removing water stains - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

quality app · 12-18-2006, 06:56 PM

I have a raw mahogany ext. door that has been badly waterstained it looks to have been installed for months. anyway I sanded and cleaned it with denatured alcohal but some stains remain around the bottom of the jam.It is getting a natural finish. any Ideas?

eastend · 12-18-2006, 07:33 PM

try cleaning with oxalic acid. it will pull the water stains out. be careful not to get any on you, and make sure you wash it off after it's done.

axnjoe · 12-18-2006, 07:39 PM

I was told that mahogany is much like teak.
The biggest diference was that teak will hold it reddish hue and it will fade then silver up. That is why it is used so much for patio furniture and that if mahogony is used it's natural red pigments will leach out and leave red stains on floors before silvering up.
Not sure if this bit of info is helpful. Or if any wood guru can verify this.
From whay I understand is that this is more like a severe tannin bleed.

PressurePros · 12-18-2006, 09:05 PM

Read my website and follow the same type of 2-step procedure. The FAQ section will give you some more hints.

Joewho · 12-18-2006, 10:55 PM

whink

PressurePros · 12-18-2006, 11:13 PM

The cleaners we sell have many more ingredients and expensive surfactants but if you got the hint like Joe did, you know what to use.

Joewho · 12-19-2006, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PressurePros

The cleaners we sell have many more ingredients and expensive surfactants but if you got the hint like Joe did, you know what to use.

I learned about whink when working at a antiques resto shop.

It won't remove all water stains, but its' a first, safe step in that direction.

I didn't go into the faq's of your site yet.

**Teetorbilt** · 12-19-2006, 06:59 PM

Mahogany with water stains is tough. Don't expect to get them all out, you should have refinished before letting it get so far.

Mahogany and Teak are like oil and water, literally. Teak is full of oil and tends to reject most finishes, oiling is best. Mahogany is generally a softwood and soaks up finishes, and water, like a sponge.