Recommendations on Refinishing Books?

[Brian Kent]

I need more general understanding of Refinishing before tackling a project.

Do you have recommendations on re-finishing books?

(I have Taunton's Guide to Finishing and "Understanding wood finishing" by Bob Flexner)

I have a 12 year old dining table with a peeling finish. I tried varnish remover, planing, scraping and sanding on a spare table insert. They took off the veneer stain unevenly or ate through the thin veneer. The veneer looks OK, so I'll try to refinish it before replacing the table.

I want to try to repair the finish, seal it, and then add a protective finish that will resist dinner-time moisture and heat. Something like fine sanding or steel wool for the flaky stuff, wood oil, shellac sealer and Behlen's Rockhard Varnish. But again, I am new to this kind of refinishing. In the past I have refinished antique american oak furniture, but that was much simpler and more forgiving.

[Steve Schoene]

Am I right in thinking this is a factory made table? Have you tested to see what the existing finish is? And what kind of wood is the veneer? Can you tell what is under the veneer? What style is the table, and what color and basic "look" do you want it to end up.

You probably do not want to try to sand off the old finish. Modern veneer is very, very thin so that stripper is probably the way to proceed. It may take several applications to remove the original stain. If finish is flaking off then it's adhesion to the wood underneath is questionable to say the least and putting any other finish over it will likely make things worse rather than better, so you do probably have to remove all the old finish.

[Jim Summers]

I have the same "Flexner" book. There is some info in there for trying to figure out the type of finish. Seems like it is a step by step process starting with a few drops of de-natured alcohol and the progressing or stopping depending on the results.

HTH

[Brian Kent]

Steve,

Yes, it is a factory made table sold through Sears. Very thin lamination, so by sanding the only thing I was imagining was 600 to 1200 grit to remove the surface flakes and level the edges of the flakes where the surface coat had lifted away. No wood removed.

But then again, this is exactly why I am asking!

When I tried my standard old-oak varnish stripper regimen, even after three rounds in the same small area, the color was streaked and uneven.

Jim,

I'll look tonight in Bob Flexner's book on how to determine the old finish. I assume the idea is to determine what kind of finish it had in order to direct me on what chemical to use to remove the old finish and/or what new product to use.

[Steve Schoene]

Yep, when you know what you've got it makes it easy to know how to get rid of it. Flexner does have a good chapter on choosing strippers. In general, methylene chloride strippers are most potent, but they require seriously good ventilation--not just a couple of open windows. Factory finishes are typically applied in several steps and may include dyes so it isn't too strange that simply removing the top coat doesn't get all the color evenly.

When some parts are flaking away, the rest can be presumed to be ready to do it soon so I would be very nervous about trying to feather out the patches and coating over. Especially on a table that is only 12 years old. Finishes should last a whole lot longer than that barring mechanical damage so flaking probably indicates a broad failure of the finish product.

Likely you will find the finish is some sort of lacquer product. In that time frame manufacturers were shifting from NC lacquer to catalyzed lacquer products, largely because they allow the pieces to be wrapped and stacked a day or so sooner, increasing through put and reducing warehouse requirements at the factory.

[Brian Kent]

Thank you for your help. I read the last chapter of the book on chemical strippers. Then I found the couple of pages on identifying finishes. This is all very helpful stuff.

Thank you.