Lime Waxing oak effect table

xxxpinkladyxxx

We have just been given a coffee table which is oak effect. It is quite a light colour but it doesn't really match the other wood furniture that we have in the front room so, rather than getting a new coffee table, I thought about lime waxing it. Will this work to give it a lighter wood colour or would I just ruin it?

John_3:16

The table must have some form of finnish eg varnish etc on it . For anything to work this will have to be removed first. This could ruin the table as you say.

To get any wood back to lighter colour from dark is very difficult as the stain or finnish is soaked in by the wood.

xxxpinkladyxxx

I thought this might be the case. I just got the idea from watching House Invaders once. They did it on kitchen cupboards, but I suppose they sanded them back. The table does have a gloss finish so I would imagine this is some form of varnish.

JonnyA_2

You can lighten dark stained oak, but it's a very unpleasent task!
once you have removed the finish that's on it now (varnish / wax / french polish or whatever) you would need to create some kind of tent or bag to put the whole thing into and make it air tight. Then... and this is the very unenviormentaly friendly bit, but a container of caustic soda and a small amount of cold water inside. close the bag / tent and leave for 12 - 24 hours.
This would bleach the wood. You need to be very careful and wear protective equipment as the caustic soda can damage your breathing and cause burns.
I'm lucky as I have a large workshop and the right equipment, if you can find a friendly furniture restoration company they might help out (for a fee of course!)
But remember this is only if the table is solid wood, veneer would be ruined by this method!
Jonny