Refinishing In Shellac A Veneer Table

Working on refinishing a teak/veneer coffee table that a friend purchase many years ago in the discount section. I suspected the veneer just de-laminated. However working on the table it was apparent while heating (after stripping the finish off cover the spot with thin cardboard and use medium heat from a household iron to warm the spot, this sometimes reactivates the glue) it wouldn't stick down. So I took a razor blade and slit into 2 of the bubbles and hit it with more heat then while pressing with my finger I could definitely feel something firm. Obviously, some crud must of been trapped underneath the veneer from the factory. The dents and deep scratches have been removed with a hot steam iron along with the alcohol water trick. I think our friends are going to be very surprised. Because of the thin veneer, I didn't want to take a chance of sanding through with my random orbit sander ("ROS") so I block sanded with 220 by hand instead.

Last week, one day our weather hit in the 60's (did you know... shellac isn't temperature sensitive and cold weather even under 40 won't affect the cure, that's a good thing to know way up here in the cold North), so I set up the garage to spray. I used the Zinsser Bulls Eye Amber Shellac 3 pound cut straight from the can (don't forget to strain your shellac it does contain lots of junk,chunks even bug parts) and put down a heavy coat or two. Sanded back with 320, then I decided to have some fun and hooked on to my ROS the Mirka Abralon 1000 and 2000 grit sanding pads to figure out my sheen. Wet the table top with soapy water and WOO HOO. No I didn't electrocute myself, but don't you do that, water and electricity DON'T MIX. Do not use an electric sander for this operation.

I want to achieve a satin finish and get that "close to the wood" feel as possible. I didn't really pile on that much shellac. Just enough to rub. So first, it's necessary to remove the gloss from the grain pockets to match the satin sheen of the higher top surface. To do this, I used 00 steel wool (didn't have any 0000 steel wool) and scrubbed (not hard) in the direction of the grain, then went over the entire top with maroon scuff pad.


Using the 1000 grit Abralon pad will give you approximately satin sheen. Using soapy water as a lubricant, hit it ACE! I Keep the ROS (sander) moving using light pressure (the weight of the sander is all that is necessary)





All done! It's that simple and looks great as is. But! I went ahead and put a coat of wax on to shine things up just a wee little bit....It's so easy guys and gals...you just can't mess up with the Abralon pads. Try them they work great, just as easy using by hand.

Cherry Finish For Poplar - Conclusion

The Dye Job

Here we are, sprayed with 5 light coats, very light, a mist is a better way of describing, of Gemini NGR Equalizer Dye. Keep the gun moving trying not to spray too heavy. The first few coats looked awful coverage wasn’t very good (didn’t want to blotch). After 3 coats things get better and I was breathing a little easier. Now that the table base was done, time to spray the top. However, while spraying the top, I encountered a problem with the gun. Thinking I had run out of dye I looked into the cup and could see all kinds of grunge mixed in with a ½ full cup of dye. I poured off the cup and removed my cup to examine the gun’s plastic filter and it was plugged. I then discovered my paper filter (paint strainer) screen had partially detached from the paper funnel. Apparently, after using the filter over three (3) consecutive times, the NGR Dye had a reaction with the adhesive holding the filters mesh to the filter cone. Oops, they were latex paint filters. Anyhow, I had to sand back just a little and reapply a few light coats to even things out.

Spray The Oil Stain

Now remember my test board, all the love I put into that thing. That folks was a perfect world. Remember, this project was previously finished with dye and stain and 5 coats of poly.

Ok, here's the deal, its 88 degrees outside with the sun baking my garage and no breeze and humid as hell. So with my gun loaded with the Gemini Black Cherry oil stain I began to spray my first of two planed coats (remember the test board had 2 coats only of Gemini Black Cherry oil stain). Well you can just take that test board a chuck it out the window. As I was spraying my stain, it was dry before it even hit the wood (well pretty close to it anyway). By the time I was done the top was so much darker than the base and looked like crap.

Due to the hot weather, I had no working time! So I washed the entire table down with mineral spirits removing the stain. let it dry over night and hit it again in the morning when it was cooler.






Finally, you have to know when to stop! I love the color of my table and will not be using the General Finishes water based dye as my test board. I could probably lock down my color with shellac or something else and keep going, but that’s it folks I’m stopping with my color right here and don’t want to muddy it up for just a little more brown... I LIKE IT JUST THE WAY IT IS AND DAMN DOES IT LOOK GOOD.

Cherry Finish For Poplar - Part 6

Finished stripping the base, now I've washed the entire table down with mineral spirits to remove any lingering stripper. So all that's left to do is SAND.

Here is a pic of a little dent I had, here's how to remove it?










My sanding schedule was first 150 and finishing with 180. End-grain was taken care of by sanding with 320 then finishing with 600. That polishes the end-grain and limits the amount of stain absorbed.

Cherry Finish For Poplar - Part 5

Below are pictures of my test board that is divided into sections with blue painters tape then sprayed with the various NGR dyes and stains. Each required approximately 4 to 5 coats for an even color. Remember our various base colors will enhance our oil stains applied over top giving us that warm tone underneath together with evening out the darker heart and light sap wood.

First area, a base coat of Gemini Equalizer NGR stain.










Second area, a base coat of Gemini New England Maple NGR Dye.










Third area, a base coat of Gemini Raw Sienna NGR Dye.










Testing my table color sequence through the spray gun.


First, the Gemini Equalizer NGR Stain.










Second, 2 coats of Gemini Black Cherry oil stain over top the completely dry Gemini Equalizer NGR Stain.









Third and final, 3 coats of General Finishes water based Vintage Cherry Dye over top of the completely dry Gemini Equalizer NGR Stain and Gemini Black Cherry oil stain.







Here's a view of my practice board and notice the 3 lighter color sections closest to you. I'll be working out color and tones for a keeping chest build that is planed down the road.

Cherry Finish For Poplar - Part 4

Spraying the color:

I’ve decided with the darker cherry color for my table (number C4). Spent the better part of 6 hours spraying my dye and stains to my test board. Holy crap guys/gals this was one aggravating day and an amazing day all rolled up into one. I’ve must of cleaned the spray gun several hundred times (not really but sure felt like it) between all the combination's of dye/stain/water based.

NGR dye and fast drying oil stain pretty much dries instantly. So you don’t have the work time like the box-store hand wiping stuff. I just couldn’t seem to find my color that I matched confidently by hand wiping. I’m telling you guys/gals, this fast drying dye/oil is a whole different animal, light clear and even color.

By dinnertime I knew I was getting close, so had a quick dinner thought about it. Went to the garage… turned the board over filled the gun and sprayed. I was done and nailed the color in no time, just that fast.

In conclusion, the biggest problems you will experience is keeping the coats light and to slow down. When you slop on box-store stain by hand its slopping and mopping hitting it again move! move! move! Spraying is a different move! move! move! Hard to explain…you need to experience it. Once you do…you’ll never want to go back.

My small spray gun is Vaper HVLP detail (touch-up gun) $26.00with a 1.0 fluid needle. Max gun air pressure is 21psi. Just love this little guy. My only complaint is the cup cover (plastic cap) had cracked all around the vent not long after I purchased it. The orange looking thing attached to the gun is a small line dryer. Lets not take a chance of water from the compressor getting in the finish. You can find these at the auto body store, get 2 for I think $20.00The larger spray gun is a Husky HVLP brand (reportedly made by Campbell Hausfeld) Around $79.00ish with a 1.4 fluid needle. Max gun air pressure is 40psi. I’ve sprayed poly with this gun at 10psi… less over spray, works real nice.

PLEASE read your dye and stain cans for proper use, handling and clean up. Dispose all rags/paper towels properly. As we all should know rags/paper towels soiled with dye’s finishes, solvents are a SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION fire hazard. Dispose of properly!
Don’t forget to buy some paint strainers. Who knows what kind of crud is swimming in your dyes/stains waiting to clog up you spray gun. One last thing…be good to your gun keep him clean, even more so, with water based products

Cherry Finish For Poplar - Part 3

You have to be diligent about writing all this stuff down. Believe me after a while you forget. I decided to wipe these dyes and stains to quickly attain color. Didn’t feel like loading the spray gun and all that. So I sanded to 180 and applied the NGR dye directly to the raw wood with a rag.

A) Base of 1 coat Gemini Raw Sienna NGR dye
B) Base of 1 coat Gemini New England Maple NGR dye
C) Base of 2 coats Gemini Equalizer NGR stain

A1) 1 coat of Gemini Heirloom oil stain
A2) 1 coat of Gemini Black Cherry oil stain
B3) 1 coat of General Finishes water base Black Cherry
C4) 1 coat of Gemini Black Cherry oil stain & 1 coat of General Finishes water based Vintage Cherry dye stain
A5) 1 coat of Gemini Red/Brown concentrate water basedmixed 1 part concentrate to 3 parts water. Then anothercoat at 2 parts concentrate to 2 parts water.
A6) 1 coat of General Finishes water based Vintage Cherry dye stain
A7) 1 coat of General Finishes water base Black Cherry

This is what I’m leaning to. We have a small table in the house and decided to match that.

Cherry Finish For Poplar - Part 2

The spray finishes I'll be using are quality professional finishes from Gemini Coatings specifically, NGR (non grain raising) dyes and oils stains, I have a small sample of a water based concentrate to try as well, together with General Finishes water based dye and stain.

This is my practice board. The table top has lots of sapwood and heartwood so I need to play a little. My only concern since my table was previously finished...the dye and stain will react totally different than my fresh practice board but the color should be close. I'm looking for a brownish tone cherry.

My color range is a dark old cherry bed post (pictured to the left) and a lighter cherry board (pictured to the right) Looking forward to using a professional spray on product like Gemini Coatings. So on to the next step which is a little play time experimenting with various finishes looking for that perfect color combination.