To Restore or Not to Restore - That is the Question

Started by Kiwidave, 31 August 2019, 07:02:22 PM

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Should I restore this desk to some semblance of its former glory, or just leave it be?

Leave it - it's going to get trashed anyway
3 (23.1%)
Paint it matt black to make it look cool
1 (7.7%)
Restore it to the best of your ability
9 (69.2%)

Total Members Voted: 11

industrialtrousers

If it were my desk I'd probably strip the bugger then use a teak varnish or stain.

Norm

Two points grabbed my attention first;

has a it a rarity value, i.e. does it 'deserve' to be restored for its own sake?

how is that drop down flap supported. I know it is intended as a writing type desk, but will it take the rigours of a painting desk.

outside of all of that, as already suggested, I would lightly sand and then lightly rub in Danish Oil .... repeat etc. until the wood is fully fed, has a sheen and no raised (swollen) grain. There is a smell off Danish Oil.

Kiwidave

Norm,

It has two arms that come out of the desk to support the flap. The flap itself will need a bit of work as the pieces of wood that constitute it are starting to part company.

The main drawback to any restorative work is that we are in an apartment, so nowhere convenient to sand or stink out with oils.

Kiwidave

Apologies for the thread necromancy!

Desk now completed :D

Stripped the original varnish and sanded; then two coats of Jacobean Dark Oak wood dye, then two coats of lacquer/varnish. The metalwork polished up with liberal application of Brasso and elbow grease.
I've not done the internal drawers section (other than the door) as a) it would be fiddlier to strip, and b) look OK as is.

Before and After


   

Drawers
I also lined the drawers with adhesive vinyl:
   

All I need now is my painting stuff to arrive and I'm all set :)

Ithoriel

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

Duke Speedy of Leighton

You may refer to me as: Your Grace, Duke Speedy of Leighton.
2016 Pendraken Painting Competion Participation Prize  (Lucky Dip Catagory) Winner

paulr

Lord Lensman of Wellington
2018 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
2022 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
2023 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!


FierceKitty

I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.


Techno


fsn

Lord Oik of Runcorn (You may refer to me as Milord Oik)

Oik of the Year 2013, 2014; Prize for originality and 'having a go, bless him', 2015
3 votes in the 2016 Painting Competition!; 2017-2019 The Wilderness years
Oik of the Year 2020; 7 votes in the 2021 Painting Competition
11 votes in the 2022 Painting Competition (Double figures!)
2023 - the year of Gerald:
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Kiwidave

Cheers guys. :)

It was an interesting exercise, and I'm sort of tempted to do it again to something else, but it will have to wait until we move to a house with a shed/garage to work in.

KD