Q: I recently acquired a great curb-find: a 40s or 50s era teacher's desk (solid oak, dovetail joints, pullout writing shelves on both sides, it's okay to be jealous) and I've been sanding it down to refinish it and sell it. The one challenge with this desk has been the inlay on the top, which was originally some kind of weird asphalt-y stuff, almost like tire rubber. It was all pockmarked and warped so I decided it couldn't be saved and took it out, figuring I could replace it with something — maybe even something awesome! If only I knew what that was:
The dimensions of the inlay area are about 59" x 33", and the depth is slightly less than 1/8", which is pretty restrictive. If I lay down a piece of 1/8" craft wood there it still sticks up just the tiniest bit over the desk's outer edging. I want the inlay to be really smoothly flush with the edging so there's no problem with scratching your forearms or whatever on the desk edge. The edge molding could possibly be removed, and it's been suggested I could take it off and put it back on, adjusting the height to match that of whatever inlay I use, or perhaps to just use the wood that's there now. I do hate to rip things up, though, if I don't have to.
So what ought to be done? Is the wood on the top good enough to use as the desktop? Should I cover it with something else? Nobody wants a (p)leather inlay anymore, do they? I thought about putting some kind of patterned paper or something and putting a glass inlay over it, but I suspect it'd be expensive, plus a logistical PITA to get it cut to exactly the right size.
After I figure that out, then I tackle the whole stain-or-paint decision. :) Suggestions welcome on that, too.
Sent by Tracy
Editor: Leave your suggestions for Tracy in the comments — thanks!
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You may be able to find some leather or faux leather to use on top. This is just one site, I'm sure there are others
http://www.heathsrestoration.com/designs.html
My first instinct is to use a cut of classic linoleum - the real cork stuff, not vinyl. But that may be too thick. What about staining the surface with the same stain you are using on the rest of the desk, and then using epoxy to fill it? You could either have a wood look, or could fill the area with an old map, colored paper, pennies, etc. Or paint it before filling for a pop of color.
18songs .you have given Tracy a great idea! That way it will get filled in completely.The hardest decision now,Tracy ,deciding what to put down before you pour the top on.
Since you are planning to sale,make it youth friendly.The epoxy can be written on with water base or dry eraser markers,so put tick tack toe , dot to dot game, a map of you town.or maybe a whole table of Dennis the mennis cartoons. Have fun! Hope we have helped you.
@greycottage: Okay, so one vote for (p)leather inlay. I'm not sure I'm sold on that, but I'm keeping it in mind. It just doesn't seem quite hipstery enough to sell in LA, but you never know, lol.
@18songs, it's so weird that you mention laying in an old map because I had the same idea! I've started to like it more and more, actually. And as far as epoxy, I was wondering if there was some sort of pourable solution. Whatever was laid in before definitely was - when I pulled out the rubber stuff it had a cloth backing and I'm sure it was just poured in on top of the cloth.
My only reservation in terms of choosing epoxy over a glass or plexiglass cover is that it makes whatever I put into the inlay relatively permanent. A removable cover would conceivably let whoever buys it change out the background whenever they wanted to. But it's still a really good option, and like you said, using it for a pop of color might be just the thing. I'd been thinking of painting it something neutral with accent colors. My thought had been off-white with maybe light blue accents, but I've had suggestions that such a big sturdy piece should be painted black instead. Not sure what the accent color would be for that...
Thanks again!
You can get glass custom cut for the shape and size of your desk, though it's likely to be somewhat expensive. It would, however, be fairly durable and allow the purchaser to put whatever he/she liked underneath -- an old map, concert tickets, pictures of family and friends, etc.
My vote is that you stain the wood the same color as the rest of the desk, put a nice coat of polyurethane on it, and look into custom glass tops that will fit into the edge molding.
How about painting the top ONLY a brilliant color and then doing a penny inlay with epoxy? Like this? http://www.epbot.com/2010/09/money-money-money.html
@laurainalameda: Okay, that is NUTS! =:-O Awesome, but nuts! I had no idea pennies were A Thing, but evidently they are because you're the second person to suggest them. Wow, I don't know! I would certainly have an easier time of it than that person did because I'd just have to put the pennies into the inlay and pour the epoxy (oh, and BLOWTORCH IT. AAH!) but I wouldn't have to bend them like those people did. They did a great job, absolutely. But boy, that is *definite* and it's not going to be reversed easily. I'll think about it and see how reckless (and potentially awesome) I feel! :)
Painting the top black would leave you with plenty of accent options. Painting an accent boarder of a thin line half an inch from the edge would look great. Your only problem would be color choice. A bright red, hunter green, or gold would all look good. It is really a personal preference. As for covering with removable, did you think of plexiglass? I think it would be less expensive than regular glass.
@Mary: unfortunately from what I've seen plexiglass is like twice as expensive as regular glass. :-/ At least from what I've seen when I've gone to Home Depot and such. I called a glass supplier yesterday and they told me that any glass thin and wide enough to fit this inlay would be very very fragile, so they referred me to a plexiglass/plastic place. I asked the plastics place for a quote and they said it'd be something like $115 for what I'd need. I don't know how that would have compared to a glass plate, but it's more than I want to spend.
What about cork? Sheet metal? A nice printed fabric or something natural like linen? Maybe slate?
Records? Anodized aluminum? Carbon fiber?
@akonikui: Cork is an interesting idea, kind of like leather in that it's a semi-soft writing surface. It might actually come in thin enough sheets to use.
I had two other ideas myself: find some sort of nicely-colored, opaque epoxy and just create surface by pouring that in. Or, I have no idea how thin these would be but some sort of floor paneling? The click-into-place kind? Maybe even tiles?
Clearly it's time for another trip to Home Depot.
Hi! I'm impressed by the job you did removing the inlay - I have a desk with what I think is the same kind of inlay, with a mesh-y kind of underlay then the hard stuff on top? How did you get it out??!!