First off, I did a search and ended with a great deal info about spraying lacquer. But that’s the problem. I don’t have a spray rig. I have a large walnut desk and bookcase in the family room that has taken a lot of superficial damage on the lacquer top. There are scratches and dings everywhere (two young kids!). I would like to put a finish on top without stripping to hide the dings and scrapes. What do you suggest?
Thanks for the help.
Joe
Replies
Brush with lacquer, or use a retarder in the lacquer while brushing. As for the dings, this requires a different fix- removing the finish, at least in that area, and applying hot steam via a wet rag and iron, then sand and finish as usual.
Edited 11/21/2006 10:27 am ET by jackplane
You could use a padding lacquer such as Behlen's Qualasole. It's available from Woodcraft and other sources - do a Google search.
First clean the surface well with mineral spirits or Naphtha. The padding lacquer takes a bit of practice to learn, but it's actually very easy to use. The technique is exactly like french polishing. Just enough lacquer on the pad to make it feel almost wet. You must never stop the pad on the surface, but use a light swiping motion back and forth, building a very thin series of layers over several applications, a day or 2 apart.
Rich
Are you sure it's lacquer? What tests did you do to determine that it's lacquer? This is important.
If it truly is evaporative lacquer it's easy to repair. But if you're using "lacquer" to denote a film finish it can get a bit more complicated.
Lee
Thanks to everyone for the info. Lee, I am sure it is lacquer. I commissioned the piece about 8 years ago. I should have asked the builder to use poly on the desk top but I didn't. It is a sprayed lacquer finish.
I'll try the Qualasole.
Joe
Joe,Here's the Behlen UK website where I stumbled on a link to the Qualasole MSDS long ago. Interesting reading.http://www.behlen.co.uk/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=B611-00015&Category_Code=SPFINhttp://www.behlen.co.uk/safety/B611-0001.pdfRich
Not sure its the right thing for your situation, but you can get lacquer in a spray can (Deft) at most hardware stores. I've used it on small objects with great success.
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