Expert: Greg Scholl - 9/15/2010

Question
QUESTION: My wife and I found a great platform bed and the headboard was damaged. The seller offered the bed at a tremendous discount so we bought it hoping to be able to repair the damage. The manufacturer advertises the bed as solid alder, alder veneer and engineered wood with a lacquer finish. The damage is almost all confined to the headboard and especially to the outside and top edge. I was hoping I could sand these areas with an electric sander with some luck match the existing stain. I have enclosed some picture files a few of which were taken with a macro lens. Before I sand and permanently change things I wondered what your thoughts might be. Also if I chose this sanding route would you try finish with poly or some sort of lacquer finish?     


ANSWER: Hey Jim, I only received one picture, and it's very hard to see the scope of the damage....unless you're familiar with this type of repair work, I can't really recommend you try this, as it's doubtful you will be able to repair this type of damage.Typically,to repair the finish, hand sanding with very fine sandpapers, (320-400-600, etc) is employed to feather damaged areas like this, and then the use of Dye stains, (NOT oil stain like Minwax), are used to blend in the area, followed by lacquering with clear and toned lacquers to blend and match the original finish in the correct sheen.If there is more severe damage to the wood, dents, gouges, missing areas, etc...it's even more difficult to do.... Luck doesn't really enter into this type of finishing and repair work- one really needs to know what they're doing and why, and with what materials, to be able to effect a suitable repair. You must use lacquer when repairing lacquer, and it's most probably lacquer, and the materials are available in aerosol form,and of course the dye stains as well, but in such a large variety of colors, bases, and sheens, etc., it's impossible to really know what to get unless you're familiar with these products, and I can't tell you that either from here...also to do a small repair like this, you'll end up having to purchase quantities of products that aren't cheap. Often to get the exact color, one has to intermix a few different ones to get a good match as well....WIsh I could tell you to just plow right ahead, but I know you won't get the results your looking for...it takes some finishing "chops" to do this, meaning experience and knowledge of the materials and how they're used. I would call in a Pro restorer to evaluate it with you.....post back if need be- Regards- Greg

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QUESTION: Thanks for the quick reply Greg. What about me not trying to blend in the repair, and instead sand both the side and top of the headboard. This photo shows the top about 3 1/2" deep, and the front edge about 3/4" tall this design travels up both sides and across the top. If this would work I would be left with no damage and bare alder wood. Might I then be able to use an oil base stain and spray  it with a lacquer finish coat(s). My amateur thinking was that I could hide the repair seam under the front edging where the eye would not see it provided I could get the colors close.

ANSWER: Yeah, you could refinish the whole piece around the edge, if you decide to do that, I would strip it instead of sanding. It will remove the finish much more cleanly, and leave the wood in much better shape for trying to stain it. I would also suggest you use a Dye stain. Generals waterborne dyes are very good and will yield much darker, clearer, colors without being 'muddy', and they also dry in 30 minutes instead of 12-24hrs with an oil stain. Then you could clear coat with something like a wipe on urethane (Generals Satin Gel Urethane is a good choice), unless it's really glossy- then you'll need to go with something to match the sheen like a gloss poly or a lacquer. Just mask off the the bed so as not to get any stripper or finish overspray or drips on it.Spraying always yields a smoother finish, so aerosols are a good bet. Post back if need be- regards- Greg

http://www.woodcraft.com/Family/2020491/General-Finishes-Water-Based-Dyes-.aspx

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QUESTION: Greg I purchased the dye stain from General finishes, and today I finished stripping the outside edges of the headboard (came out fine). I can now see the alder wood was glued together in strips to make larger boards. I am imagining the manufacturer also used a dye stain when he covered all this up? That said there are a few gouges in the wood that would be hard to sand out. I am wondering if I fill those with some kind of wood filler will the dye stain cover over the wood filler?  Any thoughts? (your batting a thousand so far)  

Answer
Hey Jim, a latex filler like Elmers Carpenters wood filler stains well with the dyes, but it rarely stains the same shade, so you'll likely have to go in with a second or third coat using an artists brush to touch up the filler..to hide these glue ups using multiple strips of wood,this is when toners are used to even out the differences with subtle color shading.Stains, even dyes, will tend to accentuate differences like this in grain and coloration of wood. Toners are available in aerosols from Mohawk, Behlen, etc...but you'll want to get Dye based toners, not pigmented toners. Behlens Master series are available from Woodworkers supply or maybe Woodcraft, or you can get the Mohawks from Pond Cove Paint in Portland Maine...it looks like you'll need a red Mahogany-Cherry type color, but this is where some experience and knowledge comes in, because there are many colors available, and the stain color you use under them makes a difference too. It's quite difficult to guide you from here, and often it takes a few colors together to get Pro results....I keep Transtint Dye concentrates in the shop to be able to custom mix toners, stains, washes on the fly, but these and a range of aerosol toners represents a rather large investment, one that one would be unlikely to purchase for a single repair.Then you'll need to clear coat the toners to match the final depth and sheen of the surrounding finish, and a precat lacquer might be a good choice, as these are harder and more durable than conventional lacquer. You're entering the realm of advanced finishing, so I hope I'm not overwhelming you with all this....post back- Greg

http://woodworker.com/master-topcoat-gloss-mssu-954-391.asp?utm_source=google&ut

http://www.pondcovepaint.com/content/page/catalog_product/id/141/Ultra_Classic_T