Wood Refinishing

Posted by admin on April 4, 2009 under Services | Be the First to Comment

Often times, furniture, wooden doors and trim looses its luster over time. Unfortunately, many Portland home owners think to replace these wood pieces rather than restore. With proper care and the right stain, any entry door, window frame or piece of furniture can look better than new with the assistance of a Portland wood refinishing expert.

Removing the Old Finish

The first step on the path to making outdated wood like vibrant again is removing the current finish. Through a single use or combination of sanding, chemical compounds and heat guns, a Portland wood floor refinishing technician will carefully find the optimal stripping technique. Normally, we are working with antique furniture and/or trim which means low grain orbital sander is administered to the wood with even rotating strokes to ensure the original piece is left unaltered. Chemical strippers or “paint strippers” are used when paint or varnish covers the majority of the surface.

Wood Preparation

After the wood piece is devoid of old paint or varnish, it is left to dry before the next step-wood preparation. This is a critical step to the wood refinishing project because an experienced wood refinisher will use a variety of sand paper grits to find the optimal smoothness. A Portland wood refinishing professional will start with a high grain, like a 120 grit and work there way down to a 220 sand paper grit. Often times, wood which is not properly sanded at this point in the process will produce an uneven surface when the final varnish or paint is applied.
*Certain woods like mahogany and oak will require an additional a grain filler. Grain filler is a paste which comes in a variety of colors. The paste is slowly worked into the wood, dried and any excess is wiped clear.

Choosing and Applying the Proper Stain

Before selecting the right stain, a sanding sealer is normally applied to the wood to prevent the wood from absorbing the stain unevenly and reducing the amount of coats required. Stains choices are normally based upon matching the wood to the desired color and mitigating the contrast between other wood colors in the interior of the home. There are several types of stains to choose from.

Oil Based Stain – penetrates the wood without altering the surface

Recommended – furniture, woodwork, doors, floors, cabinets, accessories
Dry Time – 8 hours
Coats – Normally 2. Additional coats can be applied for a richer color
Application Tool – brush, cloth or foam applicator

Water Based Stain – environmentally friendly but often raise the grain of the wood

Recommended – furniture, woodwork, cabinets, doors, accessories
Dry Time – 3 hours
Coats – Normally 1. Additional coats can be applied for a richer color
Application Tool – synthetic bristle brush, cloth or foam

Gel Based Stain – offers excellent rich color but are more expensive

Recommended – woodwork, furniture, doors, cabinets, accessories
Dry Time – 24 hours
Coats – 1-2 depending on the surface
Application Tool – brush, cloth or foam applicator

Final Finish

The final coat serves to give the external structure a soft and natural finish. The finishing coat ranges from oil to water to laquer based. Oil is more durable and comes in variety of colors. Water based is softer and more environmentally friendly. Laquer is durable and gives an elegant finish. Each provides a different sheen or vibrancy. To learn more about the difference in glosses; visit the FAQ flat, high-gloss, satin and eggshell finish. A Portland wood refinishing expert will help guide your decision.

Water Based Polyurethane – is a clear and environmentally fast-drying finish used on most wood surfaces.