Expert: Greg Scholl - 7/12/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi. I have a number of pieces of Ethan Allen furniture. The finish has degraded over the years by becoming sticky and dull.  I have contacted Ethan Allen and they have been absolutely of no assistance.  The finish has become so dull, sticky and soft that anything that is placed on it sticks to the finish and ultimately mars it.  Is there any way I can refinish these pieces myself?  The problem with the finish is only on the flat surfaces.  The rest of the pieces still look wonderful.   I have tried various products to clean and restore with no luck.  I never used anything on this furniture except the Ethan Allen recommended furniture polish.  The pieces are all cherry wood from their discontinued Georgian Court line.  I very much would appreciate any help you can give me.  Thank you. Lee

ANSWER: Hey Lee, it's unusual that this finish would degrade the way you say it is,..how often do you polish it and are you applying it to the finish or to a cloth? Are there smokers in the house? Also, you say that you've only used Ethan Allen recommended polish, what is that? And what cleaning products did you use on it, as they can damage a finish as well....these are lacquered pieces, and unless you have experience refinishing, and re-lacquering I would not recommend this as a DIY job. Especially because they typically used staining and toning techniques on their finishes that are not the realm of the amateur. Post back- regards- Greg

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QUESTION: Greg:  thank you for responding.  First I would polish 4-5 times year avg and dry dust other times.  I used polish sold by Ethan Allen, their brand and also used the EA furniture cleaner when problems arose.  This did not help.  I did put the polish directly on surface and sometimes put on a cloth then proceeded to polish.  There are no smokers in this house.  Never have been.  I used turpentine as a recommended way to cut through old wax, it did not help.  Also I used Howard Resorafinish, which again did not help.  Does this seem like a wax build up problem.  The surface is so soft that my child put her stocking feet on a butler table and there will actual sock marks left that I could not remove.  I do have some experience with refinishing, mainly with antique oak pieces, no experience with cherry wood and this type of finish.  Thank you for any help you can give me.  This furniture is beautifully made,  fairly expensive and I treasure it, but it looks terrible.  Lee

Answer
This sounds like the finish is soft, not something ON the finish, and the Howards can soften a finish. I have never used it, but I have seen the results (repaired them actually) of others attempts at using it, and it's results have never been good in my opinion. It is strong enough to attack a lacquer finish as there are several warnings about pouring it directly on a finish, so it could definitely damage a finish as well. Try the fingernail test, and dig a fingernail into the surface of the finish and see if it's gummy and if it leaves a mark. It really sounds like the lacquer is failing, and unfortunately that means stripping it and refinishing it. You can use aerosol lacquers to refinish an Ethan Allen piece, and even get dye based toners to help recreate the original look if it's toned,(they usually add patina this way around edges and such), but it's a bit daunting to learn how to copy these finishes and exactly what colors of stain, toners, etc. to use, if you're unfamiliar with the techniques and materials.There's a huge range of available colors, so it makes it a bit tricky to advise you. If you have a smaller piece, like a side table, you could experiment with the methods and techniques, and the beauty of finishing is that you can always strip it off and try again, should you make a mess, or not like the results. The other option is to contact a Pro Restorer, and have them come evaluate it with you....it may not be too cost prohibitive to have just the tops done, and someone in the business has the advantage of having the necessary techniques and range of materials to do these finishes.I stock a range of Dye concentrates, for instance, with which I can custom mix an exact shade needed for this type of job, but just for someone to buy a few of these at $18 a bottle, plus the lacquers, thinners, spray equipment, etc., etc. and then learn how to use/mix/apply them .....well you get the picture, I'm sure...I also wonder if Ethan Allen might have a name for you, as they do employ touch up and restoration people, usually, and also have people around the country that design, build, and finish things for them....