Expert: Greg Scholl - 11/18/2008

Question
QUESTION: We just bought an antique washstand  and intend to place a vessel sink on it for use in a busy bathroom.  The washstand is stained a deep redish color and the wood grain shows through.  We want to maintain the flat finish but want to seal or finish the piece so that water won't damage the wood.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

ANSWER: Hi Damara, the piece is nice, but has a finish on it, not just stain, and that might be the natural color of the wood which looks like Mahogany or maybe Cherry. You're asking a lot of any finish to protect this nice Antique in a very harsh setting. Typically, the flatter the finish the less protection it offers from water, but you could probably use a Satin Urethane product like one of the General products like their 450 Exterior or the GF High Perf. Urethane.
http://www.generalfinishes.com/finishes/water-base-finishes/waterbase_finishes.h
You'll need to strip off the existing finish and then color (if need be), and finish the top to a good match. You'll need at least 4-5 coats to protect that nice top. For the ultimate in toughness and durability, you could have the top sprayed with a catalyzed urethane by a cabinet shop. These finishes, used on kitchen cabinets, boat and RV furnishings, etc. are extremely tough, but not something the novice will have access to. Hope that helps- regards- Greg

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QUESTION:  I am concerned about matching the color on the top afterward.  Do I need to strip it first or can I just paint it with 4-5 coats of a clear satin urethane?

Answer
You'll need to make sure you remove any and all wax, grime, etc. from the surface with mineral spirits, 0000 steel wool and some clean rags. If it's shellac, you could clean, lightly scuff sand with some 400 grit, and then proceed with the urethane, but if it's lacquer or varnish it should be stripped, and I wouldn't be too concerned about matching the color, as almost all that beautiful color is the natural color of the wood. The way to test for shellac, after your thorough cleaning, is to use a little alcohol on a layer of rag stretched over your index finger, dampened with the alcohol, and rub in an inconspicuous area and immediately touch the area with a bare finger as it dries off, to detect if it's sticky. Alcohol won't affect lacquer or varnish in this way. Hope that helps.