How to varnish a wooden countertop?

Have you thought how to varnish the old countertop? Right! It’s not even about saving, because new furniture is now very expensive. This table has served so much, it has a lot to do with it. Only now it is worn out a little. I don’t want to change the usual solid furniture to a modern thing, sometimes of dubious quality.

Content:

• Preparatory work
• Varnish selection
• Application Work
• Work order

And nothing needs to be changed. Just refresh the countertop, give her a chance at a second life. Things are very fond of increased attention. Take your time, because it is enough to cover the table with varnish, and it will serve better than new.

Preparatory work

Repair is best done in a special room or outdoors, as a large amount of dust is generated.

First, remove the old cover from the table. Removal is carried out to a clean wooden surface. There are three ways to clean the table from the old coating: mechanical, chemical and thermal cleaning.

1. For mechanical cleaning, grinders or varnished skins are used as tools.
2. When using a building hair dryer, the removal of the old coating occurs in a thermal manner. After heating and softening, the previous layer is removed with a rag.
3. To apply a chemical washer, use a brush or roller. Ten minutes is enough to remove the old layer with the same rags.

The procedure for further work is as follows:

1. After processing, dust is carefully removed, preferably with a vacuum cleaner. Particular attention should be paid to the corners of the table and other places where dirt could accumulate during grinding.
2. If necessary, putty is applied. It can be in a contrasting color or in the tone of a tree - the choice of the master. It is best to use a wax-based restoration kit.

Varnish selection

The main thing you need to focus on when choosing a cover is the operating conditions of the table. But they are not easy: they often wash it, they can spill liquid, put it hot, scratch it with nails or household items.

Do not forget that the surface of the table is always in sight. The smallest speck will remind you of trouble for years. Conclusion: to cover the table, it is necessary to apply high-quality varnish, which will protect the countertop from mechanical influences and moisture, and will retain a brilliant festive look for a long time.

The range of varnishes offered by modern industry is extensive:

1. Alcohol-based varnish creates a transparent or translucent coating, shines well, while effectively protecting the surface. If applied correctly, it will successfully emphasize and highlight the natural beauty of the tree. Alcohol varnishes consist of resins dissolved in alcohol or film-forming substances. Important clarification: only varnishes with an alcohol strength of 90% and higher create a durable coating.
2. Oil varnishes are solutions of resins and pigments in oils. Such varnishes are more dense in consistency, have a low price. When applied, a fairly strong film is formed, resistant to atmospheric and mechanical influences.This type of coating is ideal for furniture painting, which stands outdoors in the seasons - on the terrace or in the country. A short note: the surface covered with the oil-based solution has a non-fading yellowish tint.
3. Nitrocellulose, or, as they are often called, nitrocellulose, are a solution of nitrocellulose in an organic solvent. With excellent performance that it can give wood, such a varnish is toxic, harmful to health, leaves an unpleasant odor. Its production is reduced, displaced by alcohol-based varnishes.
4. Water-based varnishes form excellent coatings that are not harmful to humans and the environment. The composition is a solution of acrylate base in water. After drying, a coating resistant to mechanical stress and sunlight forms after drying.
5. Polyurethane varnish is characterized by high elasticity of the created layer. It tolerates loads, even bumps. It dries quickly. It is very poor in water and at the time of application, and during operation. It is safe for people around, does not turn yellow during the work, it is beautiful and transparent in appearance. Advantage: there is no need to pre-apply the primer.

Application Work

If necessary, varnish the table, the work is carried out in a clean room, where there are no sources of dust. Otherwise, all the dust will stick to the varnish, and the table will have to be reprocessed.

There are several sequence options for applying layers. Stain can cover the table before or after the primer. Which option to use - the master decides. After the first layer, grinding of the surface of the countertop is mandatory. It is impossible to completely ignore the process of applying stains or primers: they help to save expensive finishing material, that is, the table can later be covered with a smaller varnish.

As a soil, you can use wax dissolved in turpentine, wood powder mixed with PVA glue or wood glue diluted with water.

Stain is chosen under the base of the varnish with which they are going to cover the countertop. Apply stains based on alcohol, water or bred with a diluent on their own.

Work order

1. Cover the table with a little stain. During operation, the formation of sagging, bumps and stains should not be allowed. After applying the stain, the countertop must be dried. Each varnish and stain have their own drying time. Drying is separated when the product ceases to stick - and the next layer can be applied, and complete drying. In addition to water-based varnish and its polyurethane types, all others completely dry out in a day. The second coat can be applied on drying to tack.
2. In order for the table to get the required shade of wood, sometimes you have to cover the countertop with more than one layer of stain. Each contributes its own tone - the more layers, the darker the surface.
3. In order for the table to have a smooth surface, intermediate sanding is performed. In this case, small irregularities at the fiber level are removed. Work is carried out after the first layer has completely dried.
4. High-quality coating is obtained if you cover the table in three layers.

A day later, the table in appearance is not inferior to the new. You can do the restoration work on the old countertops on your own. You only need to responsibly approach each stage of the process.