First I like to determine the original color, if this is not possible because of extensive heat damage, I hope to discover the color as the process develops. A picture & verbal description may be used, if all else fails. If the color must be altered I engage the owner to see if they like browns or reds.

Next remove the finish and the hardware: I use a semi paste paint & varnish remover and do this. No hot tank dipping or harsh chemicals are used, these alter/destroy color (patina).

I removed the back, this was made up of individual pieces of wainscot, charring was so deep I ran the boards thru a plainer to remove the charred wood.

Remove the smell of the smoke: I use two products : Unsmoke 9-D-9 smoke odor counteractant and Last Resort smoke odor counteractant booster. This is mixed with water and applied with a garden sprayer. It is rinsed off with a garden hose. I put the jelly cupboard in a small confined clean space for 24 hours. When I open the door if there is no smoke odor I have been successful. Sometimes a second treatment is required.

Crown molding was heavily charred and need to be scraped & sanded.

Needed repairs are completed.

Color Booster : I use a reduced (thinned down) tung oil, I reduce it with high flash naphtha for rapid evaporation (speeds up the drying time). It will take a minimum of three days to soak into the wood and be dry to the touch. The tung oil brings the color that remains, alive.

All surfaces are sealed with a penetrating coat of dewaxed shellac. The dewaxed shellac acts as a barrier between possible tung oil migration and whatever is applied next.

I applied a coat of brown/cherry wax with some 000 steel wool & removed the excess with 0000 steel wool.

Hardware: The hinges & latches were cleaned up in a rock polishing tumbler.

Project complete: We all do the Happy Dance.