How to fix surface bubbling on table?

tukang

So it started with an intention to clean a faint watermark on the table (Blackwood) with a Google tips of (cloth and hot iron on top) to disperse the water trap or whatever on the table surface. It did not end well as now the specific area which I was meant to clean has bubble up due to the heat ( yes i feel so stupid right now to even believe that tips).

My questions, is there away to spot fix the area to make it look good enough or I just have to swallow the bullet and attempt to resand and recoat the whole table ?

JacobZ

Hi @tukang,

It looks like you have a clear varnish finish which has reacted negatively with the heat from the iron. Unfortunately, I am not aware of a method for repairing this that doesn't involve sanding it back and then recoating.

You could certainly try a spot repair first by carefully sanding the affected area and recoating it with a clear varnish. The difficulty is that blending the new coating seamlessly into the surrounding varnish can be quite tricky. Differences in sheen, colour and the thickness of the existing coating can leave the repaired area noticeable. With this being said, it couldn't hurt to try a spot repair and I think a satin clear varnish like this https://www.bunnings.com.au/feast-watson-250ml-clear-satin-varnish_p1564540 would likely be close. If you aren't happy with the results, you can always sand it back, along with the rest of the table.

Unfortunately, if you want a truly seamless result, the most reliable option would be to sand the entire tabletop back evenly and then recoat the whole surface.

Check out https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/diy-skills/repairing/how-to-restore-a-timber-table-in-a-few-easy-steps and https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/home-improvement/furniture-upcycling/how-to-upcycle-furniture for some practical guidance on the process.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob