Restoration: Wood Veneer Pops, Lifts, Bubbles - Repair Tips

A somewhat unusual 6-legged table that much needed some TLC, but not complete refinishing. I show how to bring life back into a neglected table. Part of the process was getting some loose veneer back down to the substrate. You do want to be careful when stripping furniture that is veneer covered as many harsh strippers and any excess moisture can do heavy damage to the veneer. If that has happened to you, this video might help.
For more on filling in damaged edges I have another video that goes over this in detail:
studio.kzbin.infoNF3r...
I always say something that has been repaired before by someone else will take twice the effort to repair the second time. So do it right the first time!

[@janiceschriber4762]

Exactly what I was looking for. Nice to know my antique dining room table isn't lost. 👍🏻

[@OddJobFix]

I'm glad you can save it. Thanks for watching! Thumbs UP!

[@time4clocks]

Just what I was looking for Mr. Zeke! Mitigating the dry bumply surface without refinishing has always been difficult for me. I appreciate your instruction and technique in addressing it.

[@OddJobFix]

Feel free to contact me with any specific questions. I'm adverse to refinishing when an alternate preservation technique can be employed. Identifying the original finish is always the first step and I'm confident that you you know the various alcohol and alcohol steps for testing. Maybe someday we'll make a joint video where I contribute to the finish while you do the movement, etc.

[@time4clocks]

@@OddJobFix Very kind of you Zeke. You would do an expert refinish and then when you say, "over to you, Ab," I would reply, "...and now I will show you how to change an adult diaper in under 6 minutes." That is the only thing I've become good at lately. Take care my friend! :)

[@Maajailm1314]

It looks very good! Thanks for sharing your tips!

[@OddJobFix]

Thanks for watching!

[@annabodroghkozy1498]

Great video! Thank you 🙂

[@OddJobFix]

Thank you for watching.

[@fdort3971]

Clever use of the pipe and pencil! I'll keep it in mind

[@OddJobFix]

Thank you for watching!

[@valentinarodoracio8145]

Looks great

[@OddJobFix]

Thanks, and thanks for watching!

[@johnpowell6386]

Thank you for making this video it has more useful information than the last 10 or so that I have seen.

[@OddJobFix]

Glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching!

[@ericpensyl5578]

I have an old cigar box that has a thin veneer layer that’s detaching from the wood underneath.. the spot is just a 2x2 spot and you can see some small minor cracks in the vaneer but its not flaking up yet.. so I’m hoping it can be salvaged do you have any suggestions on how to apply some light adhesive or glue underneath the vaneer without damaging the rest of the box.. this is a great video it’s definitely nice to see people restoring these old pieces.. thanks for the content and if you can lend some insight or advice that’s greatly appreciated…

[@OddJobFix]

You can use thinned out hide glue that will wipe off the label as you press into place. A warm iron will set the glue in 30 seconds and you can reset with applying heat again until you get it right. White and yellow glue don't do that well. Test the label for being able to be damp wiped and don't use enough glue to squeeze out if you can't clean it. If the paper changes colors when damp, stop. You may have to use contact cement applied thinned and very carefully so as to not get any on top. Follow the directions.

[@ericpensyl5578]

@@OddJobFix thanks I appreciate your input and advice.. I’m probably going to try this method out and see how it works.. I guess you could say the spot is kinda bubbling but not flaky yet and none of the vaneer is damaged aside from two small cracks on either end of the bubbling.. my initial thought was to use some wood glue and press it into and under the vaneer with a credit card or something similar.. then try to add some pressure to the surface but I think the wood glue would discolor the old polyurethane or lacquer finish.. but I’m not really familiar with vaneer finishes and I greatly appreciate your advice on this one.. I will definitely follow your directions… Thanks again

[@animallover-lc2zh]

Wha do you do with a veneer that's bubbled up that's about an inch long and raised about 1/8" and has turned hard? It's not soft and pliable so that you can cut down the middle and insert glue and weigh it down. This is rock hard, that's been there for a long time.

[@OddJobFix]

Did you try heat? How about moist heat - an iron on a damp cloth. Thanks for watching.

[@tlouiseduch6146]

Thank you. Very informative and understandable. Should I measure the temperature of my iron and purchase one of those temperature gauges? It seemed like it was a wide range for it to glue back down.

[@OddJobFix]

Not really. I tend to be up near 'cotton and wool' settings. Depends a lot on how long it's pressed down and recovery time. If the iron is going to sit for 5 minutes, I turn it down some. If I'm using it constantly, I turn it up until it does something bad like burn the wood.

[@wildwestadventures3583]

Thanks for making the video! Great insights! If you were to sand an antique dresser with lots of detailed contours, would you hand sand or are there some contour tools you use?

[@OddJobFix]

I just bought some sanding sticks: www.amazon.com/dp/B00G13A7F8?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details No affiliation. There are attachments for multi-tools and there are many shapes of shaft mounted abrasives for drills and mini drills. Also cloth backed sand paper called emery cloth can be ripped into small strips which are really handy. Don't forget about steel wool and abrasive pads. Even a tooth brush and loose abrasive can work for delicate items. I've even seen abrasives mounted on a reciprocating saw. Thanks for watching!

[@Chicosmama]

The link to your other video is not working ☹️ I have a piece I'm working on that I need help with and you mentioned shellec sticks for the lifting I. The edges. So you have another link?

[@OddJobFix]

Sorry. Does this work? kzbin.info/www/bejne/hHeWo6OKbtCosM0 Let me know and I'll work on it if not. Thanks for watching!

[@vedasrigoske3512]

Thank you for the video, it really healps. Do you know how to remove bulge on wooden laminated coated kitchen counter top?

[@OddJobFix]

Hard to guess but the heat might work. Thanks for watching.

[@anneliseallen]

Do you know, would a steamer work in place of the iron or would it deform the wood more? I'm mainly asking because a steamer is what I have.

[@OddJobFix]

Hard to say. Maybe if you made something in the way of a shield out of metal strips you could concentrate on the lifted area and then move a strip over to hold it down. Thanks for watching.

[@somethingbluefarms6449]

So I have a piece that got slightly wet with a Misty rain and the top got bumpy all over. Is there a way to fix this?

[@OddJobFix]

Depends on the type of glue. You can try a warm to hot clothes iron on several sheets of paper or thin cardboard. Ifthe top seems to want to stick, cool it down with a flat weight. Try not to cook the finish, but if you do there's always refinishing.

[@RRDominus]

Great video, how long did you keep the pipe pressured on the seam?

[@OddJobFix]

For the rest of the afternoon. Might have left it overnight, but not needed. Getting wood to achieve a new memory is the result of heat, moisture, (glue, of course) and time. Time for the glue to set and gain strength helps. Thanks for watching!

[@AZhomeswithlena]

How long did you press the pipe on the seam?

[@OddJobFix]

Until it cooled. Thanks for the question