Photos are here: http://ift.tt/2l9ioqD the bottom is a detailed history the abuse I've put this chest through but this is my winter holiday project. What I wanted to do was strip the color and either bleach it white, whitewash it, or restain it lighter without the color but the green and red detailing isn't fading while the rest of the stain has.I used concentrated Clorox Bleach to strip it. I know I can buy wood bleach but 1) they don't have a small sized container where I am here in Japan and 2) I live in an apartment so there's not really a good place to use heavy chemicals.Now I'm thinking color. I was hoping to get this as light as possible but with that color not fading I'm thinking of using a black stain where the colors are present. I really don't know. You folks here have much more experience in what can be done with stains and finishes and what would look good, so I'm coming to ask for suggestions.Also, do you think it'd be worth it to re-etch the lines into the wood? If this is the wrong place for this kind of question, please point me in the right direction..........(History of this chest: I purchased this 20 years ago at a furniture shop in Bali. They said then it was already old. I used it for about 5 for 6 years before putting in on my veranda. Over the past 15 years or so I've kept plants on it. All this time it's been wet from over watering, rained on, and in direct sunshine. Reworking my veranda garden I was going to throw it away but I'm impressed by how well it's held up, so I'm taking this on as a side project this winter. I'll keep it in the study when it's done, so it should be a lighter wood to match.) via /r/DIY http://ift.tt/2C3RJX4
