jtooley75 Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 I am newer to woodworking and have a question about refinishing a bed. The bed is painted white, and the customer wants an espresso colored stain applied to it. 1.) Is sanding going to be the best method to remove the paint? 2.) what type of stain/finish products do you recommend for the espresso look? 3.) what charging formula would you use for charging the customer for a project like this? Sorry for all the questions. I usually build small projects as a hobby and this is my first refinish job that someone is going to pay me for. Any info is appreciated. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombarde16 Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 Lots of question marks on a job such as this. I've had folks approach me with paint-to-clear-finish proposals before and I invariably turn them down. What sort of wood is underneath the paint? If someone already decided to paint over it in the past, it's more likely unremarkable and even downright blah wood as it is something interesting. What kind of paint is it? How intricately are the parts of the bed carved/sculpted/shaped? Taking a painted piece through everything needed just to get it ready for a clear finish (never mind applying the new finish) can very quickly add up to more than building a new piece altogether. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtooley75 Posted December 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 It is a bed from a big box store. It's more of a modern style so it is not real ornate. The finish she wants is an espresso (almost black) look so there will not be a visible grain shown when done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AceHoleInOne Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 1. I like to chemical strip. 2. I would seriously consider General Finishes products. Actually, they have a product called Espresso, however, its just a name. Do test boards for your color and have your customer view them and approve it. 3. Charge as much as you can. Because you are learning, why not charge a reasonable amount to cover materials and "some" of your labor. Mark this one as a learning experience. Or just say no! Then when you become a proficient re-finisher. You have a better feel as to how and why and..... why so MUCH! Do a good job, take your time, could lead to other jobs. That is just me! -Ace- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtooley75 Posted December 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 Thanks for the info guys. Lastly, I do not own a sprayer, so would a wipe on finish be ok for a project like this or would something else be better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwacker Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 You have way to much missing information to consider taking this job. IMO if you want to give it a shot, dont charge anything except for your cost on materials. Without knowing exactly what it is your finishing its impossible to say how or what to use. If you have the bed in your possession or have access to it, figure out what it is made of and what it is finished with then we can help you. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechwood Chip Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 It is a bed from a big box store. It's more of a modern style so it is not real ornate. The finish she wants is an espresso (almost black) look so there will not be a visible grain shown when done. If it's painted, from a big box store, then the wood underneath may be good for nothing but painting. It may not even be wood. If no visible grain will show through, then why stain? Why not just sand down the old paint and re-paint? Or is that a stupid question? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtooley75 Posted December 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 You have way to much missing information to consider taking this job. IMO if you want to give it a shot, dont charge anything except for your cost on materials. Without knowing exactly what it is your finishing its impossible to say how or what to use. If you have the bed in your possession or have access to it, figure out what it is made of and what it is finished with then we can help you. Don As I said in the original post, it is painted white and it is a wooden frame. . Should there be something more I should find out about it possibly? With it being from a big box store, I doubt I will know what kind of wood it is. I guess it could be painted dark instead of stained if an espresso(dark) look is what she wants huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwacker Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 There are many types of wood and yes they all take stain differently. What kind of paint was used. Is it a factory finish or a back yarder finish? If its factory is it a very smooth white finish? Are you sure its not a thin film coating? Most factories dont use conventional paint. You need to get your hands on one of the rails or something and get down to the meat to see what your working with. It may turn out your only option is to scuff and spray over the white. You may find its beech which will not take a good espresso finish unless its laid on top. You never know until you get a look. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtooley75 Posted December 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 Ok, gotcha. A lot more to know than I was thinking. This is already a good learning experience. I will get back when I know more. Thanks guys. Much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombarde16 Posted December 24, 2011 Report Share Posted December 24, 2011 The finish she wants is an espresso (almost black) look so there will not be a visible grain shown when done. Forget stripping (except a quick scuff sanding to give the surface some tooth) and focus on repainting it. Get one quart of paint in the color she wants and lay down a base coat. Then come back with another quart that is either a shade darker or a shade lighter (or two quarts, one of each) and apply with a faux wood grain tool. Martha Stewart has one of these in her line-up and doubtless all of the box stores have a no-name knockoff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtooley75 Posted December 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 Hey that sounds good. Just for information, I found out the bed is from Haverty's furniture store. Still don't know what kind of wood would have been used from a place like that though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanLincoln Posted December 31, 2011 Report Share Posted December 31, 2011 One of the most difficult woodworking tasks for beginners is finishing. The first procedure of a good finish starts with surface preparation. Sand, scrape, or plane the surface until the surface is free of defects and uniform. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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