We just bought a salvaged dining table from Restoration hardware. It doesn't seem to have any type of sealer on it. The first time I put a hot cup of coffee on it, it left a ring. When I tried to wipe with a wet cloth, something on the wood rubbed off, and it became a lighter spot.
Now we don't dare use it at all. But will need to. What do you recommend we put on this table to prevent stains.
This is a current dining table sold at RH if you need more info.
I have no idea what type of wood it is or how old.

Thanks,
Anne

Sounds like you have your hands full Anne.  There are better finishers here on site than me but let's address the white ring.  The white moisture ring can be removed with a towel and an iron.  Lay the towel over the ring and run the hot iron over the towel and the ring will disappear.  The finish has me puzzled.  It sounds like it was stained but never sealed.  Many of the local big box lumber yards carry "sample" packages of stain.  You might buy a few and try them on the underneath side of the table to get the color right.  Restain the lighter section and then apply the sealer of choice.  I'd suggest a wipe on poly available at that same lumber store applyed with an old clean piece of nylon panty hose.  About 3 -4 coats and you'll be ready to go.  Hope this helps.

 

Thanks Ron. I'll let you know what happens.

 

Anne,

It sounds like your table had a Shellac finish. That type of finish will get the white stain if it gets wet. Shellac is often used as a sealer in preparation for another type of finish. Here's a link to a site that explains how to "repair" the mark- http://www.shellacshack.com/2010/05/repairing-white-rings-in-shellac-finishes.html .

Ron's suggestion on wipe on poly is spot on.

Thanks Lewis. I'll give it a try.

I'd strip it first then sand.

It might have shellac. Shellac tends to change color when hit with water.

 

About refinishing:  Odds are it's been exposed to silicone. If you get orange peel bubbles when you are refinishing the trick is to hit it with a thick cut of shellac that will set up before the silicone migrates.

If you have a sprayer, it's easier to accomplish just hit with several fast coats,

 

What type of shellac do you recommend?

Oh gee,  wax aside, the only difference I know about  in shellac is the color.

I buy mine here:

http://www.shellac.net/

I prefer dewaxed.  

There's fewer issues with it later on especially if  it is intended to be used as I do,  with shellac as the undercoat, with a nice water base General Finishes Pre-cat 180 over top.

General Finishes PreCat 181 is great for counters and tables it's hard as nails and cleans up with just soap and water.

I brush and spray it and it's fine both ways.

If you are not using shellac under it you might want to use their sealer first   - - it helps keep the wood from reacting to the water and standing the grain on end like a gozillion little whiskers forcing you to sand and sand and sand.

If you could skip the shellac that would be ideal, but I'm warning you about the silicone that every manufacturer puts in all those furniture polishes.  Once silicone gets on anything it is forever.  And the stuff will spread and spread until it is one molecule thin.   It can't spread out thinner than that.

I've known guys to put table tops through  wide belt sanding machines to try to get beneath the silicone contamination and they failed. 

I use shellac when I want to use BLO to pop grain and darken wood and the final finish is gong to be water based.  A water based finish  over BLO without the wash coat of shellac tends to turn cloudy.    BLO never actually hardens.  It cures but still that's just the first  few molecules  and under them it's still fluid.  So I seal coat with a wash of thin shellac.

As for mixing shellac.  Think of it like salt. Mix it to your liking.  There's all manner of "formula" out there with pound cut measurements.  I  have never used any such.  I just dump some in a  jar with  Alcohol and mix till I like the thickness.

I don't use EverCLear or any of the super pure alcohols.  I know some  Luthiers who insist on it but I can't tell the difference.  Of course they are French polishing so that's different right there.   I use the stuff in the can from the BORG.

SAND IT ALL OFF AND USE WATERLOX!!!!

 

LOL I THINK I'M GONNA BE A DISTRIBUTOR FOR THE STUFF.