The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California

Furniture Finishing

The flatness of clear lacquers are the result of inclusion of some flattening agent such as wax or transparent pigment in a clear lacquer. These flat lacquers are made in various sheens, ranging from semi-gloss to dead flat. Most of them can be rubbed but should be selected with care if to be rubbed.

Flat varnish usually contains wax to produce the dullness, but it is preferable to buy a flat varnish that does not contain wax so that a rubbing varnish can be used over this coating if desired.

Removing varnish and Refinishing


REMOVING VARNISH

REMOVING varnish and paint from old furniture is a considerable part of the finishing business. In many cities about all the shop work is confined to refinishing old furniture and transformations, like glazing and enameling. Even factories must remove varnish when goods are shipped back, due to damaged finish or special order work.

There is little difference in material or method in removing varnish, lacquer, shellac or enamel. Many good brands of solvent, or varnish remover, are on the market, and while most of them are disagreeable to use, few of them are injurious. If one uses rubber gloves with a pair of canvas gloves over them, all the precaution necessary will have been taken to insure no injury to the hands. A common formula for removing varnish can be made as follows: 40% benzole; 35% denatured or wood alcohol; 25% methyl acetone, adding 1/4 lb. paraffine wax to each gallon of the mixture. The wax is melted and added to the benzole before cooling, and is then added to the other liquids and agitated thoroughly. This mixture must be agitated thoroughly before using to insure proper mixture of wax in the solution. Unless one is using large quantities it is not profitable to make varnish remover. Lye solutions should not be used as they do not have any advantage over solvents on the market and are sometimes injurious to the wood, and moreover burn up everything they come in contact with, especially one's hands and clothing.

There are two ways to remove paint and varnish with varnish solvents. A piece of furniture can be suspended into a tank of the solvent or the solvent can be laid on with a brush. If suspended into a tank solution, an easier job can be made of it, but this method is wasteful unless the pieces are small and one has a great deal of it to do. It is obvious that a more thorough job can be made in less time than by laying the solvent on with a brush.