How to clean an old wood desk?

Cheeseisqwerty

I recently got a second hand desk. It. Had quite a few marks and stains on it. Many of the marks have come off with a magic eraser style brush but I have had to sand a few of the deeper marks off (was using 240grit sandpaper). However sanding it back. Does. Leave a fairly obvious patch. 

So far I've just done one small side of the desk.

Isthere any advice on cleaning up these patches after (e.g. Wax, oil, clear coat), or advice on cleaning up the rest of the desk without sanding?

I don't really want to fully sand back and refinish the desk if I can avoid it.

MitchellMc

You’re on the right track @Cheeseisqwerty, and this is a very common situation with timber furniture. The patchy look you’re seeing comes from the combination of deeper sanding marks and the difference in finish between the sanded areas and the rest of the desk.

For the patch itself, you’ll want to smooth out the scratches from the initial sanding. Moving up from 240 grit to 400 or even 600 grit for hand sanding will help remove the rough sanding marks and make the area blend better. Always sand with the grain, not across it, and keep your strokes consistent so you don’t make the patch stand out more.

Once it’s smooth, trying to restore just the small patch with a coating can be tricky if you don’t know the original finish. The easiest way to get a consistent look without stripping the whole desk is to sand the entire top lightly. Just enough to take the sheen off and blend the patched areas. Then, apply a surface-friendly finish like a clear wax. Beeswax works particularly well for this because it will even out the look, add a protective layer, and enhance the timber’s natural colour without creating hard edges around your patch.

Please let me know fi you have any questions.

Mitchell