mold on antique oak

[Louis Bois]

Has anyone ever had this problem?!?

I rescued this old table base with the intent of putting a top on it. It's half of an oak dining table...the other half is MIA. I bought it from an architectural depot that deals in salvaged goods. Needless to say, this little gem was stored in less than ideal conditions.

The bent oak rail is stained from mold and it appears to be about 1/16" deep, as far as I can tell. It's actually stabilized since it's been sitting in my shop for about 2 years without any noticeable growth...seems to have dried out.

Is there any way to salvage this piece by "bleaching" the wood? I'd love to keep the wood natural as opposed to painting it...although this would be my last resort. The legs were unaffected as they are mahogany, which is naturally resistant to decay, etc.

I suppose the other option would be to give it a dark stain. Would this work to camouflage the stains?

Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Todd Burch]

I'd say you have nothing to lose by removing the finish, try sanding first (good dust collection), and if that is not fruitful, then use oxalic acid to bleach.

A darker stain is always more forgiving than a light stain.

Looks like that piece is from the 60's - where it should have stayed!!!

[Jim Becker]

Looks like it might be mildew. I think that Todd's advise is what I would also try. If you do need to bleach, consider removing the legs if you can or beaching the whole thing and using dyes to bring it back to the tone you want. IMHO, of course...