Best finish for "Dirty" wood?

Okay, I've been working on this refinishing project and I'm closing in on the home stretch. Sprayed my first finish of EM6000 and I have to admit I love it. The finish is fabulous, except for the top. It's an old buffet and this top has been fooling me through the whole process.

The old finish was like iron on the top - yet it was in horrid shape. In one spot, the finish refused to come off, when it finally did; and was stained and sealed, I could still see the area - almost like oil was still pooling in that area.

After my final coat of EM6000, this spot was yellow and flaked off - so easily just dragging a cabinet scraper across the top with no down pressure from me, took it off as though I'd sprayed it on wax paper. The rest of the top was only slightly better. I'm back down to bare wood.

I think the EM6000 is out for the top - but rest it's fine, any recommendations for cleaning, for finishing etc.

Thanks for any input...

You should wipe down with DNA then spray a binder coat of shellac and the 6000 should be just fine.

How did you remove the prior finish? It sounds like you have a fairly severe contamination problem.

The normal way to deal with it is to first using a paint remover containing methylene chloride following the directions about neutralizing the paint remover. Then wipe the surface down with acetone wiping it up keeping a fresh face on the paper towels. Finally, seal in any residual contamination with a shellac barrier coat. Use a dewaxed shellac as waterborne finishes do not make a good bond with shellac that contains its natural wax. Zinsser SealCoat is the only pre-mixed dewaxed shellac. Apply a coat--spraying is best--and then apply a second coat. Do not sand any of the shellac coats.

Let the shellac dry overnight before applying your clear coat.

Here's a caveat. Check with your finish manufacturer to determine if there is a compatibility problem with the waterborne product over SealCoat. I've seen some reports of this recently.

Thanks guys, I should've mentioned, I used some Formby's furniture refinisher to strip it (because I had it and wanted to get rid of it), and I did seal it with the sealcoat - and I have been reading the sealcoat can be a problem for the EM6000. I did wipe the top down with Lacquer thinner and then I used DNA, although I can't remember if I was diligent enough to keep a fresh face on it. Plus, I used MinWax red mahogany stain followed by BLO, then 1 coat (brushed on) of the sealcoat, followed by an asphaltum(sp) glaze, just in the dents. This all cured for a month before I got around to spraying the finish...

I'm starting to think the top is just going to have to be oil based poly...

Anything else I should look for...

What do you guys think of a more traditional solvent based lacquer for this issue?

Forgot to ask, is the acetone a better choice over the lacquer thinner?

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Originally Posted by Todd Carpenter

Thanks guys, I should've mentioned, I used some Formby's furniture refinisher to strip it (because I had it and wanted to get rid of it), and I did seal it with the sealcoat - and I have been reading the sealcoat can be a problem for the EM6000. I did wipe the top down with Lacquer thinner and then I used DNA, although I can't remember if I was diligent enough to keep a fresh face on it. Plus, I used MinWax red mahogany stain followed by BLO, then 1 coat (brushed on) of the sealcoat, followed by an asphaltum(sp) glaze, just in the dents. This all cured for a month before I got around to spraying the finish...

I'm starting to think the top is just going to have to be oil based poly...

Anything else I should look for...

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Boy, you have a conglomeration of things on this job. Mixing so many different finishes is almost a guarantee of having the type of problems you relate.

First, Formby's is a very poor finish remover by design. It is intended to only remove a minimum of finish. It certainly is not a choice I would have used

You said you used a Minwax oil based stain. This will be a problem because you used the Formby's. Oil based stains much be used on virgin or completely stripped bare wood. Any residual finish will prevent the stain from being absorbed. As I said above, Formby's will not remove all the finish. It's a requirement that all the excess stain be wipe off and left to dry for a day or so. Not wiping the stain sufficiently will cause very poor adhesion of any finish put over it. If you did not thoroughly wipe off the excess stain, the consequences can be exactly the problem you relate.

If it were me, I would go back to square one. Remove all the new and prior finish using a chemical paint stripper containing methylene chloride. Make any repairs and carefully smooth the surface by hand sanding with 180 grit paper. Now apply your stain being sure to wipe off all the excess. Let it dry overnight and then spray on a barrier coat of dewaxed shellac. Don't sand the shellac. Apply you first coat of clear, let it dry 24 hours and lightly sand it flat with 320 paper. Apply 2-3 more coats of your clear coat.

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First, Formby's is a very poor finish remover by design. It is intended to only remove a minimum of finish. It certainly is not a choice I would have used

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Yep - I used it to get rid of it and it took forever to get that stuff to work and that would explain why when I thought I was sanding bare wood, I was getting sanding "corns" on my sandpaper.

Thanks guys!