To wood polish, or not to wood polish.

[Baitball Blogger]

So I came by a nice piece of very ornate, wood carved furniture. I seem to recall way back when that I read an article that did not recommend the usual Lemon Polish treatment because it added a film to the wood--which I thought was the point.

So, is polishing the damn thing a good idea or not?

[Sanity Claws]

1. You can use oil on the wood

You could also refinish it.

I think you're not supposed to use Lemon Pledge or similar stuff because it adds a layer that would prevent you from refinishing the wood. I don't remember the exact story but it was along those lines.

[Sanity Claws]

2. More info

I decided to do some googling to find the exact info.

I found this at a site:

FYI - only apply oil to furniture that has an oil finish on it - such as Danish Oil, French Oil, Tung Oil, Boiled Linseed Oil, etc.... These oils dry to a hard - protective - finish and can be reapplied as needed.

NEVER wax furniture with an oil finish on it. NEVER mix oil and wax on any finish. Oil causes wax to become gummy which will then attract dirt and dust for a new problem from a dirty, gritty, build-up.

Never use non-drying oils, like mineral oil or olive oil, for wood finishes. Mineral oil does little more than sit on the surface and attract dust - it doesn't dry to a hard finish and is easy to smudge and attracts things like smoke and pollutants to the surface it sits on.

Wax and polishes on a Polyurethane will eventually damage the finish. Wax and polish isn't a substitute for a damaged finish.

Silicone-containing cleaners/polish create a high degree of shine, however, silicone seeps into even the highest-quality finishes, creating a barrier that will not accept stain or lacquer so are virtually impossible to refinish or touch-up.

[Baitball Blogger]

3. Dang! Very thorough.

Now I'm worried about a piece that I did plan to refinish. I don't know if the refinishing will be successful.