Fixing a lacquered pine desktop prior to prime and paint

Seeing as how you are going to paint it, use the Bondo, apply as smooth as you can and sand flat, do it several times if necc. Also after the first coat of paint you may see some spots you miised just mix up some more & bondo & sand as much as you want to

I am exceptional w/ polyfilla. I am only painting this pine desk b/c it will match a lot (everything) else when I'm done, begining w/ splayed legs of a $2K blk. leather chair/ottoman. If I were to worry about little bits chipping through the paint in the long run w/r/t using bondo, how would I prevent this from happening? With polyfill, it will stick to anything, and you can add a mirometer if you need it. I would not like worm hole-like tracks of bondo popping up. When I mentioned dulling the edges I am just thinking about finger pressure through the sandpaper in order to get into the concave grooves. I'd need to folow each line carefully. I was told I need not sand through to bare wood in order to paintover the clear lacquer. What is the adhesiveness and how should I prepare these grooves, specks to achieve a cohesive base.

Hi, I have had good lick with rock-hard, mainly be sure to prime that laquer so what ever you use will adhere to it as for the duratite I fouind you something on that hope it helps

Notebook, 1993- MATERIALS & METHODS - Painting - Oil Painting - Binders and Diluents - Water-thinned Adhesives - Synthetic Resins

Characteristics - Painting Methods & Techniques - Materials and Equipment - Work Space & Storage - Manufacture of Pigments - Protection of the Picture

From: Kay, Reed. The Painter's Guide to Studio Methods and Materials. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1983.

Synthetic Resins - Polyvinyl Acetate (PVA)

Polyvinyl Acetate (PVA) is a synthetic resin. When it is prepared as an emulsion, it serves as the principal ingredient of many milky white glues sold under such names as Elmer's Glue-All (Borden Chemical Co.) and Duratite White Glue (D. A. P., Inc.). These products are widely used in the industrial trades as adhesives for wood, paper, and other materials. They are liquid at room temperature and do not require heating in a glue pot. The glue may be thinned with water, and it forms films that are flexible, clear, and water resistant. It is neither toxic nor flammable. Especially pure grades of these polyvinyl acetate emulsions are manufactured under such names as Everflex (W. R. Grace & Co.) BG or Polyco (Bordon Chemical Co.) 2113 or 2151. For more than thirty years artists have been using polyvinyl acetate emulsions as binders for paint and gesso (page 201). In addition these emulsions have been employed as adhesives to attach paper, textiles, or other materials to a support surface. [pp. 37-38]

blugenes

You may be able to steam them out. Or at least raise them so they need less filling/sanding. To do so, remove the finish locally (lacquer thinner), dampen the wood slightly, put a clean damp cloth over and a hot iron on top. When the steam stops, take a look. If raised, stop; if not, try repeating. _______________

____________

Good for deep dings. Be careful sanding it though - it will be harder than the pine and you don't want to sand away surrounding wood while sanding the filler level. _______________

Good stuff, very useful for areas such as your smallish chips. Basically, it is the same as the auto body filler but is talc and lacquer rather than talc and resin. Since the lacquer evaporates you may have to overfill slightly or apply another layer. No big deal, it sands wonderfully.

-- dadiOH ____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06... ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at

This is not a project where I can tackle it in parts. I need a macro solution to a micro problem. Any prep (non-filling) other than stripping or roughing up will likely be a step in the wrong direction.

I don't know how to repair a surface like this after I used lacquer thinner to remove the finish and allow access to the pores.

BTW Could I not get a kettle boiling and drip it over the indentationsother than using an iron?

But having cleared an area with lacquer thinner, the only way I would think of to get back to an even finish would be to sand. Then I'd have a big cup. Are you suggesting any step, besides sanding, between stripping w/ lacquer thinner, raising the grain and filling? If raising the dents I'm worried about what I'd be left with after pouring LT, scraping and sanding.

I didn't suggest you strip the whole thing, just local areas if you wanted to try steaming out the dents. To "repair" afterward you would spot prime before painting. _______________

Boiling water has less heat than steam. _______________

You mean a depression from sanding? Only if you used a belt or disc sander with really coarse paper and let the thing sit on the wood.

First off, I wouldn't pour lacquer thinner...I'd put some on a swab and use that to remove the lacquer just over the dent. As I said above, any bare wood should be primed before painting.

-- dadiOH ____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06... ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at