Thread: mid century coffee table Reno

The top is teak veneer and the legs and bottom will most likely be a generic hardwood that has been stained to match the teak top. It is most likely NC laquered and if you are lucky it will just wash off with laquer thinners. If you wash the legs it will probably remove the colour as it may be in the laquer finish.

Noblett Furniture were based on Morphett Rd North Plympton in SA, they were a manufacturer of Teak Dining And Occassional Furniture. Your guess of 1960 is pretty close, they were still in business in the 70s through to the late 90s.
i used to pass their factory everyday for five years on my way to work, for a few years I even sold their furniture when I worked for John Martins in Adelaide.

Originally Posted by mattocks

This coffee table belonged to a very good friend and colleague and now belongs to her daughter, who is also a good friend.
Her daughter remembers it from childhood and using it for games, making tents and cubbies with it. as kids do.
It needs cleaning, disassembling, putting back together and refinishing.
My questions are - what is the best way to clean it?
- would it have been glued with hide glue or pva?
- The holes in the rails next to the legs, is this how it is fixed to the top? I haven't investigated them yet and can't see in easily.
- I intend to finish it with danish oil. any other suggestions.?
- Think it might be teak but not sure and the top veneer I'm not sure of either. Any ideas?
The top and rest of it despite almost falling apart is in reasonable condition. No nasty scratches or chunks out anywhere.
I think a gentle use of very fine sandpaper or 000 steel wool will make it good.

Those holes are almost certainly how the top is connected to the structure. Probably just a couple of screws. This is a veneered man made board (probably chipboard) top so be careful when you take them out. I would be using a hand powered screwdriver.

I suspect the most likely glue is PVA. That creates some challenges putting it back together getting PVA to bond. It may require slight enlargement of (I suspect) the dowels and holes that are the most probable joinery technique used.

Be careful sanding the top. The veneer is likely to be quite thin. If the sample you showed is typical of the top, I would be doing very little to it to remove the patina. Maybe just steel wool and wax. But that's just my opinion.

We have a Noblett dining setting purchased ~1986?. The veneered top is VERY thin - be careful if even lightly sanding it.