Thank you. A glow stick leaked on our new table, definitely gonna give this a shot. Anyone reading this who likes wood...stay away from glow sticks. I never knew.
Thank you for the videos and sharing your techniques and knowledge for repairing furniture. There are countless videos on stripping and refinishing furniture, but very few quality and detailed videos, such as yours, on how to touch up finishes. I am a furniture repairman and I appreciate learning various ways others approach furniture repairs. Flattening the finish touch up, by scraping with a utility knife blade is a great example of that. Even though I've done this work for many years, I'm often able to learn by observing others, even if its just a small detail. Real world repairs, performed for a real customer, in order to actually earn a living is a great benifit for me. Watching you soften and manipulate the lacquer around the damaged area is of great benifit to understanding lacquer in general. And, even though the repaired area was still visible, it was a significant improvement. And, in my experience, there are customers who absolutely do NOT want their piece stripped and refinished. Thank you for all your many videos.
Thank you! Your teaching style is A+! As someone new to repairs, I really appreciate you taking time to explain how the damage was done and why you've made the repair decision you've made. I have a dining table that has lots of dents and scratches from moving and was worried it'd have to been a very expensive repair. As soon as I figure out which finish it has, I'll be on my way! Thanks again!
The way the old timers did was to start off using denatured alcohol if it dissolved the finish, it was a shellac finish! If it didn't then lacquer thinner was used if that dissolved the finish it was a lacquered finished! If that didn't dissolve it was a varnish finish! Remember this test always start with denatured alcohol! If you ever forget D is always first before L in the alphabet! This test in mostly used on Antique furniture! and some vintage pieces! New furniture these days my be using Water Bourne finishes, that's another topic for another day!
This is such a good stuff man. It seems like all of the old furniture I see that's been refinished has just been slopped over with polyurethane no matter what the original finish was. Literally makes my stomach hurt to walk through the Antique Mall. Thanks for putting this out there, giving the average Joe Liquor better access to finishing devilry will benefit all of us in the long run.
We have an identical spot of damage on our Victorian table. I don't want to lose the patina of the table, so this looks like the best possible way of dealing with it. Thank you for doing this video.
New subscriber. Love your approach to specific steps, topics and repair types. No drama. This one is a great in that lacquer repairs, to me were always beyond my reach. Now they're not. Looking forward to viewing the remainder of your library. I've only watched a dozen or so. Keep them coming, please!
Thank you for your videos. I find them most informative and gives me the desire to want to do some furniture repairing myself. One thing which I found brought back some memories of my maternal grandmother. I had scratched some piece of furniture - I was in my teen years - and I was upset that the scratch would be noticed by my grandfather, who wouldn't be very happy about it. My grandmother got out the iodine and a Q-tip and the scratch disappeared! Thanks again for the video and the great memory!
Great video. I have an end table that has finish issues similar to what you show. I’ve been putting off stripping and refinishing as the rest of the piece looks good. I’ll try this method and see how well it works.,
I would have feathered out the damage with 320 wet and dry sandpaper and sprayed one or two coats of heavy body sanding sealer. Then spray a toner in a cup and hand brush the color in,(if needed) and then put a top coat on. Been an in-home service man for 40 years and this is what I would have done in the customer's home. Sometimes blender flo out may also did the job.
Great stuff, very detailed explanations so viewers can understand why they should be doing what! Myself, I am trying to make a similar repair, but am not sure what product was used on the table top: Is there any way to tell if the finish is lacquer or Polyurethane based product? Any one with suggestions please speak up.
Thanks for Sharing the Video - great information...What would you recommend for a 1960's Teak Office desk to keep the Wood desktop maintained ie the ones with a Leather green inlay ... where my hands are constantly touching ect..Oil or Finish ? seems like a semi- Satin finish on the desk at the moment Thanks again.
I have to say, you have such a calming voice! I found this video when I scrubbed a little too hard on my "new" light-colored wood table I bought from a family with young children. Unfortunately, the crayon (or so I thought) and pen marks don't seem to be coming out. Any suggestions on how to get green (what looked like crayon) and black ink out of a solid wood table? I may have gently take a magic eraser to the table... oops? Now it's slightly matte where it should be shiny. :( And I still have crayon(?) and black ink that refused to budge.
You may have to use sandpaper on that focussed area to remove the mark. I would mask off the area to minimize the wood you will be sanding so it's as small as possible. Does that answer your question? Scott
Since the wood was 'thirsty' as you say, and without finish for a period of years it was exposed to dirt and grime, as well as uv rays. In this case, is it prudent to clean the wood first or brighten it to a minor degree with oxcillic and stiff brush prior to laquer process? In an effort to lift the stainingnthat happened from the unfinished area. Thereby would the ring be less noticable after the new laquer is applied?
I have an 8ft table that comes apart in the center. I need to repair a spot on one side about the size of the one in this video. Would I need to spray the whole 4ft side of just the repaired area? Thanks!
I'm a big fan and have learned a lot from your channel. Your result is a big improvement, but the location of the damaged finish is still easily discernable. To be honest, it seems to me that refinishing the entire surface of this piece would not have been all that much additional work or used all that much more material. While that you are working on a veneered surface would have necessitated additional care, I think a more completely restored result would have warranted a complete refinishing.
Nicely done. Would this technique work on a polyurethane wood floor? I don’t want to refinish entire floor. But I want to fill finish and match satin finish of floor. Your advice appreciated or link to another of your video that addresses this issue. Thanks
Scott, Thank you for the videos on furniture repair and finish. They are indeed informative and very helpful. I am in the process of doing up our old Dining Table. It is made of beech/pine butcher block with beveled edges. The table is an uniform pale yellow color with a polyurethane finish. The minor scratches and dents will go away with light sanding. However there are a couple of deeper dents which need filling. What filler should I use to match the color and grain of the table top. My concern is to prevent the filling from showing through the new coat of poly. Will appreciate your advice.
Its very difficult to fill scratches and dents in tables and make them disappear. My go-to product is a Mohawk Hard Fill. If you're looking for perfection, you need to plane the surface down beyond the damage. Dent's can sometimes be reversed with a damp towel and an iron. I hope that helps. Here's a video on the Hard Fill product. th-cam.com/video/XIZs7JJXZ5s/w-d-xo.html
I was cleaning the shop and the end of my broom handle scuffed a teeny tiny part of a finished product. My broom is mostly sealed smooth aside from the exact area I hit the door with. Likely from being dropped at some point. That was enough to leave a small scuff mark. Like two millimeters. I freaked out because everything we make is expensive, but realized very very light top coat will likely fix it. I just wanted to check this to see what you do. Worse comes to worse I’m able to scuff it again and refinish. The stain is a very dark black and the finish/sealer is 2 in 1.
Is 0000 steel wool ok (with paste wax) to use for removal of very fine satin scuff/scratch. You cannot feel the scratch with a finger nail, and it’s only visible in certain light and angle. Thank you 😊
@@FixingFurniture hi Scott, I used 0000 steel wool to apply Trewax paste wax on a cherry table in an attempt to remove some very fine scratches. The finish on the table is lacquer with semi gloss finish, and after applying the wax the section is now glossy, while the rest of the table is satin. My question is: can the satin finish be brought back? Thank you.
I would have just made a new top. For all the time it took to redo the touchups It would have cost the customer more to repair it than its worth. That is if your not also making a video that can earn some future income from the project. I am glad TH-cam recommended your channel. Your great at explaining every step. Thanks
Do these drink rings appear on a water based polyurethane finish? I'm re-doing an Ethan Allen table and want good durability but ease of use, I'm afraid a lacquer would show too much water damage and wear.
Water-based urethane is a good choice for a table top. Just to be clear, this damage was from chemicals dissolving the lacquer, not from water. I hope that helps. Scott
@@FixingFurniture OK yeah sounds like water based poly is the way to go for my project (I don't want oil based, I want to preserve the wood color/tint). Sounds like a safer choice for a dining table. Thanks!
what is the final coat you are spraying on the surface? I put a fingernail polish remover on the coffee table just for a sec and now that spot is not shining anymore. what is the solution?
I accidentally ruined the top of my mother's antique chest that's been in the family for well over 100 years. I was devastated. Thank you for giving me hope.
Hi, you couldn't share any tips on restoring the sun bleached or water stained modern lacquer ? I have a beautiful (to me anyway) modern walnut kitchen. The lacquer is still great, but it has lost color where the sun falls on it. Not sure what kind of lacquer I have, but it is modern and clean, so I don't want to scrape it away, just to apply something on top to restore the color.
Excellent teaching! I have 20 year old kitchen cabinets that have some "blisters" on top of the drawer fronts where water has dripped and eaten through the finish. They also have some corners where the wood has moved and left raw maple. I absolutely do not want to sand and refinish the entire kitchen because it is in really nice condition. I am completely baffled at how to sand and fix these small spots. I consulted a woodworker where I live in Alaska and he said to sand and use Gun Oil... which I did one one cabinet in a bathroom. It is a good seal for water but is too shiny to match the original finish. It's a dark bathroom where nobody will notice but the kitchen gets a ton of natural light and any mismatching will be very visible. Do you have any suggestions? What do you think of Bees Wax? By the way.... every single furniture and wood shop in town has said they do not want the job.
I just wanted to know if I can use it on cardboard as I'm making a model ship and I have no idea if it is going to cause trouble later I could have tried it on scrap cardboard but the issue is I have to buy large container so if you could just try it out on a tiny piece of cardboard it would be helpfull!!! By the way I'm a new subcriber asking every one for help 😅
I wouldn't suggest using it on cardboard as it will likely saturate it and cause it to deform. I suggest looking for a craft finish that's designed to cover paper products. I hope that helps. Scott
My wife had a spill of acetone on my landlords table. I sanded and put a marker after using a trick with iron and tower to get some of the gumminess off. Now my ridges are down and its smooth. The marker was a little darker and I'm thinking about picking up a can of laquer spray. It's a huge modern table so so moving it outside is not possible and we are trying not to panic too much. If I spot treat with spray laquer do you think that will make the marker marks darker? Should I sand down to the wood and spot treat with spray laquer? It's really not as bad as it was and we're on damage control. Thank you in advance for the tips!
A coat of finish will likely make the colour darker. For colour matching, it's best to test samples of stain and finish, but since you don't have a spare piece of wood, you will have to guess as best as you can. If it doesn't look right, sand it down and try again. To be honest, this is a challenging repair and you may need to to call in a furniture repair company.
@@FixingFurniture I don't think the landlord is going to really be that worried about it. The table is nice but has a few other issues. The color match is pretty close but it's obvious that there was an oopsie and following shoddy repair. Acetone really can mess up a laquer finish. My wife and I are pretty much over getting too worried about it. I enjoyed your video. Thank you for the reply and keep up the good work!
I wonder, could you not have built up the low areas with a pad saturated with lacquer diluted with thinner (like French polishing with shellac and alcohol)
Don't have Home Depot locally. Did the spray handle come with the lacquer or separate? Looks like a fairly narrow spray stream which would really come in handy. Thanks so much! Enjoyed the video.
Hi James. The spray handle is listed on our store under Spray Finishing - see www.amazon.com/shop/homeimprovementwoodworking The handle doesn't control the spray though. The spray pattern is controlled by the spray can. The handle just makes the spray can easier to use. Does that help? Scott
I repair donated furniture for a non-profit and I found your video to be very informative. Also, I wondered if you have any tips for fixing slight cracking on a tabletop finish caused by a ceramic coaster with a hot cup of coffee on it?
That sounds like a cool initiative! To answer your question, the first thing you need to understand is what type of finish is on the table. Once you understand the finish, you can then determine how to repair it. Here's a video to show you how to identify the finish - th-cam.com/video/Xp4layfBXkA/w-d-xo.html
Yes, Tim is right. These are blades from a utility knife that snap off to get a new sharp tip. I buy them in large packs and use them periodically on finishes.
No, you are thinking of an old technique to help remove a deep scratch from timber by swelling the wood with steam. This would only really work on solid timber and definitely not on something that has been lacquered. Apart from the lacquer preventing the steam penetrating the wood, the lacquer would most likely go milky.
Lacquer us SUPER THICK!!!! it dries FAST! you MUST THIN IT!!!! I finally got a decent finish with an 80% thinner and 20% Lacquer. Temp was only around 65°F !!! ...if you need to take an edge off or a drip, just use straight thinner, but carefully. Other notes: I applied it to a very non-level (wavy) table top. Sanded to 220. I sanded the coated top between layers with 350 (finer than 220). However, the finish was HORRIBLE. After I failed 3 times, new approach... I used 3000 (3K) to find the high spots, knocking those down. I super-thinned the lacquer and repeated sanding very lightly, knocking the high spots, and 2 more coats. To get a super sheen, I used a very old wooden spatula with a curved back. I rubbed in a shine better than the 3k grit!! I left the table out overnight and it rained. OOPS, I thought. THE WATER BEADS DANCED 💃 a beautifully on top of my old oak table. I will post a video of another, but smaller table... from opening of the lacquer can to to the shiny finish.. it will be a while though.
I wish you lived in Scotland having some bother with a lacquer finish but the luthiers near me don’t see it as worth their time so having to do the small touch up myself it’s probably on par with that job.
Thanks so much for this. I have a mahogany gate-leg table that I think is mid-century. I do know it was manufactured in either the Carolinas or Memphis, TN. Not an antique but is regional piece that represents home for me. The table top has some issues and so do the legs. The china cabinet is in great shape but the table top needs some work. Thanks for making this video. I am on a serious budget but would like to repair my table to prevent further damage. I’ve done some refinishing in the past but never with lacquer. I am a bit worried about fumes. Is this something I can do in the open air outside or should take to my garage? Also what type of mask is needed for this? I will google it but thought I’d get your recommend as well. Thanks again. 👍🏾
The respirator I use is in the Safety section of this page - the Organic filter is the right one for Lacquer - www.amazon.com/shop/homeimprovementwoodworking You can do it outside or in, provided your indoor space has open windows/doors for ventilation AND you're wearing a respirator with organic filters. I hope this helps. Scott
You should invest in Mohawks enamel aerosols. For that corner you markered in you probably could’ve misted a little bit of their medium brown and it would have been damn near none existent while still keeping the repair cheap and easy and not needing to always make your own colors on extensive repairs
Hello! I watched this video in hopes of figuring out a good way to fix my dining room table project. I applied the final lacquer finish last night and let it dry over night. I checked on it this morning and found three huge bugs had flown into the wet finish and completely dried into it. I scraped out their poor bodies with a putty knife but there's still an imprint of their bodies in the finish. Would you recommend the technique in this video to fix this? Thanks!
I think for a low budget finish, the result was good. I'm wondering is use of a sealer might have reduced the darkness of the repaired area. Still...nice work.
I don't have any brushing lacquer in my workshop (its very flammable), but that's another approach to building up the finish. Catalyzed lacquer is harder than non-catalyzed and it won't dissolve like non-catalyzed lacquer so this approach won't work. I haven't repaired a piece like that, but you might have to strip the finish.
I could still see the ring after the final spray coat. For all that work, it seems to me that stripping and refinishing the top would have been faster and easier.
Careful using lacquer thinner on some finishes. Try to test an inconspicuous area before going to work on the visible surfaces everyone. Lacquer thinner will strip some stains right off. I'm a professional Metal/Wood finisher and well-known Patina Artist on the East Coast
By "some stains" you actually mean oil-based stains. You should use water-based stains if you are going to coat with lacquer. Otherwise the lacquer will dissolve the oil-based stain and actually remove it if you are using a brush.
To understand how to repair the finish, you need to identify the finish first. Some finishes won't stick to others. You may have lacquer but you may also have shellac. Here's a video that shows how to identify the finish - th-cam.com/video/Xp4layfBXkA/w-d-xo.html
Nail Polish fail. i have a similar wood to repair. Nail Polish went on wood, my friend cleaned it off but removed the Finnish, and bare wood color appeared. The area is 7 inches square. Now, what is the best thing to do?
Thank you for this video. Helped me finish a guitar. Also you cabinet said "inflammable" which means "won't burn". Easy fix: get some laquer thinner and scratch off those first letters 😊😊😉
Love watching your work and the end results always looks great. The only issue I have is the choice of royalty free music. I keep expecting Greg Turkington to pop up next to you in an "On Cinema, On Location" piece.
Thank you. As for the music, that's from the TH-cam library for creators, and there's no mention of Greg or On Cinema, On Location there. Would they perhaps have obtained the music from the same source as TH-cam?
Hello, thank you for your videos. Could you tell me - is it possible to repair a lacquer finish so that it become invisible? I have a little damage of lacquer on a wooden surface, and I would like to repair so that noone knows, that it was repaired. On your video I can see where the damages were.
The only way to make a repair 100% invisible is to remove the finish and apply a new finish. That may not be the answer you were looking for but I hope it helps. Scott
If you are careful and use the right abrasives, just sand the whole surface and refinish. A lot of people will like to play like they are art restorers, and that's ok, but it takes a lot of time and the final product is not good enough for my standards at least.
pre-catalyzed sanding very thick drops would have had work let it dry 24 hours try that !! After that sand and spray again sealer on top ... And then finish
Hi Richard. The purpose of this repair was an inexpensive spot repair. This isn't going to make the spot invisible, but restore the working function of the piano bench. If you would like to repair a piece that has a mark on this and hide it 100%, the solution is to strip off the finish, apply stain to even out the colour, then apply a new finish. Does that answer your question? Scott
Fixing Furniture Yep, it sure does! I suspected something like that but the process seems to be difficult to grasp, mostly due to the seemingly endless methods I’ve seen used, which aren’t always easy to understand for a beginner like me. The videos either leave out information or just don’t do a good job with camera angles. So far though, your videos are some of the best & most helpful I’ve seen & that’s saying a lot, since I think I’ve seen almost all there is out there haha thank you!
I used Watco. It's not based on a preference, I just picked it up at the local hardware store as I rarely use lacquer due to the toxicity and flammability
I found this video to be interesting. An observation is that there are truths in your presentation and in the comment by Johnny Angry. I can still easily see the flaws, although greatly diminished, after your work. Johnny suggests a full sand down. You want to avoid sanding through the veneer. So why did you not chemically strip it?
As I stated at the start of the video, this was a budget fix based on the customer's wishes. Stripping and refinishing would have cost more and the customer wasn't willing to put more money into the piano bench. The pieces I work on are not my own, so there are sometimes limitations on what I can do. Cheers. Scott
yeah you definitely have to level before you over spray with lacquer. if you have a dent it will be made worse with spraying. I think it is became the lacquer puddles in the indentation and melts into it and makes it more obvious. This is the opposite of polyurethane which will fill a low spot. At least that is my experience.
I have to say, I think you're right. The old lacquer is rubbish, it could be stripped and fresh AC sprayed in less time than this localised repair took. This is approach would be fine on shellac, which is always reversible.
He said that indeed in most cases what you said is the best approach but for this case the veneer was too thin and stripping would risk damaging it. Plus, this piece of furniture was flat enough that it would have been easy to strip, but in some cases there may be too elaborate ornaments when correctly stripping the old coat without damaging would be a much more time consuming job, and the fix may be in a flat area. This is a great video when you are in a situation that applies.
For a quick, low-budget fix I think this was good. I have an old desk I need to do this on but I'm actually just going to lacquer thinner the whole surface and see what happens.
It's unlikely there's a lacquer finish on a floor. You need to understand what finish you have. Here's a video on how to identify the finish - th-cam.com/video/Xp4layfBXkA/w-d-xo.html
I would have to agree with sanding the entire top the amount of time that that took to repair and still see the water damage vs sanding, bleaching and restrain would of took the same time and looked better
The problem with that approach Tim is the top is veneer. For a perfect result, this would have to be stripped and refinished. As I mentioned at the start of the video, this was a budget fix. I know it isn't a result that everyone would be happy with, but the customer was - it met his expectations. Scott
Great video for my latest repair. I had a moving company bring me six table leaf panels with scratches. The panels are all a veneer. After determining the finish to be Shellac, I used denatured alcohol along the scratches. It softened the Shellac and leveled out the scratch marks. This allowed me to use a small sander with gray and white 3M pads to buff out the remainder of the imperfections. Much faster than stripping and refinishing six 36" x 36" panels.
@@tonischolz2231 hi when you say value I would agree if it was an antique piece with a hundred years patina on it yes, but the piece you are working on can be easily replicated , I’m a french polisher by trade, thanks for your reply
Thank you. A glow stick leaked on our new table, definitely gonna give this a shot. Anyone reading this who likes wood...stay away from glow sticks. I never knew.
Oh, that's too bad. Good luck with your project. Scott
Thank you for the videos and sharing your techniques and knowledge for repairing furniture. There are countless videos on stripping and refinishing furniture, but very few quality and detailed videos, such as yours, on how to touch up finishes. I am a furniture repairman and I appreciate learning various ways others approach furniture repairs. Flattening the finish touch up, by scraping with a utility knife blade is a great example of that. Even though I've done this work for many years, I'm often able to learn by observing others, even if its just a small detail. Real world repairs, performed for a real customer, in order to actually earn a living is a great benifit for me. Watching you soften and manipulate the lacquer around the damaged area is of great benifit to understanding lacquer in general. And, even though the repaired area was still visible, it was a significant improvement. And, in my experience, there are customers who absolutely do NOT want their piece stripped and refinished. Thank you for all your many videos.
Thank you! Your teaching style is A+! As someone new to repairs, I really appreciate you taking time to explain how the damage was done and why you've made the repair decision you've made. I have a dining table that has lots of dents and scratches from moving and was worried it'd have to been a very expensive repair. As soon as I figure out which finish it has, I'll be on my way! Thanks again!
The way the old timers did was to start off using denatured alcohol if it dissolved the finish, it was a shellac finish! If it didn't then lacquer thinner was used if that dissolved the finish it was a lacquered finished! If that didn't dissolve it was a varnish finish! Remember this test always start with denatured alcohol! If you ever forget D is always first before L in the alphabet!
This test in mostly used on Antique furniture! and some vintage pieces!
New furniture these days my be using Water Bourne finishes, that's another topic for another day!
This is such a good stuff man. It seems like all of the old furniture I see that's been refinished has just been slopped over with polyurethane no matter what the original finish was. Literally makes my stomach hurt to walk through the Antique Mall. Thanks for putting this out there, giving the average Joe Liquor better access to finishing devilry will benefit all of us in the long run.
We have an identical spot of damage on our Victorian table. I don't want to lose the patina of the table, so this looks like the best possible way of dealing with it. Thank you for doing this video.
Your voice is lovely. You may be the Bob Ross of furniture repair. Thank you for the soothing lesson.
❤ I was thinking the same thing!
New subscriber. Love your approach to specific steps, topics and repair types. No drama. This one is a great in that lacquer repairs, to me were always beyond my reach. Now they're not. Looking forward to viewing the remainder of your library. I've only watched a dozen or so. Keep them coming, please!
Thanks for your support Dan! It makes me happy to hear you're finding our videos useful! Scott
Thank you for your videos. I find them most informative and gives me the desire to want to do some furniture repairing myself. One thing which I found brought back some memories of my maternal grandmother. I had scratched some piece of furniture - I was in my teen years - and I was upset that the scratch would be noticed by my grandfather, who wouldn't be very happy about it. My grandmother got out the iodine and a Q-tip and the scratch disappeared! Thanks again for the video and the great memory!
That's a cool story! Thanks for sharing that. Scott
Please have a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. Thank you,
I have nothing to say really, but I appreciate your content, and wish to help with the yt-algorithms.
I will join you
Good video - what is the attachment you are using on the spray can of lacquer. I can't find anything that looks like that at my hardware stores?
Wow, this was an incredibly informative video. Chock full of wisdom, or as Axios describes its writing style, "short but not shallow".
You made an easy repair look hard. A simple lacquer lay in would have been fine. Also, maybe a touch of color.
Great video. I have an end table that has finish issues similar to what you show. I’ve been putting off stripping and refinishing as the rest of the piece looks good. I’ll try this method and see how well it works.,
I hope it works for you and you enjoy working on the project. Cheers. Scott
I would have feathered out the damage with 320 wet and dry sandpaper and sprayed one or two coats of heavy body sanding sealer. Then spray a toner in a cup and hand brush the color in,(if needed) and then put a top coat on. Been an in-home service man for 40 years and this is what I would have done in the customer's home. Sometimes blender flo out may also did the job.
Great stuff, very detailed explanations so viewers can understand why they should be doing what!
Myself, I am trying to make a similar repair, but am not sure what product was used on the table top: Is there any way to tell if the finish is lacquer or Polyurethane based product?
Any one with suggestions please speak up.
Here's a video that I made to show how to test for different finishes - th-cam.com/video/Xp4layfBXkA/w-d-xo.html
@@FixingFurniture Thanks for info...sorry for delayed LIKE!
Thanks for Sharing the Video - great information...What would you recommend for a 1960's Teak Office desk to keep the Wood desktop maintained ie the ones with a Leather green inlay ... where my hands are constantly touching ect..Oil or Finish ? seems like a semi- Satin finish on the desk at the moment Thanks again.
I have to say, you have such a calming voice!
I found this video when I scrubbed a little too hard on my "new" light-colored wood table I bought from a family with young children. Unfortunately, the crayon (or so I thought) and pen marks don't seem to be coming out. Any suggestions on how to get green (what looked like crayon) and black ink out of a solid wood table?
I may have gently take a magic eraser to the table... oops?
Now it's slightly matte where it should be shiny. :(
And I still have crayon(?) and black ink that refused to budge.
You may have to use sandpaper on that focussed area to remove the mark. I would mask off the area to minimize the wood you will be sanding so it's as small as possible. Does that answer your question? Scott
@@FixingFurniture it partially answers it, thank you!
I'm assuming I would then need to re-lacquer the sanded area? :(
@@1AnimalWhisperer Yes, correct.
Please do a video on repairing plasticizer migration on a wood surface. Thanks!
Respirator and gloves is good advice. Liver failure us no picnic.
Since the wood was 'thirsty' as you say, and without finish for a period of years it was exposed to dirt and grime, as well as uv rays. In this case, is it prudent to clean the wood first or brighten it to a minor degree with oxcillic and stiff brush prior to laquer process? In an effort to lift the stainingnthat happened from the unfinished area. Thereby would the ring be less noticable after the new laquer is applied?
what type or brand lacquer in spray can did you use ? Valspar ?
Its Watco
I have an 8ft table that comes apart in the center. I need to repair a spot on one side about the size of the one in this video. Would I need to spray the whole 4ft side of just the repaired area? Thanks!
In my experience, spray the whole table top for a consistent and refreshed finish. Otherwise it will have a different level of sheen.
I'm a big fan and have learned a lot from your channel. Your result is a big improvement, but the location of the damaged finish is still easily discernable. To be honest, it seems to me that refinishing the entire surface of this piece would not have been all that much additional work or used all that much more material. While that you are working on a veneered surface would have necessitated additional care, I think a more completely restored result would have warranted a complete refinishing.
Thanks Doug Martsh of Built To Spill! 🙏
You're welcome. Scott
Nicely done. Would this technique work on a polyurethane wood floor? I don’t want to refinish entire floor. But I want to fill finish and match satin finish of floor. Your advice appreciated or link to another of your video that addresses this issue. Thanks
Scott,
Thank you for the videos on furniture repair and finish. They are indeed informative and very helpful.
I am in the process of doing up our old Dining Table. It is made of beech/pine butcher block with beveled edges. The table is an uniform pale yellow color with a polyurethane finish. The minor scratches and dents will go away with light sanding. However there are a couple of deeper dents which need filling.
What filler should I use to match the color and grain of the table top. My concern is to prevent the filling from showing through the new coat of poly. Will appreciate your advice.
Its very difficult to fill scratches and dents in tables and make them disappear. My go-to product is a Mohawk Hard Fill. If you're looking for perfection, you need to plane the surface down beyond the damage. Dent's can sometimes be reversed with a damp towel and an iron. I hope that helps. Here's a video on the Hard Fill product. th-cam.com/video/XIZs7JJXZ5s/w-d-xo.html
@@FixingFurniture Thank you.
AWESOME VIDEO, Thank you! You are amazing.
Question the water base stain you use what the name
I was cleaning the shop and the end of my broom handle scuffed a teeny tiny part of a finished product. My broom is mostly sealed smooth aside from the exact area I hit the door with. Likely from being dropped at some point. That was enough to leave a small scuff mark. Like two millimeters. I freaked out because everything we make is expensive, but realized very very light top coat will likely fix it. I just wanted to check this to see what you do. Worse comes to worse I’m able to scuff it again and refinish. The stain is a very dark black and the finish/sealer is 2 in 1.
Is 0000 steel wool ok (with paste wax) to use for removal of very fine satin scuff/scratch. You cannot feel the scratch with a finger nail, and it’s only visible in certain light and angle. Thank you 😊
Thanks for sharing that. Scott
@@FixingFurniture hi Scott, I used 0000 steel wool to apply Trewax paste wax on a cherry table in an attempt to remove some very fine scratches. The finish on the table is lacquer with semi gloss finish, and after applying the wax the section is now glossy, while the rest of the table is satin. My question is: can the satin finish be brought back? Thank you.
I would have just made a new top. For all the time it took to redo the touchups It would have cost the customer more to repair it than its worth. That is if your not also making a video that can earn some future income from the project. I am glad TH-cam recommended your channel. Your great at explaining every step. Thanks
I have a oak veneer table that the color came off from a medicine how can I just touch up the color its like 5 droplets
My new favourite TH-cam channel
That's awesome! Thanks you for such a high complement and for subscribing to our channel. Scott
Do these drink rings appear on a water based polyurethane finish? I'm re-doing an Ethan Allen table and want good durability but ease of use, I'm afraid a lacquer would show too much water damage and wear.
Water-based urethane is a good choice for a table top. Just to be clear, this damage was from chemicals dissolving the lacquer, not from water. I hope that helps. Scott
@@FixingFurniture OK yeah sounds like water based poly is the way to go for my project (I don't want oil based, I want to preserve the wood color/tint). Sounds like a safer choice for a dining table.
Thanks!
Excellent video.
what is the final coat you are spraying on the surface? I put a fingernail polish remover on the coffee table just for a sec and now that spot is not shining anymore. what is the solution?
The finish is spray lacquer you can buy at most hardware stores.
Why it is so relaxing watching these amazing repair skills ✌️✌️, thanks alot
It's his soft voice
I accidentally ruined the top of my mother's antique chest that's been in the family for well over 100 years. I was devastated. Thank you for giving me hope.
These tips are invaluable lads, thanks.
Hi,
you couldn't share any tips on restoring the sun bleached or water stained modern lacquer ?
I have a beautiful (to me anyway) modern walnut kitchen. The lacquer is still great, but it has lost color where the sun falls on it. Not sure what kind of lacquer I have, but it is modern and clean, so I don't want to scrape it away, just to apply something on top to restore the color.
The Link to Wood Finish Identification video in the description isn't working.
Excellent teaching! I have 20 year old kitchen cabinets that have some "blisters" on top of the drawer fronts where water has dripped and eaten through the finish. They also have some corners where the wood has moved and left raw maple. I absolutely do not want to sand and refinish the entire kitchen because it is in really nice condition. I am completely baffled at how to sand and fix these small spots. I consulted a woodworker where I live in Alaska and he said to sand and use Gun Oil... which I did one one cabinet in a bathroom. It is a good seal for water but is too shiny to match the original finish. It's a dark bathroom where nobody will notice but the kitchen gets a ton of natural light and any mismatching will be very visible. Do you have any suggestions? What do you think of Bees Wax? By the way.... every single furniture and wood shop in town has said they do not want the job.
I just wanted to know if I can use it on cardboard as I'm making a model ship and I have no idea if it is going to cause trouble later I could have tried it on scrap cardboard but the issue is I have to buy large container so if you could just try it out on a tiny piece of cardboard it would be helpfull!!! By the way I'm a new subcriber asking every one for help 😅
I wouldn't suggest using it on cardboard as it will likely saturate it and cause it to deform. I suggest looking for a craft finish that's designed to cover paper products. I hope that helps. Scott
@@FixingFurniture thank you very much now I know what to look for 😄 thanks once again
My wife had a spill of acetone on my landlords table. I sanded and put a marker after using a trick with iron and tower to get some of the gumminess off. Now my ridges are down and its smooth. The marker was a little darker and I'm thinking about picking up a can of laquer spray. It's a huge modern table so so moving it outside is not possible and we are trying not to panic too much. If I spot treat with spray laquer do you think that will make the marker marks darker? Should I sand down to the wood and spot treat with spray laquer? It's really not as bad as it was and we're on damage control. Thank you in advance for the tips!
A coat of finish will likely make the colour darker. For colour matching, it's best to test samples of stain and finish, but since you don't have a spare piece of wood, you will have to guess as best as you can. If it doesn't look right, sand it down and try again. To be honest, this is a challenging repair and you may need to to call in a furniture repair company.
@@FixingFurniture I don't think the landlord is going to really be that worried about it. The table is nice but has a few other issues. The color match is pretty close but it's obvious that there was an oopsie and following shoddy repair. Acetone really can mess up a laquer finish. My wife and I are pretty much over getting too worried about it. I enjoyed your video. Thank you for the reply and keep up the good work!
I wonder, could you not have built up the low areas with a pad saturated with lacquer diluted with thinner (like French polishing with shellac and alcohol)
Don't have Home Depot locally. Did the spray handle come with the lacquer or separate? Looks like a fairly narrow spray stream which would really come in handy. Thanks so much! Enjoyed the video.
Hi James. The spray handle is listed on our store under Spray Finishing - see www.amazon.com/shop/homeimprovementwoodworking The handle doesn't control the spray though. The spray pattern is controlled by the spray can. The handle just makes the spray can easier to use. Does that help? Scott
A great video. Thank you for shareing.
You’re welcome!
I repair donated furniture for a non-profit and I found your video to be very informative. Also, I wondered if you have any tips for fixing slight cracking on a tabletop finish caused by a ceramic coaster with a hot cup of coffee on it?
That sounds like a cool initiative! To answer your question, the first thing you need to understand is what type of finish is on the table. Once you understand the finish, you can then determine how to repair it. Here's a video to show you how to identify the finish - th-cam.com/video/Xp4layfBXkA/w-d-xo.html
I like the scraper but I cannot quite tell what it is - Some sort of disposable card scrapers or just really long razor blades?
John King u can find blades at paint store
Those are from snap blade replacement packs
Yes, Tim is right. These are blades from a utility knife that snap off to get a new sharp tip. I buy them in large packs and use them periodically on finishes.
Yes Tim, you're right! Scott
Would it also work doing that trick of moistening the surface and heat it up with a clothes iron over a damp cloth?
No, you are thinking of an old technique to help remove a deep scratch from timber by swelling the wood with steam. This would only really work on solid timber and definitely not on something that has been lacquered. Apart from the lacquer preventing the steam penetrating the wood, the lacquer would most likely go milky.
Lacquer us SUPER THICK!!!!
it dries FAST!
you MUST THIN IT!!!!
I finally got a decent finish with an 80% thinner and 20% Lacquer. Temp was only around 65°F !!!
...if you need to take an edge off or a drip, just use straight thinner, but carefully.
Other notes:
I applied it to a very non-level (wavy) table top. Sanded to 220.
I sanded the coated top between layers with 350 (finer than 220). However, the finish was HORRIBLE.
After I failed 3 times, new approach...
I used 3000 (3K) to find the high spots, knocking those down. I super-thinned the lacquer and repeated sanding very lightly, knocking the high spots, and 2 more coats.
To get a super sheen, I used a very old wooden spatula with a curved back. I rubbed in a shine better than the 3k grit!!
I left the table out overnight and it rained. OOPS, I thought. THE WATER BEADS DANCED 💃 a beautifully on top of my old oak table.
I will post a video of another, but smaller table... from opening of the lacquer can to to the shiny finish.. it will be a while though.
Hi, could you confirm the brand of the lacquer thinner? Do you have the amazon link? Thank you!
I wish you lived in Scotland having some bother with a lacquer finish but the luthiers near me don’t see it as worth their time so having to do the small touch up myself it’s probably on par with that job.
That's too bad. I can see charging a minimum for a small piece of work, but not refusing to provide service.
Thanks so much for this. I have a mahogany gate-leg table that I think is mid-century. I do know it was manufactured in either the Carolinas or Memphis, TN. Not an antique but is regional piece that represents home for me. The table top has some issues and so do the legs. The china cabinet is in great shape but the table top needs some work.
Thanks for making this video. I am on a serious budget but would like to repair my table to prevent further damage. I’ve done some refinishing in the past but never with lacquer. I am a bit worried about fumes.
Is this something I can do in the open air outside or should take to my garage? Also what type of mask is needed for this? I will google it but thought I’d get your recommend as well.
Thanks again. 👍🏾
The respirator I use is in the Safety section of this page - the Organic filter is the right one for Lacquer - www.amazon.com/shop/homeimprovementwoodworking
You can do it outside or in, provided your indoor space has open windows/doors for ventilation AND you're wearing a respirator with organic filters. I hope this helps. Scott
You should invest in Mohawks enamel aerosols. For that corner you markered in you probably could’ve misted a little bit of their medium brown and it would have been damn near none existent while still keeping the repair cheap and easy and not needing to always make your own colors on extensive repairs
Thanks for the tip!
Hello! I watched this video in hopes of figuring out a good way to fix my dining room table project. I applied the final lacquer finish last night and let it dry over night. I checked on it this morning and found three huge bugs had flown into the wet finish and completely dried into it. I scraped out their poor bodies with a putty knife but there's still an imprint of their bodies in the finish. Would you recommend the technique in this video to fix this? Thanks!
It should work for you. Good luck with your project. Scott
I think for a low budget finish, the result was good. I'm wondering is use of a sealer might have reduced the darkness of the repaired area. Still...nice work.
Wouldn't it been easier just to strip the varnish, sand , then laquer?
Why not build up the finish with a lacquer drip before smoothing out with the thinner? And any advice on repairing a catalyzed finish?
I don't have any brushing lacquer in my workshop (its very flammable), but that's another approach to building up the finish. Catalyzed lacquer is harder than non-catalyzed and it won't dissolve like non-catalyzed lacquer so this approach won't work. I haven't repaired a piece like that, but you might have to strip the finish.
How do you patch if you need to lay stain in those spots too?
What is the lacquer you used?
Oh this is golden, thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks for an excellent video. Rather than tack clothes I prefer microfiber cloths. Tack clothes can affect some water based finishes
That's a good point about water-based finishes. I haven't tried a microfibre cloth yet - I will have to do that
Brilliant video, thanks fixing furniture.
Thank you for your positive feedback. Glad you enjoyed it.
Thank you for this!! Accidentally got resin on my table 🙁
Why didn't you show the final end result?
Thanks a bunch, accidentally spilled some nail polish remover on a table and I didn’t wanna refinish the whole thing
Glad I could help!
Wizardry at work.
Lol. Thanks. Scott
I could still see the ring after the final spray coat. For all that work, it seems to me that stripping and refinishing the top would have been faster and easier.
Careful using lacquer thinner on some finishes. Try to test an inconspicuous area before going to work on the visible surfaces everyone. Lacquer thinner will strip some stains right off. I'm a professional Metal/Wood finisher and well-known Patina Artist on the East Coast
Thanks for your advice Maurice. I'm sure the furniture repair community will find that useful. Scott
By "some stains" you actually mean oil-based stains. You should use water-based stains if you are going to coat with lacquer. Otherwise the lacquer will dissolve the oil-based stain and actually remove it if you are using a brush.
How do you clean or touch up antique chinese laquered pieces?
I'm not familiar with that. I suggest seeking out a professional finisher to answer that question. Scott
GREAT JOB
Did you do any cleaning beforehand? I've heard wax or oil can prevent a new coat of lacquer from properly adhering, or fully hardening.
Yes, before applying a new finish, I wipe it down with mineral spirits. Does that answer your question? Scott
@@FixingFurniture Yes, thank you.
Does it apply to wood floors my floor has big alcohol pot hole
To understand how to repair the finish, you need to identify the finish first. Some finishes won't stick to others. You may have lacquer but you may also have shellac. Here's a video that shows how to identify the finish - th-cam.com/video/Xp4layfBXkA/w-d-xo.html
Nail Polish fail. i have a similar wood to repair. Nail Polish went on wood, my friend cleaned it off but removed the Finnish, and bare wood color appeared. The area is 7 inches square. Now, what is the best thing to do?
Sorry to hear that. It's a large area so you'd be best to strip off the finish and apply a new finish to the whole piece. I hope that helps. Scott
Great and helpful vider.
Glad it was helpful! Scott
Thank you for this video. Helped me finish a guitar. Also you cabinet said "inflammable" which means "won't burn". Easy fix: get some laquer thinner and scratch off those first letters 😊😊😉
Are you sure ? 😂😂 look up inflammable on a dictionary.
How would you do that with a solid lacquer color like white?
Because of color matching, I would spray the whole surface. There's no way to touch up an area to be invisible otherwise.
Thank you for the videos.
Glad you like them!
Love watching your work and the end results always looks great. The only issue I have is the choice of royalty free music. I keep expecting Greg Turkington to pop up next to you in an "On Cinema, On Location" piece.
Thank you. As for the music, that's from the TH-cam library for creators, and there's no mention of Greg or On Cinema, On Location there. Would they perhaps have obtained the music from the same source as TH-cam?
@@FixingFurniture Ha! More than likely. You'd need to watch a few episodes to get what I mean I think
Hello, thank you for your videos.
Could you tell me - is it possible to repair a lacquer finish so that it become invisible? I have a little damage of lacquer on a wooden surface, and I would like to repair so that noone knows, that it was repaired. On your video I can see where the damages were.
The only way to make a repair 100% invisible is to remove the finish and apply a new finish. That may not be the answer you were looking for but I hope it helps. Scott
@@FixingFurniture I know about it, but I hoped that there is another way. Thank you very much.
If you are careful and use the right abrasives, just sand the whole surface and refinish.
A lot of people will like to play like they are art restorers, and that's ok, but it takes a lot of time and the final product is not good enough for my standards at least.
I understand. As I stated at the start of the video, this was a budget choice made by the customer. Scott
I would have taken my chances and sanded the entire thing down. You can still see the stain
pre-catalyzed sanding very thick drops would have had work let it dry 24 hours try that !! After that sand and spray again sealer on top ... And then finish
I must be too new & I apologize, because I really did enjoy the video but how could I have gotten rid of the spot entirely?
Hi Richard. The purpose of this repair was an inexpensive spot repair. This isn't going to make the spot invisible, but restore the working function of the piano bench. If you would like to repair a piece that has a mark on this and hide it 100%, the solution is to strip off the finish, apply stain to even out the colour, then apply a new finish. Does that answer your question? Scott
Fixing Furniture Yep, it sure does! I suspected something like that but the process seems to be difficult to grasp, mostly due to the seemingly endless methods I’ve seen used, which aren’t always easy to understand for a beginner like me. The videos either leave out information or just don’t do a good job with camera angles. So far though, your videos are some of the best & most helpful I’ve seen & that’s saying a lot, since I think I’ve seen almost all there is out there haha thank you!
What spray lacquer did you use?
I used Watco. It's not based on a preference, I just picked it up at the local hardware store as I rarely use lacquer due to the toxicity and flammability
I found this video to be interesting. An observation is that there are truths in your presentation and in the comment by Johnny Angry. I can still easily see the flaws, although greatly diminished, after your work. Johnny suggests a full sand down. You want to avoid sanding through the veneer. So why did you not chemically strip it?
As I stated at the start of the video, this was a budget fix based on the customer's wishes. Stripping and refinishing would have cost more and the customer wasn't willing to put more money into the piano bench. The pieces I work on are not my own, so there are sometimes limitations on what I can do. Cheers. Scott
Same process for shellac, except you'd use alcohol, right?
Yes, you are correct Matthew! Cheers. Scott
Very cool.
Nice job, Scott.
Thanks Michael. I appreciate that. Scott
yeah you definitely have to level before you over spray with lacquer. if you have a dent it will be made worse with spraying. I think it is became the lacquer puddles in the indentation and melts into it and makes it more obvious. This is the opposite of polyurethane which will fill a low spot. At least that is my experience.
Should have sanded the entire top and re-finished. The repair hardly does anything, the spots are still seen after the repair. No point overall!
I have to say, I think you're right. The old lacquer is rubbish, it could be stripped and fresh AC sprayed in less time than this localised repair took. This is approach would be fine on shellac, which is always reversible.
Gotta go slowly as it's veneer. I'd suggest stripping and refinishing the entire top. Not much more time and a much better result.
Totaly agree.
He said that indeed in most cases what you said is the best approach but for this case the veneer was too thin and stripping would risk damaging it. Plus, this piece of furniture was flat enough that it would have been easy to strip, but in some cases there may be too elaborate ornaments when correctly stripping the old coat without damaging would be a much more time consuming job, and the fix may be in a flat area. This is a great video when you are in a situation that applies.
For a quick, low-budget fix I think this was good. I have an old desk I need to do this on but I'm actually just going to lacquer thinner the whole surface and see what happens.
Can I use this repair on a oak floor
It's unlikely there's a lacquer finish on a floor. You need to understand what finish you have. Here's a video on how to identify the finish - th-cam.com/video/Xp4layfBXkA/w-d-xo.html
@@FixingFurniture thanks very much for the information
Do you wet the steel? And did you use a semigloss lacquer or gloss?
The steel wool was dry. The lacquer was a semigloss. Cheers. Scott
What spray finish do you use?
It's Watco clear lacquer. I bought it at Home Depot
Wow, that was amazing.
Thank you. Scott
Thank you
You're welcome
I would have to agree with sanding the entire top the amount of time that that took to repair and still see the water damage vs sanding, bleaching and restrain would of took the same time and looked better
The problem with that approach Tim is the top is veneer. For a perfect result, this would have to be stripped and refinished. As I mentioned at the start of the video, this was a budget fix. I know it isn't a result that everyone would be happy with, but the customer was - it met his expectations. Scott
Great video for my latest repair. I had a moving company bring me six table leaf panels with scratches. The panels are all a veneer. After determining the finish to be Shellac, I used denatured alcohol along the scratches. It softened the Shellac and leveled out the scratch marks. This allowed me to use a small sander with gray and white 3M pads to buff out the remainder of the imperfections. Much faster than stripping and refinishing six 36" x 36" panels.
Would of been quicker removing the finish and better results,
It’s best to restore the original finish. Sometimes, the value of a piece is in the original finish. Strip the original finish, strip the value.
@@tonischolz2231 hi when you say value I would agree if it was an antique piece with a hundred years patina on it yes, but the piece you are working on can be easily replicated , I’m a french polisher by trade, thanks for your reply