Restoring old furniture is fantastic! It’s so easy to do, especially when you find a piece of furniture that just needs a little bit if TLC. We spotted this hidden gem rummaging through Brighton Car Boot Market and couldn’t believe our luck when we noticed it was an Ercol Drop Leaf Table. After a little bit of early morning haggling, we walked away with it for £35 and no idea how it would fit in the car. Suddenly driving a mini wasn’t such a smart idea.
Physically the table was fine, just years of grime and even the odd wax crayon marking. With wood like this it’s best not to sand it too harshly, otherwise you’ll damage the grain. All this table required was a fair bit of elbow grease and a handful of wire wool. I took the table top apart so it was easier to manage and got to work rubbing the table down. It’s amazing how quickly the wood comes back to life with very little effort.
To finish I used a simple Teak oil, which you can purchase at most hardware stores for a clean finish. You can apply with a brush, but I used a lint free cloth and rubbed on three coats. It came our brilliantly – now all we need to decide is where to keep it.
