Cleaning of nickel plated steel Knoll Platner table

Q. I have a nickel plated steel tubing table base which has been in storage for 10 years. It is a Platner table from Knoll furniture manufacturer. It appears to have some limited areas of rust and corrosion. Can I clean this myself or do I need to take it to a manufacturer or vendor to have it cleaned and re-plated.

A. This is really a trial-and-error question, Barclay. Try cleaning it with chrome polish or metal cleaner. If the result is good enough, and you can keep it well waxed, you're done. But if too much corrosion damage shows, you'll want to take it to a plating shop as it's fairly impractical to replate it yourself. Good luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Ted is available for instant help
or longer-term assistance.
2003

Q. I have the same problem and my table has been in my house in a heated, ventilated, dry environment. I have not found a way to polish it. Knoll has not responded to my inquiries.

Q. My Platner base looks dreadful and I was told by a very well respected firm not unusual, but cleaning results are very varied. I tried D-I-Y with chrome polish and am throwing in the towel and finding a shop who will replate it . I'm sure Knoll will shudder at this, but that's life.