I’m in the process of refurbishing a 1960’s bar room, coin op, bumper pool table. The entire table is maple and the original finish was clear on the sides while the legs and outer rail along the top was somewhat of an antique finish. The antiquing consisted of a base color close to the bare maple and the top color was a medium brown (like creamed coffee).
Now that everything has been sanded bare I realize the pieces that were brown definitely need to be an alternate color for style. Since I will be staying with plenty of clear-coated maple I would like to hear some ideas for a complementing color?
Since I’m much more comfortable doing basement remodels and consider myself and moron when it comes to finishing wood I would like hear some durable, good looking, yet easy to apply finishes (as in NOT a hand rubbed lacquer). By the way I’m going with green for the cloth. Another by the way I own a conventional, suction feed, spray gun and kind of mediocre at using it.
Replies
Scott,
Why not stain the parts you want darker, and leave the rest "natural"? I like waterbased aniline dyes, or NGR stains for maple, but use what you are familiar with. Pick a color that looks good with your cloth. I don't know what to suggest you spray that would be easier than lacquer. A semi-gloss wouldn't need much rubbing out.
Maybe an oil finish or wiping varnish?
Cheers,
Ray
In the spirit of keeping it simple but looking and feeling top quality, I use the following. Maple is prone to blotching. Use minwax wood conditioner before using their stain, two coats of conditioner. Dry stain overnight, top coat with oil base polyurethane, two coats is plenty, keep them light and dry overnight between. Sand with 220, buff with the grain 0000 steel wool, apply a thin coat of minwax paste finishing wax, allow to dry and buff with soft cloth. This will stand up to a spilled martini and a fair amount of abrasion. A coat of wax twice a year will keep it looking great. Can't help with the color selection, that's too personal. Items from that time may have been sprayed with a silicone polish so you may want to ask your supplier about fisheye reducer especially if you decide on laquer. Test on an inconspicuous area first.
Thanks for the input!
Ray can you expand more on the stains you mentioned are those brand names and where might I find them? I’m not kidding about being a finishing moron.
Both of you have mentioned lacquer especially since I said I’m into something simple. What I understand about lacquer involved a LOT of sanding, buffing and polishing. I’m assuming my impressions are false? Can somebody post a link to a thread about lacquers that would be good for a beginner or maybe another web page?
Hammer, yes colors are a highly personal choice, but most good ideas are just spin offs of another’s design. Let me hear what you would do with this piece.Scott R.
Scott,
You should be able to order the stains from Woodcraft or Garrett Wade, or Constantines. I get mine from a local coatings business called Gemini, they handle a line called Wood Finishers Supply. What someone else called "blotchy", I call "figured" ha. If you prefer a more monochromatic look, a wiping stain will work better for you, although they are more tricky to apply a wiped on finish over top.
My typical schedule for spraying lacquer: Sand to 180 grit, wet w/water, dry, sand with 240, water stain, dry, steel wool (0000), dust off. Spray sealer coat. Scuff sand with 320 grit "no load". Spray 2 more coats. Scuff between coats only as needed to knock down nibs or level sags. Steel wool (0000), I use a little petroleum jelly as a lubricant, and to pick up the finish as it's abraded away by the wool. If you use NGR stain, you won't need the wet/sand step. NGR=Non Grain Raising since it is spirit based, it is less forgiving to apply, it will show lap marks so you have to spray it, or maintain a wet edge if brushing. Practice on scraps first!
Cheers,
Ray
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