nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Sept 29, 2014 15:27:42 GMT -8
I've been sanding our Shasta and I've come to the moment of truth. I can't sand any deeper yet I still have some water stains. I know that if I shellac over them it's going to be ugly. Tearing the walls down to replace the wood seems like overkill. On top of which, this is Ashe not Birch. I could just paint, which is what my wife wants. But the wood is in really nice shape otherwise. So, any ideas on how to remove these little water stains before I shellac?
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Post by danrhodes on Sept 29, 2014 15:43:20 GMT -8
For the inevitable accidents in my house (toddler or pug), I've used hydrogen peroxide to remove dark stains from wood. You have to be careful to not bleach the wood completely, but it takes them out...regular bleach might also work.
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John Palmer
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Post by John Palmer on Sept 29, 2014 17:52:43 GMT -8
Regular bleach, and a tooth brush, dilute with water about 50%. Take your time.
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Sept 29, 2014 18:15:21 GMT -8
Two good suggestions. Thanks.
I wondered if bleach would turn the wood straight white. But I guess it's better than a black stain. I will experiment tomorrow and give you an update.
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Post by vikx on Sept 29, 2014 21:39:29 GMT -8
Deck wash works, too.
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Sept 30, 2014 7:52:37 GMT -8
Oxailic acid is used too. Just make sure to follow the directions carefully.
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SusieQ
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Post by SusieQ on Sept 30, 2014 8:51:01 GMT -8
Great thread. I have the same issue.
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Post by danrhodes on Sept 30, 2014 14:47:22 GMT -8
Regular bleach, and a tooth brush, dilute with water about 50%. Take your time. John, When you get the stain to an acceptable shade, do you do anything to neutralize the bleach, or just wash it with water?
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John Palmer
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Post by John Palmer on Sept 30, 2014 17:08:04 GMT -8
Regular bleach, and a tooth brush, dilute with water about 50%. Take your time. John, When you get the stain to an acceptable shade, do you do anything to neutralize the bleach, or just wash it with water? I use a cleaner from the 99 Cents store. It's sold under the name of Awesome Cleaner, it's a cheap version of Simple Green. It's Great, and it's Cheap! It is much too concentrated to use it straight. I have three or four bottles of it in different dilutions.
Just spray it on, brush it with a "brass or Stainless Steel" brush in the direction of the grain. Then wipe it off, and let it dry for a day. Sand "in the direction of the grain" with some 220, then apply the first coat of amber. You will want to feather edge your coats into the original finish (if any is left).
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Sept 30, 2014 17:08:33 GMT -8
Regular bleach, and a tooth brush, dilute with water about 50%. Take your time. John, When you get the stain to an acceptable shade, do you do anything to neutralize the bleach, or just wash it with water? If you wash it with water, will it raised the grain of the wood requiring more sanding? I'll experiment with some tiny out-of-the-way spots tomorrow. I'll try bleach at 50% on one spot, hydrogen peroxide on another and deck cleaner on a third. I'll post the results. I wasn't able to find Oxailic.
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Sept 30, 2014 20:30:58 GMT -8
Ace Hardware has the Oxallic Acid...
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Oct 1, 2014 14:25:00 GMT -8
The jury is in! I tried all the suggestions made here and the winner is… Oxaicla acid Before after oxacila below the black mark in the middle, bleach above. The bleach (50/50 mix) did almost as good after two rounds of it but still left a little black tint. The oxacila you see did great with just one treatment.
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SusieQ
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Post by SusieQ on Oct 1, 2014 15:11:35 GMT -8
Wow, thanks so much NC!
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chutney
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Post by chutney on Oct 1, 2014 19:39:40 GMT -8
Nccamper, I bought oaxalic acid in bulk online with no instructions . Do you just mix with water? What ratio? How did you apply/remove? Thanks, I am looking forward to trying this on the birch in my Yellowstone.
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Oct 2, 2014 4:45:09 GMT -8
Nccamper, I bought oaxalic acid in bulk online with no instructions . Do you just mix with water? What ratio? How did you apply/remove? Thanks, I am looking forward to trying this on the birch in my Yellowstone. One small container will do a lot of wood. This is how I used it: Sand the area to bare wood Clean off the dust with a dry cloth first, then a tack rag you can get for $2 at Lowes or Home Depot. The instruction say to mix a heaping tablespoon with a quart of hot water. I went a little stronger for the test...maybe a teaspoon for a cup of hot water. A quart is all you need for a camper with a lot of staining. Mix half for just small spots, it doesn't take much. With an old toothbrush, gently brush it on for 20 seconds or so then wait 10 minutes. Reapply if you want it lighter, but one treatment got me the results you see above. For really small areas, I'd put it on with a Q-tip. Try not to treat beyond the stain area, no need to bleach good wood. The instructions say to "Triple rinse" the area with water mixed with a little baking soda. I wiped it (only in the stain applied area-a quart of water with a table spoon of baking soda) and pat it dry with a cloth. Wait until it dries completely and sand with 220 grit paper.' Done! In my opinion the key is to be very strategic about applying it. Try not to get it all over the place. When you apply both the cleaner and the water to rinse, make sure it doesn't run down the wall. If it does, you're putting it on too heavy. After one spot you'll understand. No need to soak the area, just wet it. The toothbrush and q-tips will help. Wear gloves and goggles. Treat it the way you would handle straight bleach.
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