# Refinishing an ercol coffee table



## seanybaby (15 Aug 2008)

Someone that i know wants me to re-finish an ercol coffee table. I haven't seen it yet, and not too sure what the original finish was? Any ideas? All i know is it's made from Elm.

TBH - I was going to strip it back with paint stripper, then either danish oil and wax it, or just wax. I'm just a little worried about coffee cup rings making marks and don't want to do the job twice.


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## Sgian Dubh (15 Aug 2008)

Until about ten or twelve years ago, and prior to their move, Ercol mostly finished their furniture with spray coatings based on the nitrocellulose family; more specifically they primarily used a pre-cat formulated for them by, I think, a German manufacturer.

After they moved to their new manufacturing plant at the Princes Risborough location they switched to water based finishes , again specially formulated for them by, I think, the same manufacturer. 

Their finishing shop supervisor, who played rugby in the same team as me about three or four years ago, wasn't especially enamoured of the water based finishes. 

This information should give you an idea of what the original finish was and how it was applied, ie, most likely it was a spray finish -- the tours I took of the factory showed me that all their finishing was done with a spray gun, from staining and dying to final clear coats. 

I wouldn't use Danish oil and/or wax if you want to replicate the original finish. Slainte.


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## seanybaby (17 Aug 2008)

Thanks for the info Richard


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