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How can I fix up this vanity?

Posts

How can I fix up this vanity?

Edited #1

Peter Martin

Things have certainly been slow, so I'm going to cross post topics that interest me personally from other woodworking sites. This is from the r/finishing subreddit. 

I got a beautiful vanity on marketplace, but it has some peeling. How can I remove this layer and what should I do next? I would like to stain it if possible

how-can-i-fix-up-this-vanity-v0-8146jvkyxh0d1.jpg?width=1080&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=351cbcb4f686193f3967fb2c16d771b795f3bb55
how-can-i-fix-up-this-vanity-v0-kheonvkyxh0d1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=86a28885d4036a8231efcf6d5954a25635d8c6c3


When I was a young buck in the USAF, my wife liked antique furniture and would buy things from estate sales. My process to refinish them was to slather them with aircraft paint remover and then hit 'em with a putty knife, wire brush, and pressure washer.

Have I mentioned that I'm not a woodworker? :)

So, for those of you who are, what would your method(s) be?  Replies to the subreddit post extolled the use of a cabinet scraper saying that it works great on old shellac.

Question 1

Best method to refinish this vanity

  1. Paint remover (2 [50%])

    100%

  2. Pressure washer (0 [0%])

    0%

  3. Sandblaster (0 [0%])

    0%

  4. Cabinet scraper (0 [0%])

    0%

  5. Paint it with chalk paint like my daughter does with everything (0 [0%])

    0%

  6. Pay someone else to do it (2 [50%])

    100%

In total voted: 4

Guest can't vote.

Re: How can I fix up this vanity?

#2

If only the top will be refinished first apply masking tape along the vertical surfaces to prevent the paint remover from running down.

Re: How can I fix up this vanity?

#3

Ellis Walentine

That looks like mahogany under all that goopy varnish. I'd use a gentle varnish remover on the whole thing, then sand it with fine sandpaper (220-320), stain it if desired with a water-based dye stain, and apply the finish of your choice, either two or three coats of thinned varnish or several wiped coats of Waterlox or other wiping varnish.

Ellis

Re: How can I fix up this vanity?

#4

Be very careful with paint removers and solvents, even water to clean off the paint remover.  If the wood is veneer, you could quite possibly loosen the glue holding it in place and ruin the entire piece.

Re: How can I fix up this vanity?

#5

Hello,
actions:
1. paint remover, then use a spatula, scraper
2. sanding with sandpaper
3. primer for wood
4. painting
if you don’t want to paint, but rather open up the furniture with varnish, then you need to proceed differently:
1. paint remover, then use a spatula, scraper
2. sanding with sandpaper
3. first coat of varnish
4. After the first layer has dried, sand the surface with fine sandpaper
5. subsequent layer(s) of varnish
6. polishing

Re: How can I fix up this vanity?

#6

Given the age & the look of the finish failure  I'd try some denatured alcohol first & see if It's shellac.  Sometimes you can soften up old shellac & clean it off/strip it doing it that way.   Or just get it to blend back in.

Re: How can I fix up this vanity?

Edited #7

First, find out if the finish is shellac.  Do this by gently scraping some of the pictured peelings and then putting them in a lidded jar with alcohol (denatured, of course).  If the stuff dissolves it's shellac.  
Then, because it will redissolve, shellac can be removed with just denatured alcohol, a card scraper, and scotchbrite pads without damaging the veneer on this Art Deco vanity.  You'll need a roll of paper towels to wipe the stuff off.
Restored a "period" shellaced pedestal game table this way.  Took about 2 gallons of alcohol (outside for the runoff) and some fine (grey) synthetic wool pads.

Added later 1 d 38 min 33 s:

Second, if the flakes don't dissolve in the alcohol, try some additional flakes in lacquer thinner.  NOT suggesting a lacquer-thinner bath, but at least you'll know what you're dealing with.

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