How to Repair Antique Table Tops

Removing Water Stains and Warps

• 1

  Apply denatured alcohol onto a soft cloth rolled into a ball. Smooth a piece of the cloth where you are adding the alcohol and pat the cloth into the palm of your other hand to spread the liquid throughout the cloth.

• 2

  Pat the cloth over the finish of the table lightly using a back and forth motion in the direction of the wood grain. Lightly touch the cloth to the stain surface, lift and touch again, continuing this motion until the water stain is gone.

• 3

  Pour more denatured alcohol on the cloth if it begins to dry and the stain hasn't disappeared. Continue to pat the water stain with the same motion as before. The purpose of keeping your cloth damp is to soften the finish, but it shouldn't be wet enough to cut through the wood surface.

• 4

  Allow the area to dry after removing the stains. Use #0000 steel wool and rub firmly in the direction of the grain to blend the sheen. Use paste-wax to finish.

• 5

  Remove warps by first removing the leaves or tabletop and placing them on a bed of moistened excelsior, which are fine wood shavings, with the underside or raw wood surface down.

• 6

  Place heavy weights on the boards to help with the straightening. The straightening will begin once the pieces start to react to the moisture.

• 7

  Use four cabinetmaker's clamps and if possible, old bed rails that are longer than the width of the warped pieces. Place rails under and above to form sort of a box or cribbing, and tighten the screws of the clamps. Leave the wood and clamps alone for at least 48 hours.

• 8

  Tighten the screws a bit after 48 hours. Repeat this step regularly until the warped part is out. Once the pieces are pressed sufficiently, leave the wood in position until the moisture from the excelsior has disappeared.