Thread: Masking Tape Stain

The simplest way to remove the stain is to have the supplier remove the panels.

Sadly this is not an option. I'm just a learner and I paid up front - unseen prior to delivery.

- John

You may be a 'learner', but that does not oblige you to be screwed by a supplier off loading dodgy stock. I suggest you contact your local government Consumer body - 'Fair Trading' in NSW, and ask them for some pamphlets on your comsumer rights. In fact you'll probably find most of them on line at www.act.gov.au or something like that.

Assuming you are dealing with a company, the next step is a polite phone call saying something to the effect that the ply was defective before delivery & therefor 'unsuitable for purpose'. Ask them for your money back or replacement good stock. Don't take any rubbish about 'someone has to buy them'. They may offer you a discount/partial refund - the ball is then in your court as to whether you accept the offer - do you need all of the sheet to make what you want, or can you cut around the dud bits & have a percentage of waste - the refund had better be at least as good as the % of waste.

If the supplier won't 'come to the party', then you need to decide if you will waste your time to take them to a Comsumer Tribunal. In some states the tribunal can enforce a judgement in your favour, in others they just let the company thumb their noses

I'm afraid I have to chalk this one up to experience. I accepted it with the tape on it (unaware that it would be problematic). I have now already cut many of the pieces to size that I need for the project. It was only at that point that I decided to take the tape off.

So you see, I wasn't done badly by. I just made a newbie mistake and now I need to deal with it. By taking responsability - I will eventually (hopefully) stop being a newbie.

My options are

a) remove the stain
b) buy another sheet and start again (probably too expensive)
c) try to hide the stain on the finished project by putting something next to it.

- John

Turps generally removes the stains caused by masking tape.

If it doesn't you may be able to bleach the stain and then the entire sheet face with Oxalic Acid.

But first talk to the supplier.

I was concerned that Turps would leave its own oily stain on the wood. Is turps safe to use on wood? Will it leave any residue? Does the use of turps effect what finish can be applied afterwards?

Sorry for all the questions.

- John

You might also try acetone, which you can buy in a hardware store.

Originally Posted by NightPanther

I was concerned that Turps would leave its own oily stain on the wood. Is turps safe to use on wood? Will it leave any residue? Does the use of turps effect what finish can be applied afterwards?

Sorry for all the questions.

- John

Turps is safe and doen't leave residue.
Once dried any finish can be used.

Live & learn. Take the tape off before cutting D'oh!

Clean Acetone, Clean Turps, all may work. Don't re-use stuff someone has used to clean something.

Oxalic Acid is also used in leatherwork to even out surface tones & make dye even, so give it a try - but be careful, it IS poisonous. VERY. Unless you eat uncooked rhubarb leaves regularly, in which case you are not human. Rubber gloves stuff.

Anyone have an opinion on Oxalic acid for 'sunburn' marks on timber?

Was it masking tape, or was it veneer tape?

If it was masking tape, try lacquer thinner.

If it was veneer tape, chances are, it isn't stained, it is tanned by light (sun or artificial). You can sand it out to a degree, but veneer tanning can only be hidden by an experienced finisher.

Long story-short: You're screwed.

Originally Posted by NightPanther

I was concerned that Turps would leave its own oily stain on the wood. Is turps safe to use on wood? Will it leave any residue? Does the use of turps effect what finish can be applied afterwards?

- John

Now that you've begun to cut the sheet up, you will likely have some scrap for testing. Before you ruin more of the timber, use the scrap and test some of the solutions suggested.

Douglas: I'm pretty sure it was masking tape. I don't know what vaneer tape is but the mark left behind looked and felt like a tape residue stain - not a "shade from fade" stain. Plus the sheets were a special order because I wanted the grain across the width (stupid learner mistake thinking it would be nice to have a set of draws running down a chest (1.8M) with continuous woodgrain). My supplier had to have them made by their supplier (because apparently grain is usually across the length). Therefore it is unlikely the sheets were around long enough to suffer sun bleach.

Woodchuck: The reason I ordered the across grain sheets was to allow me to efficiently cut out the large pieces I needed and to allow the draw front to display continuous grain. The end result is I cut the largest pieces first (heaviest - but fewer cuts for a sole woodworker - who was to know wood was so heavy!). There were only about 5 pieces of tape - but I got one on each of the largest pieces. (and all without trying ).

Wow - this is like some type of religious cleansing. Each time I reply I give more info about how poor more initial decissions were I have to say that I'm actually greatfull to be able to do so in front of people that are now so skilled that there must have been some GREAT newby stories behind each of them.

Humbly

John Freestone