Yet another Moeller Teak Table  

@ddink

A vigorous rubdown with naphtha on an old clean dish towel (I like linen, but cotton's OK) should remove most if not all grime and remaining old oil finish. A careful, light hand-sanding with P-220 (or higher) on a block is relatively safe and helps to "open" the wood grain on the veneer. Oxalic acid treatment(s) next should minimize or eliminate completely any "tidelines" left by water stains and help to even out natural color overall. After that, a quick rinse with water and another quick, light sanding to knock off any raised wood fibers, and you're ready for a new finish.

Yes, traditional oil finishes are susceptible to water and/or alcohol damage and require regular maintenance. It's the price we pay for the natural look and feel intended for these pieces. OTOH, oil finishes are relatively easy to apply and repair, so it's a fair tradeoff, IMO. FWIW, I put paste wax on oiled surfaces that see heavy usage (tabletops and chair arms) for an extra protective layer and, of course, try to get after any spills right away. 

Nice looking table. Bon chance!

Hey,

thanks a lot for answering! I just realized that my account got enabled. I just attached a picture of the waviness of the table und I am wondering if it is still ok for sanding. I probably only have one shot, that’s why I’m a bit careful here 😉 

Christian

@ddink

Yikes! Thank you for illustrating a problem with offering refinishing advice without first seeing the piece in person. 

I'm going to recommend disregarding my previous post and taking the table to an expert at this point. It appears that whatever liquid (possibly hot) was spilled there has caused the veneer to blister and/or the substrate to swell. Veneer blisters, by themselves, are relatively easy to flatten. But, if the substrate is no longer flat, that's another problem altogether.