Antique China Shop

Ling answers:

The proper way?? Well I'm not sure if proper is what you mean but here goes..... After the entire piece is sanded to the desired smoothness there are many different colors of stain to choose from and some even that have all "3" steps in the same can (mixed together) when it comes to staining take a rag and dip it in the can or use a brush, i use a rag for this, wipe it one all in the same direction, (like on a table top) then to get the desired brightness or to keep it dark take a clean rag and wipe or rub the excess off. Let it dry for 24 hours the take some 400 grit sand paper and LIGHTLY sand down any rough spots. Then wipe it down with some cheese cloth to get the fine dust off of it.... The apply a top coat of poly-urethane *spelling* and let that dry for about 24 hours, Very lightly sand the rough spots out, wipe it down again, repeat once more with the poly to get a long-lasting smooth finish....

Ling answers:

Sanding anyway possible I'm gonna do it when I leave here.You can use chemical strippers but you eventually have to sand to get the wood ready for staining.I did a head board for my aunt and it turned out great put on 3 layers of polyurethane after its done and it will look like its under glass and easy to clean.You go with the grain of the wood and 150 sand paper after stripped 220 between coats of polyurethan.

Ling answers:

A natural finish is a clear coating. The furniture would be natural color of the wood. Staining is changing the color of the wood to whatever shade you want. I would just tell him that you want it to look the way it did.

Ling answers:

What you can probably do is spot repair the area. If it is a light colored table then I would sand the spot to feather out the edges so that when you put new color and finish over the spot you won't see the edges of the repair and thus have it stand out.

Start with 400-600 grit sandpaper. Lightly sand the area until it feels smooth with no edges when you run your finger across the spot. Next you need to blend the color back in. This can be done several ways: you can use artist oil colors from any craft store like Michaels or any art supply store. I've used colored pencils if it is a light color, if it is a darker color then the colored pencils don't tend to darken the spot enough. You can even use some artist markers as well. After the area dries (if using the oil colors) then you need to spray a bit of lacquer sealer over the spot (at any home center like Home Depot or Lowes). Spray a few light coats, let it dry, then take the 600 grit sandpaper and lightly sand the spot. After that, you can spray a few light coats of lacquer (again at the home centers) over the repair. The lacquer comes in different sheens to you can blend the area back in. After everything is allowed to dry (usually overnight) then if you see a ring or halo around the repair area you can try this: if it is a matte or dull sheen on the entire table top get some #0000 fine steel wool and using light pressure you can rub the spot out going in the direction of the grain. If the sheen is semi-gloss or gloss then you can still use the steel wool but spray some polish onto the top first and rub with the steel wool to shine up the area. Wipe it dry and if there is still a mark then get some rubbing compound (usually found at a paint store, especially one that sells paints for cars) and you can rub out the entire top to blend it all in.

Good luck!

Ling answers:

If it was varnish before then use varnish again. Oil based wood stain may not penetrate the wood and will wear much faster