No problema
I'm guessing they probably oiled it excessively (and incorrectly) and it picked up a lot of dirt and nasties. I'd try bleaching some of it first to see if that'll do it without actually having to strip it. Remove any piece of wood you like (say, the settee trim) and use Teaka A & B (this is the best & you'll be disappointed if you don't use it)on it. Follow the directions carefully, especially about wearing goggles & gloves! I learned that the hard way!! If it's really built up, it'll probably just roll right off instead of penetrating the wood. If that's the case, you'll have to get some stripper (I like Jasco cuz it's gelatinous) & strip off whatever they used. THEN you can bleach it cuz it'll still be dark. After the bleaching, the grain will be raised due to the bleach & water used. You'll have to sand it well starting with 120 grit & moving up to 220 for final sanding. I used Interlux Rubbed Effect varnish but gloss would be nice too. If you used the Rubbed Effect, here's a suggestion: apply a coat or two of gloss first, then a couple coats of Rubbed Effect. Otherwise you'll have to apply about a jillion coats of the RE to build it up to fill in the grain. It's not a fun job but soooo worth it! LaDonna
