Stains in Oak Kitchen Table

Inforapenny

Hi,

We bought an oak kitchen table a few months back from a reputable furniture store.

According to the description the table is a "Beautiful oval table with solid wood, double cross legs and oak top in a grey oiled finish.". 

However, after a month we noticed these stains on the table which we assume to be stains from food if it fell off a plate or off a fork for example. We always used table mats and if food ever fell onto the table and didnt land on the mat, we would instantly pick it up.

There are no kids in the house, just two adults.

Having gone back and seen the table in the store we purchased it from and also another retailer, it feels like the other tables have some sort of coating finish on the top whereas when we feel ours, it feels like rough wood and there was no lick of paint or similar put on top, even though it says in the description about there being a grey oiled finish.

A relative has the same table and for longer and has said they have had no stains.

We got back onto the retailer who have gone back to the manufacturer who are now sending some "independent" consultant out to decide if there is a defect or not.

We now have to have a tablecloth on the table at all times which defeats the purpose of the nice oak table, for fear of the odd bit of food dropping onto the table and instantly staining it.

Any idea is this typical of wood that a piece of food will instantly stain a table that even if you use water it wont come out?

Pics attached.

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Explosive_Cornflake

It almost looks like it's missing the oil and it's raw wood. Would be an easy remedey, give it a sand and then oil it, but do let them do that.

POBox19

Looks like tiny drops of oil or grease may have splashed on to the surface and soaked into the timber. That shouldn't happen if there is a protective oil coating on there first.

10-10-20

Any of these oak tables which get normal use will end up with bare wood eventually, usual in the areas where the place is set. I only re-sanded and reoiled mine last week as it was showing water-marks and oil stains. I applied OSMO TopOil and it was all dry in 16hrs.

https://osmouk.com/product/topoil-surface-kit/

The beauty of the oil treatment is that you can spot repair the surface at any point, you don't need to re-sand and reapply it all over. Danish oil will do the same, as another option.

cobham

Clean spots with hotwater/detergent then lash on loads of oil and rub in over few hours allowing the oil the wood needs to be absorbed. Any oil will do.

Inforapenny

Thanks both.

Yes, I think it is possible that it is a small bit of oil from a roast vegetable or off a bit of meat may have fallen off a plate or fork onto the table.

The independent consultant rang me earlier to say he will call out tomorrow, but it doesnt suit, but said from looking at the pics he doesnt think there is anything wrong, which I find a bit bizarre. As everyone else who has seen it, has said that shouldn't happen.

Goldengirl

I have similar oiled oak flooring in my bedroom .

As 10-10-20 says above oiled oak does require some maintenance as it is a finish that permeates the wood and doesn't sit on top like a polymer / varnish coating .

However if this is a recent purchase it should not require any maintenance yet and should not be staining so soon .For example I spilled a hair oil product on my floor which is down about four years and it just wiped off , no marks.

Are you stripping the protection off with daily washing ? It should just be wiped with a clean damp cloth .

I would push for either a redo of the oil protection and it should be left like new or a replacement from the company who sol it to you if you are not happy .

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121483698#Comment_121483698

Before I used the OSMO I have had Danish oil on my table for 15 years up to this point and only after the oil has been worn right back down does it mark like that. And normally I'd get around 2 years out of a treatment, not one or two months like you describe.

Anyway as I said, I'd have faith in either Osmo or Danish oil as a remedy. Osmo do a clear or white satin version which should match what you have, but Danish oil is a warmer colour which may not be what you want.

https://www.osmoireland.ie/topoil

Inforapenny

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121483694#Comment_121483694

We got the care instructions from the retailer which basically said to use a damp wet cloth (no detergent) and wipe any stains.

I did this on one stain to see would it remove it but all it did was lighten the shade of the wood in that area and didnt remove the stain. Presumably the stain permeated into the wood.

The fact that the wood lightened in shade after giving it a rub with a clean damp cloth added further to our suspicions that there was little or no oil protection/coating added to the table top.

Inforapenny

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121483722#Comment_121483722

It is a new purchase, only a few months old and stains happened almost immediately.

I'm just concerned the "independent" consultant who doesnt think there is an issue from the pics based on what he said on the phone, comes out & says there is no issue, because there is clearly an issue. I may have to go off & get my own indepdendent expert to give a report.

Inforapenny

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121483735#Comment_121483735

Thanks,Im hoping I dont have to do this and they confirm there is a defect in the table. If not, I may come back for advice.

The only thing is that depending on whether the sun shines or not into the garden, the stains look more obvious. When the sun shines in and its bright out, the stains are so obvious.

Right now in the dark of the evening, the stains are very hard to see on the table, even with the lights on.

Is there any sort of light I could buy which if shined on the table would highlight the stains?

JIdontknow

Do you have any online link to the table? It doesn’t look overly oiled, looks a more natural raw finish but hard to know. Colour wise do the other similar tables you’ve seen look the same shade or a darker shade etc as I’ve they’ve been oiled more?

mickdw

It's a natural product. It's life and beauty is directly related to how you look after it.

I know you don't have it long so it may not have been suitably treated before you got it but much like wooden windows, this will need ongoing care regardless of how well it was prepared before purchase.

tabby aspreme

If you wipe it with a damp cloth does the wood darken for a few minutes and then come back to its usual colour

Inforapenny

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121483973#Comment_121483973

See link below, this is not the retailer we purchased from but the retailer we have since visited that also had the table where it felt like it had a coat on the table. We even showed the pics of our table to this retailer in the link and they said that should not be happening so soon and we were right to be raising it with the retailer we bought from.

The other tables we have seen in both the retailer we bought from & the retailer per the link below that we also visited, look very similar tbh but maybe a bit more of a shine off them and definitely feel different when you run your hand across the top.

https://www.theorchard.ie/roundstone-180cm-oval-table-grey-oiled/

Inforapenny

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121483998#Comment_121483998

100% and long term I expect we will need to look after it, but to have all these stains after a month or so, is not very good.

Inforapenny

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121484034#Comment_121484034

Hi, yes see attached two pics, I have circled general area where I used a clean damp cloth to give the table a gentle wipe, you will see the darkened colour. Second pic shows it a couple of mins later back to usual colour.

IMG_20231211_191719.jpg

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tabby aspreme

It's just bare wood then, with little or no oil finish applied, oil will permanently darken Oak and a wipe of a damp cloth will not change the colour of the wood if it's oiled properly

Inforapenny

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121484256#Comment_121484256

Thank you, thats my thinking too & I think the pics show it too.

Hopefully I have no issues getting the table fixed or replaced, as it is pretty clear little or no oil finish was applied.

Inforapenny

Just an update on this, an independent consultant came out to view the table at the request of the manufacturer and concluded that not enough oil finish was applied and we will be getting a replacement table.

10-10-20

Delighted you have a positive outcome. There is always variation in manufactured goods and you were right to fight your corner.