Antique furniture restoration! Any thinking on how to remove this dilapidated finish? I bought a heavily carved Japanese fern stand, approximately 200 years old....
I bought a heavily carved Japanese fern stand, approximately 200 years old. It is covered with shiny black lacquer, which is shabby, and looks bad.
I can't find anything that will remove the lacquer!
I have tried Jasco and Dad's paint stripper, acetone, paint thinner, lacquer thinner, naptha, mineral spirits and denatured alcohol.
I even tried my paint gun, and this stuff is impervious to even elevated heat. I have scraped the top, and find superb wood. I know how it could look, because my mother owned one very similar, that was a clear finish, and it be gorgeous.
Any of you restoration experts have any ideas?
Answers: If the lacquer is still intact, and if you perfectionism about the value of the fern stand as an antique, do >>Nothing<<. Even if the finish is reasonably badly damaged, removing an productive surface substantially lowers the worth of the antique.
Lacquer solvent does exists, but it is extremely volatile, an extreme fire hazard, and really difficult for an inexperienced person to fiddle with.
Leave well enough alone (polish it, love it, dust it), if not send it to someone who does this work for a living.
Since you have already started..
On a piece that antediluvian & if the "Japanned finish " is original, it is layed on in plentiful thin coats.
Not a "modern" inorganic lacquer & will not respond well to solvent type strippers.
Just as very well the solvents did not work since they could have reduced the finish to black "mud " which can stain the wood.
Would also avoid heat.
Going to be slow , but one of the starchy paste strippers that you wrap w/ plastic would be the safest.
A strong caustic soft mass paste made w/ water & Mex might draw from things going , but can darken any bare wood it gets into & will have need of to be neutralized w/ a mild acid solution.
Would use plastic tools to heave rather than scrape any loosened finish.
On a piece that behind the times & if you are committed to DIY , avoid any sanding which dulls detail & lightly rub w/ fine bronze wool to burnish the wood once the finish is sour.
To refinish would keep it simple & use a hand rubbed grease finish .
Sounds nice.
Best regards