Removing water stains from old pine

[Pat Barry]

We have a cabin and the interior is pine. The ceilings are 1x10 or 1x12 pine planks. This is pretty old - probably built in the 50's. In a few areas, there must have been water leaks in the distant past and the boards have water stains. I'd like to try to clean this up a bit to make the water staining less apparent so I'm wondering if anyone has a waterstain remover product or method. Don't say sanding or scraping because that's not what I'm after. That would mean stripping it of all its character - aged appearance. Of course, its not so bad that I can't just leave it, but if I'm overlooking something that's fairly easy and won't destroy the current patina I'm opening to testing it out on some old boards.

[Howard Acheson]

Generally, water stains are removed by using an oxalic acid bleach. However, you would have to strip the finish or the bleach will never reach the wood. What finish is on the wood now?

[Conrad Fiore]

Howard, assuming the pine is unfinished, won't the bleach remove the aged look or darkening of the pine?

[Howard Acheson]

Howard, assuming the pine is unfinished, won't the bleach remove the aged look or darkening of the pine?

Very possibly. Like anything else in finishing, one should test first in an inconspicuous spot. Never let your project be you test and learning activity.

[Pat Barry]

The wood is unfinished. I suppose I was asking the impossible.

[Howard Acheson]

>>>> The wood is unfinished. I suppose I was asking the impossible.

What's impossible? Oxalic acid will remove most or all of the black water marks as long as there is no finish. It will have minimal or no affect on the patina of the wood generally. Try it out in an inconspicuous spot first.