Candles and your furniture...

valerie · Post by **valerie** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 9:12 pm

For the last few years, I have put out candle holders (small "votive" type)

at Christmas time on my dining room table, they are ceramic and have a

holiday design on them. Well, I wanted to let you all know, this past New

Year's Day when I took everything down and put it away, under one candle

holder was a burn mark in my table. This is very sad to me... couldn't find

any real reason for it and as I said, I've used these for years. There wasn't

any "burnt" mark on the bottom of the holder, it was in pristine condition,

and no crack to indicate molten wax had leaked out. I just don't know how

it got hot enough to leave a burn mark in a solid mahogany table finish!

So be careful when you are using candle holders of ANY kind... I doubt this

would have ever been enough to burn the house down, but still I have an

awful mark on my table!

:-3

Paula · Post by **Paula** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 9:16 pm

You are a riot....i was thinking for a bit now...not your situation...but what type of scent do you BURN? Presently....listen...mint-licorce? yuk...Pansys nice.... :-6

Bill Sikes · Post by **Bill Sikes** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 3:06 am

valerie wrote: a burn mark in a solid mahogany table finish!

At least it's not veneer, so can be removed....

Erinna1112 · Post by **Erinna1112** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 10:00 am

valerie wrote: There wasn't any "burnt" mark on the bottom of the holder, it was in pristine condition,
It's entirely possible for the ceramic to get hot enough to burn wood without showing any indications of heat in the ceramic itself. Wood has a much lower flash point, and will show burn indications at a significantly lower temperature than ceramic will.

capt_buzzard · Post by **capt_buzzard** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 10:09 am

Bill Sikes wrote: At least it's not veneer, so can be removed.... I'd say your a good man-about-the house.

I might ask a few tips about french polishing?

Bill Sikes · Post by **Bill Sikes** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 10:25 am

capt_buzzard wrote: I might ask a few tips about french polishing?

I don't mind!

capt_buzzard · Post by **capt_buzzard** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 10:47 am

We have an old dining table in the garage. It was a present from my wifes grandmother. Its a shame just sitting out there. A friend told me that some french polishing would bring it back to life. How would one go about this? Or would we have to have it professionally done?

Bill Sikes · Post by **Bill Sikes** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 10:53 am

capt_buzzard wrote: We have an old dining table in the garage. It was a present from my wifes grandmother. Its a shame just sitting out there. A friend told me that some french polishing would bring it back to life. How would one go about this? Or would we have to have it professionally done?

Ah. "An old dining table". How old? A picture would help. The first thing is that inappropriate work on old furniture can easily spoil it (especially if it's of any value).

What timber is the table made of? What is it's design?

capt_buzzard · Post by **capt_buzzard** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 11:03 am

Bill Sikes wrote: Ah. "An old dining table". How old? A picture would help. The first thing is that inappropriate work on old furniture can easily spoil it (especially if it's of any value).

What timber is the table made of? What is it's design? I'll look up a photo

of it and get back to you. Its 6pm here. Teatime :driving:

valerie · Post by **valerie** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 11:34 am

Bill Sikes wrote: At least it's not veneer, so can be removed....

That's true, once any money for doing so shows up! Right now it just has

a little brass objet d'art sitting over it...

valerie · Post by **valerie** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 11:36 am

Erinna1112 wrote: It's entirely possible for the ceramic to get hot enough to burn wood without showing any indications of heat in the ceramic itself. Wood has a much lower flash point, and will show burn indications at a significantly lower temperature than ceramic will.

Thanks for the reminder. I just don't know why it never happened before this

year!

Erinna1112 · Post by **Erinna1112** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 3:23 pm

valerie wrote: Thanks for the reminder. I just don't know why it never happened before this

year!

Different kind of candle, maybe? Different brands have different kinds of wax - some burn hotter than others. Maybe it was burned down low? Less insulating wax between the flame and the wood? Dunno....I hate it when my nice furniture gets damaged, though...hope you can get this one looking nice again.

valerie · Post by **valerie** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 9:04 pm

Erinna1112 wrote: Different kind of candle, maybe? Different brands have different kinds of wax - some burn hotter than others. Maybe it was burned down low? Less insulating wax between the flame and the wood? Dunno....I hate it when my nice furniture gets damaged, though...hope you can get this one looking nice again.

Believe you me, I asked myself ALL those questions!

Really a head

scratcher, since an identical candle holder at the other end of the table with the exact same kind of candle in it did NOTHING to the table. And I lit them both

at the same time and blew them out the same time, too!!

I think it was because the wood is soooo dense that I didn't have even

more of a problem, just the scorch mark. I am always careful to watch them

and blow them out if I'm coming upstairs or going to bed!

And tmbsgirl, good for you for having a fire extinguisher handy! You get

the Junior Fire Marshall's Badge of the Week!!