How to fix damage to outdoor table stain?

Haggis427

Hi, I have this issue with our outdoor table. A bottle of soil wetter leaked whilst rolling around during the night a year or so ago. The damage to the stain/oil was very unexpected.

I am in a quandary as to the best approach getting it to match with stain/oil.

It has been suggested I sand back the whole tabletop and re-coat. But how to get the colour to match somewhat close again? Any suggestion would be welcome.

It is from Segals collection about 12 years ago and they do not sell stuff like this anymore. Thanks for any help

EricL

Hello @Haggis427 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your outdoor table. 

It appears that whatever spilled onto your table had high levels of acidity as it clearly disintegrated the surface sealer. Matching the surface colour will be extremely difficult as it is no longer the original colour. It's been exposed to the sun and elements making it fade into a different shade all together. Even if you were to paint the surface with the original stain it would look totally different. If you are after a close match, I propose visiting your local store and looking at the outdoor furniture stain and varnish sample board. 

In order to get a uniform finish on the surface, I suggest sanding it back down to timber. The general steps would be to use a random orbital sander, this will reduce the amount of sanding time of your table. You then wipe the surface of the table clean and remove as much of the sanding dust as you can. If you wish to test the stain/sealer first to see what the results will be, I suggest doing a test spot under the table. If you are happy with the finish, you can then commit the rest of the table.  

I strongly suggest finding a painting spot where it will be free from dust, debris and will not be exposed to the elements while it's drying off. 

Here is a handy step-by-step guide: How To Restore Wooden Furniture.

Please make sure to wear personal protection such as gloves, goggles and a paint rated mask.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric