My wife bought a trunk at a yard sale. I'll call it a humpback trunk, as it
has a rounded top. The thing is in actually decent shape. The filigree
stamped top pieces are all there, and all the wood is in good shape. It is
a light gray in appearance.
I want to just make the thing look a little better. No restoration or
anything like that. What do you suggest for this. Should I use a varnish?
Shellac? Stain and then clearcoat? I would like a one shot deal that will
come out with all the wood being fairly even, and not having dark places
from the stain. The wood is a little rough, but I could sand a bit if I
should wipe on the stain with a rag.
What would you do?
I will get one shot to make it look better or mess it up.
Steve
"Mapdude" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I's want to see a picture of something done like this before I would try
> it....
>
> Rudy Lippert wrote:
>> If the thing has any value as an antique, leave it alone. Any changes or
>> upgrades in the finish diminishes the value . . . HOWEVER . . . if you
>> don't
>> care about that and simply want to make it look good, there is a
>> procedure
>> that makes for a very rich, old-timey look. It goes like this:
>>
>> Get a can of international orange exterior grade paint. (SCREAMING
>> ORANGE).
>> Give the sucker a coat and let it dry for about a week. It will look (I
>> guarantee you) GAWD AWFUL. Then go to an art supply store and buy a
>> small
>> tube of artists oil - color = burnt umber. Squeeze it into a container
>> and
>> mix in enough paint thinner to make it the consistency of heavy cream.
>> With
>> a semi-cheap paintbrush, paint the burnt umber over the orange paint . .
>> . a
>> very thin coat (one coat only), trying to remove the umber with the same
>> paintbrush as you applied it with. This will leave small narrow streaks
>> of
>> the orange paint peaking through the oil paint. It will give the
>> impression
>> of very rich, semi-antique wood. Let this dry for about a week and then
>> coat with some sort of polyurethane.
>>
>> I've used this on whiskey barrels (for planters) and a ship's hatch cover
>> (for a coffee table). It improves the appearance but is definitely not
>> something you could classify as fine craftsmanship.
I have achieved passable results with spray cans and spraying ever so
lightly, and layering. Spraying corners and edges, and letting them dry.
Highlighting with various colors. Masking off areas. But the whole time,
spraying only a very light mist from about 1-3 feet, and letting it hit and
stick only in small droplets and not get completely covered. It also
involves letting each application dry before applying the next.
But nothing as heavy as what this guy proposes.
Steve
No restoration or
> anything like that. What do you suggest for this. Should I use a varnish?
> Shellac? Stain and then clearcoat? I would like a one shot deal that will
> come out with all the wood being fairly even, and not having dark places
> from the stain. The wood is a little rough, but I could sand a bit if I
> should wipe on the stain with a rag.
If the chest's wood looks good as is, why stain it? Sanding rough
areas may leave discolored spots, something you say you want to avoid
having. Yet, I suppose, you want the wood smoother than it presently
is. Does, or did, it have a clearcoat on it? Do you necessarily need
a clearcoat on it? Would it look good without a stain or finish on it?
Instead of sanding, rub it hard with burlap or denim wrapped around a
block of wood. This will smoothen it without really removing anything
relevant, as with sanding... similar effect as long term wear, but lots
of rubbing is necessary.
Should you opt for no stain or topcoat: For a furthering of the smooth
feel, you might like Tre-Wax. Apply (test) Tre-Wax (follow directions
- comes in clear or tinted appliques) on a spot and see if you like
that. Tre-Wax dries fast and is not water resistant, so it will wash
off easily if you later want a topcoat, of some kind, on the piece.
Tre-Wax leaves the surface really smooth, even on raw, unfinished wood,
including aromatic cedar. Apply this testing, and any stain testing if
you go that route, on the bottom of the piece, before commiting to
anything.
Sonny
Steve B wrote:
> My wife bought a trunk at a yard sale. I'll call it a humpback trunk, as it
> has a rounded top. The thing is in actually decent shape. The filigree
> stamped top pieces are all there, and all the wood is in good shape. It is
> a light gray in appearance.
>
> I want to just make the thing look a little better.
Better than what? You've described something that ain't broke. I'd
leave it alone.
how old is it?
if possibly antique the best rule is don't touch it
Steve B wrote:
> My wife bought a trunk at a yard sale. I'll call it a humpback trunk, as it
> has a rounded top. The thing is in actually decent shape. The filigree
> stamped top pieces are all there, and all the wood is in good shape. It is
> a light gray in appearance.
>
> I want to just make the thing look a little better. No restoration or
> anything like that. What do you suggest for this. Should I use a varnish?
> Shellac? Stain and then clearcoat? I would like a one shot deal that will
> come out with all the wood being fairly even, and not having dark places
> from the stain. The wood is a little rough, but I could sand a bit if I
> should wipe on the stain with a rag.
>
> What would you do?
>
> I will get one shot to make it look better or mess it up.
>
> Steve
>
>
Steve B wrote:
> My wife bought a trunk at a yard sale. I'll call it a humpback trunk, as
> it
> has a rounded top. The thing is in actually decent shape. The filigree
> stamped top pieces are all there, and all the wood is in good shape. It
> is a light gray in appearance.
>
> I want to just make the thing look a little better. No restoration or
> anything like that. What do you suggest for this. Should I use a
> varnish?
> Shellac? Stain and then clearcoat? I would like a one shot deal that
> will come out with all the wood being fairly even, and not having dark
> places
> from the stain. The wood is a little rough, but I could sand a bit if I
> should wipe on the stain with a rag.
>
> What would you do?
>
> I will get one shot to make it look better or mess it up.
>
> Steve
One thing I would do is determine what type of finish it had on it. Odd
things happen when you mix finishes
It could be that the wax treatment would be all you needed, or even
something as simple as Murphy Oil Soap just to clean it.
Deb
If the thing has any value as an antique, leave it alone. Any changes or
upgrades in the finish diminishes the value . . . HOWEVER . . . if you don't
care about that and simply want to make it look good, there is a procedure
that makes for a very rich, old-timey look. It goes like this:
Get a can of international orange exterior grade paint. (SCREAMING ORANGE).
Give the sucker a coat and let it dry for about a week. It will look (I
guarantee you) GAWD AWFUL. Then go to an art supply store and buy a small
tube of artists oil - color = burnt umber. Squeeze it into a container and
mix in enough paint thinner to make it the consistency of heavy cream. With
a semi-cheap paintbrush, paint the burnt umber over the orange paint . . . a
very thin coat (one coat only), trying to remove the umber with the same
paintbrush as you applied it with. This will leave small narrow streaks of
the orange paint peaking through the oil paint. It will give the impression
of very rich, semi-antique wood. Let this dry for about a week and then
coat with some sort of polyurethane.
I've used this on whiskey barrels (for planters) and a ship's hatch cover
(for a coffee table). It improves the appearance but is definitely not
something you could classify as fine craftsmanship.
"Steve B" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:QjFmg.5780$6w.66@fed1read11...
> My wife bought a trunk at a yard sale. I'll call it a humpback trunk, as
> it has a rounded top. The thing is in actually decent shape. The
> filigree stamped top pieces are all there, and all the wood is in good
> shape. It is a light gray in appearance.
>
> I want to just make the thing look a little better. No restoration or
> anything like that. What do you suggest for this. Should I use a
> varnish? Shellac? Stain and then clearcoat? I would like a one shot deal
> that will come out with all the wood being fairly even, and not having
> dark places from the stain. The wood is a little rough, but I could sand
> a bit if I should wipe on the stain with a rag.
>
> What would you do?
>
> I will get one shot to make it look better or mess it up.
>
> Steve
>
I's want to see a picture of something done like this before I would try
it....
Rudy Lippert wrote:
> If the thing has any value as an antique, leave it alone. Any changes or
> upgrades in the finish diminishes the value . . . HOWEVER . . . if you don't
> care about that and simply want to make it look good, there is a procedure
> that makes for a very rich, old-timey look. It goes like this:
>
> Get a can of international orange exterior grade paint. (SCREAMING ORANGE).
> Give the sucker a coat and let it dry for about a week. It will look (I
> guarantee you) GAWD AWFUL. Then go to an art supply store and buy a small
> tube of artists oil - color = burnt umber. Squeeze it into a container and
> mix in enough paint thinner to make it the consistency of heavy cream. With
> a semi-cheap paintbrush, paint the burnt umber over the orange paint . . . a
> very thin coat (one coat only), trying to remove the umber with the same
> paintbrush as you applied it with. This will leave small narrow streaks of
> the orange paint peaking through the oil paint. It will give the impression
> of very rich, semi-antique wood. Let this dry for about a week and then
> coat with some sort of polyurethane.
>
> I've used this on whiskey barrels (for planters) and a ship's hatch cover
> (for a coffee table). It improves the appearance but is definitely not
> something you could classify as fine craftsmanship.
>
>
>
>