Cherry wood finish.

[gmctrucks]

OK guys im wondering on our cherry wood dining table that I just bought can I place a piece of clear plastic on it without it messing up the finish? I just don't want to mess it up it looks so pretty. Does the wood need air to hit it or will the plastic somehow mess it up? I know nothing about nothing much but less about this type of stuff. PLEASE don't agree all at once about I know nothing about nothing im trying to keep one step ahead of you silly guys.
Thanks! GMC

[Crmzendrgone]

I don't know about wood finishes but I wouldn't think that the plastic wouldn't mess it up at all. Unless it is rubbing back and forth and causes chaffing.

[BernieB]

One of my hobbies is antique furniture restoration so let me ask, is this an antique or something modern? If it's something modern, most likely it has a polyurethane finish. Provided that the finish was properly cured I don't see a problem with putting a sheet of plexi on it for protection. But, like Dragon says, any movement with the plastic is going to cause wear and possible damage.

If it's an antique the answer would depend a lot on what it was finished with. Could be shellac, could be varnish, could be oil. If varnish, yeah, you can cover it with plexi, but give it a good coat of quality furniture polish (not Pledge or any of that junk) before you do, and take the plexi off and let it breathe a little for a day or two every few months. Ditto for shellac, but let it breathe much more often, say every two or three weeks. If it's an oil finish, don't cover it with plastic at all.

Instead of plastic though I'd strongly suggest using a protective pad made expressly for the table, and cover that with a tablecloth.

Oh, and you can use felt pads under the plexi, placed so that they keep the plastic off the wood. That would eliminate the need to let it breathe but you could still end up with wear marks from the felt if the plexi gets slid around too much. Waxing would help to avoid that though.

[gmctrucks]

Well guys it's not a antique it's a modern table and the finish is what it came with I was thinking like just a sheet of clear plastic that one can place on it then place a table cloth on it or vice-versa plastic on top of the table cloth im just trying to get away from glass ring stains that cold drinks leave on furniture. Also im thinking of painting this table below black or stripping it and staining it cherry wood in color or something that would match the color of cherry wood. Look below im only paying $25.00 dollars for it I was even thinking of maybe using some of that granite looking paint I don't really know what I want to do with it. Bernie why aren't you my neighbor so you could do the job? I'm changing out my funiture I gave one sister my moms living room set and I gave my other sister my moms dining room set it has six chairs and a big china cabinet with the china I want them to have them since there my moms daughters and my sister is going to redo the whole living room set new cushions and foam so it will look new in her new house that she just bought.
Now this table has a marble top on it so it's good to go not like drinks are going to be placed on it but no telling with my son. Bernie I can start looking for a house in my area. I'm trying to get it this color I bought this as well and im going to see if I can also post a picture of the table.

Thanks again! GMC

[BernieB]

If it's modern then I'd say just put a nice lace tablecloth on it and then a sheet of plexi (or better yet tempered glass) on top of the lace. That should be fine.

The table with the marble top would probably look awesome in a Japanese black lacquer finish with gold leaf striping.

[BernieB]

Oh, and instead of me moving there (g/f used to work in Houston and refuses to ever go back due to the climate) why don't you move up here? Got a nice house for sale just down the street.

[gmctrucks]

Originally Posted by BernieB

Oh, and instead of me moving there (g/f used to work in Houston and refuses to ever go back due to the climate) why don't you move up here? Got a nice house for sale just down the street.

It's bad enough here with all the rain we get and with broke back it will never be able to take the cold weather. Why didn't she like it over here was it the heat..........?

[BernieB]

Originally Posted by gmctrucks

It's bad enough here with all the rain we get and with broke back it will never be able to take the cold weather. Why didn't she like it over here was it the heat..........?

The heat and the humidity. She said she didn't like living in a place where you went into a steam bath to cool down and dry off.