Burnt Dining Table Restoration

This dining table was burnt by a votive candle left burning during Christmas 2006. It was part of an elaborate set, with 3 large companion case pieces that each had an oval motif used in the door or drawer centers. The wood was charred to a depth of 5/16", and there were numerous areas of loose veneer all over the top from the subsequent water deluge of do-it-yourself fire-fighting.

With the owner's permission I proposed the restoration you see in the following photos.

Using the Router Buddy system, I excised all the damage with a 36" x 24" full-thickness oval, built the insert you see, installed it with a continuous biscuit joint, and refinished the table without stripping. (the original color was undamaged - I wanted to preserve the vintage perfect match to the other pieces) It was an immense amount of work, but I am proud of the result.

There is a thin band of ebony and one of mahogany around the circumference. The center is quilted walnut, and the two outer sections are quilted mahogany. The original top is all figured walnut .

I can strongly recommend the Router Buddy System. The owner/designer is a great guy, and backs his product with unconditional product support.