Lacquer will give your dining room table a lustrous finish.
Lacquer is the most natural finish for wood because it is made from cellulose, the main component of wood. Because it does not need to cure, it leaves a smoother, more continuous surface than either polyurethane or varnish and dries much faster. Lacquer can be brushed, but the best results are obtained by spraying. This should be done in a spray booth, but it can also be done outside on a dry, windless day when the temperature is between 70 and 80 degrees.
Instructions
1. Hand sand the legs and base of the table with 150-grit sandpaper to remove any scratches, splinters and rough spots. Hand sand the table top, going with the grain to remove scratches and imperfections. Wipe away the dust with a damp cloth, then re-sand the top with 220-grit sandpaper until the surface is smooth and almost shiny.
2. Apply stain, if desired, with a fine bristle paintbrush. Work in sections, letting the stain soak in for five minutes, then wiping off the excess with a rag before moving on to another section. Let the stain dry for four hours.
3. Remove the cup from the spray gun and fill it about three-quarters full with sanding sealer. Replace the gun, connect the air hose and turn on the compressor. Spray a test surface, rotating the nozzle and adjusting the air pressure until you have a horizontal spray pattern that is about 6 inches wide from a distance of 6 inches.
4. Spray the legs of the table first, moving the gun in an up-down motion from the bottom of the leg to the top and moving completely around the leg. Hold the gun about 6 inches from the surface you are spraying and spray slowly but steadily, avoiding runs and sagging.
5. Turn the nozzle 90 degrees so that you have a vertical spray pattern. Spray the rim of the table by moving from one end of the table to the other and back again. Gradually work your way completely around the table.
6. Spray the table top, moving back and forth from one end of the table to the other, overlapping by about half the width of the spray pattern. When you are finished, spray the top again in a cross-hatch pattern, perpendicular to the direction you just sprayed. The goal is to completely cover the top with a shiny coat of sealer without separation or voids.
7. Let the sealer dry for about an hour, then sand the whole table with 220-grit sandpaper, knocking down the grain raised by the sanding sealer. When you are finished, the surface should feel like the surface of soapstone. Wipe the table with a cloth.
8. Spray the table with lacquer, following the same procedure as in Steps 4 to 6. Let the lacquer dry for an hour and sand it with 220-grit sandpaper. Repeat with a second and third coat of lacquer, sanding in between coats. The base and legs of the table will be finished at this point.
9. Concentrate on the top, applying successive coats of lacquer and sanding in between coats with 400-grit sandpaper. It may take anywhere from two to 10 more coats to get the finish you want. Do not sand the last coat.
10. Rub some extra-fine steel wool in furniture wax and spread it on the table top. Buff up the wax with a polishing cloth for a lustrous, shiny finish.
Tags: table with, 220-grit sandpaper, spray pattern, Spray table, with 220-grit