)
I have a blowing vac and a low pressure spray gun which I've never used. God i really shouldnt be doing this..
Just to give you some history about the Ercol purchase. Me and the missus where looking for a chest for kids shoes, spotted a 50's chest bid 35 and got it. But as we where leaving this pile of chairs with a broken arm piled up, caught both of our attention. Mmm not bad...broken easy repair. So I waited and won the bid at 155. Felt a bit ripped off, but the rose coloured glasses transposed the pile of wood as a beautiful dinning service that would make visitors stagger at its fine majestic quality.
As I was loading the car, a couple of dealers standing near by made conversation, "So you like Ercol stuff?". I mumbled "Ercol what ..oh you mean the table and chairs (vaguely remembering the description in the auction catalogue). He said, how much you pay 150? I said yes, feeling redeemed that I paid a sensible price and wasnt the subject of sniggers and uncontrollable tear inducing laughter from the other punters and auction staff. I loaded the rest of the wood/ collectors items into the car with increased pride and drove off feeling fairly sensible and wondered what to do next. What I did was to discover what Ercol was. (There must be a God that looks after the ignorant) Since then I've worried myself silly when bleach would not remove the black spots, only to find out on youtube that "Its a simple job....). Now that I've killed a patch of grass and bleached my jeans in unfashionable patches when stripping. Splashed paint stripper so I had to grope my way back into the house to save my eye sight (twice) I am more determined to overcome any obstacle that comes my way during this, what has become a serious restoration. I just hope that I am able to sit on at the table when finished...
Anyhow, back to my project. Any last advice, please persuade me away from polyurathane. If it is to be poly.. what make do you suggest? Oh just thought it would be nice to have some before and after photos goto go...
Update.
Just been on Manns helpline. They recommend Osmo polyx oil, easy to put on as tough as Polyurethane easier to repair as beau said ... grrrrr head ache comming on..