Silky oak wardrobe to become bookcase

Hi All,
I finally decided that I would invest in getting a mirror made for this double door wardrobe but rather convert it into an open bookcase. The outside was cleaned and new shellac added. Now I've removed the doors and the middle panel. The middle panel will be replaced with either glass or a gold tinted acrylic. The next structural step is installing shelves. What timber to use?

The issue right now is how to protect the insides that have been cleaned. The bottom had to be sanded to get the ingrained dust our. I have Penetrol oil, Tung oil, and Wipe On poly. Any ideas?
Cheers,
NickAttachment 421482Attachment 421483Attachment 421484Attachment 421485

That's a nice piece you have there. I would use a poly as i believe oil or similar will be a dust collector and again hard to keep clean.

Interior with 3 layers of wipe on poly
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IMHO re-purposing is not restoration, but I am a purist.

The obvious and best thing to use for shelves is the same timber - Northern Silky Oak. It sometimes comes up on these forums and, when recycled, is usually very affordable. Try putting a request out there in the Marketplace..

You could use Hoop Pine (Sandgate Timber Mill) for a quality board or even Tas oak (I was offered quite a lot here in Brisbane when I put out a request on the forums and I haven't been able to grab it yet so you could be lucky if you are quick!

Unfortunately, the manufactured boards such as MDF and chippy are not good for bookshelves as they sag badly and look lousy.

I'm still practising on items such as this before I touch the real restoration items I have such as a maple bedroom suite. I have 2 silky oak wardrobes already in the house and there is a third that needs the missing top replaced and then a dining room suite :)

MDF and chip board is forbidden to come in the house by SWMBO. Even the modern pine furniture inherited is to be removed eventually. I have silky oak house doors and bed ends that were to be for wood supply but that has changed.

I will go for the silky oak or Tasmanian oak (actually saw some today). I'll up date as I go. I just finished cleaning down the French polishing as SWMBO said it wasn't good enough. As she grew up with this furniture type she knows better what it should be like.

Sounds good. I look forward to seeing progress. Good French polishing requires the use of very dilute shellac on a rubber. Concentrated shellac and brush application (even with a superb Badger or other very fine hair brush) always comes out rougher and is to some extent murky/hides the figure. It is a lot of work in some ways, but the clarity of finish and quality make the effort worthwhile. A relatively dry rubber, each coat dries almost as soon as you finish rubbing here in Brisbane. Every few coats (5-10) rub back with 800 to 1000 grit wet and dry, wipe off and go again. I prefer the original button shellac, which is high wax content, but that is a personal preference.

Cleaned and first new layer of shellac

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I am somewhat envious!! I have a liking for both SO and that style of furniture.

Waiting on the finished piece with interest!1:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

Back to work so it will go slow now. I have to prepare to return the top that was removed to ensure the shellac was cleaned and added to the top properly. After this there is a similar wardrobe where someone sadly took the carved front doors and cut them up to a frame around the front of the wardrobe. They also had some very bad attempt of staining. There won't be any guilt in taking it back to the grain and starting again. It is the sort of piece I prefer to find and bring back to life.

Today ,barring heavy rain, we will bring home 2 large 3 tier wardrobes and 2 matching dressing tables that were built in post 74 Brisbane floods. The wardrobes are the heaviest I have ever experienced. Even the tops and bottom are silky oak. They will have photos posted soon. They will be a recovery of the'poly type as there are some knocks to some surfaces.