Serious question, I stripped a 1920s dresser last week and the wood underneath is almost gray

It was a solid oak piece from an estate sale in Cincinnati. I used a chemical stripper, and when I got the old varnish off, the wood looked washed out and pale, not that warm oak color I expected. I'm worried I might have damaged it or if it's just how the wood aged. Has anyone else run into wood that lost its color after stripping, and what did you do to bring it back?

3 comments

3 Comments

grayt4626d ago

Oxalic acid is the usual fix for that gray look, but go easy with it. Try a small test spot on the back or inside a drawer first to see how the wood reacts. You might end up needing to sand it back a bit after, since it can leave the surface a little rough. Once you get the color you want, a coat of oil will usually bring the warmth back.

cole_mitchell81mo ago

Oxalic acid will bleach that gray right out.

maxp681mo agoMost Upvoted

I saw a woodworking forum thread where someone used oxalic acid on a teak deck. It did lighten the gray weather stains, but it also raised the grain and made the wood feel fuzzy. They had to do a lot of sanding afterward to get it smooth again. It seems like it works for color but can mess with the wood surface. I'd be careful using it on anything nice without testing a hidden spot first. The results can be pretty uneven if you don't apply it perfectly even.