Flattening a Gloss Finish

[Steve Doerr]

I have a gloss lacquer finish on a lamp base that I would like to turn into a flatter finish. What is the best way to accomplish this task?

 

[Ed Weingarden]

I would think that a semi gloss spray lacquer would work.

 

[hughie]

I tend start off with a satin finish, let it go hard and then buff to the required shine. But yes just go over it as Ed has suggested

 

[John K Jordan]

Never know about "best".
Padding with powdered pumice can cut the gloss, followed by rottenstone if needed. Except in tight grooves. I sometimes rub gently with 0000 steel wool.
But I tend to avoid glossy finishes.

 

[Brian Gustin]

Gloss finish, wad up a brown paper bag and buff away the gloss, is what I'd do, turns it into a satin sheen, not as reflective, but not as dull as Matte. I usually finish with Warm Gloss WOP from Miniwax, and then I may run over it with aforementioned brown paper (or 1000 grit paper - I used to use 4-ought steel wool, but I don't use that any more after discovering several months later that tiny microscopic bit of steel can get embedded in bits of grain in oak or cherry and over time it stains the wood when it reacts with tannins in the wood - nice flat tabletop started to look bad with those little streaks that looked like pencil marks...)

 

[John K Jordan]

I used to use 4-ought steel wool, but I don't use that any more after discovering several months later that tiny microscopic bit of steel can get embedded in bits of grain in oak or cherry and over time it stains the wood when it reacts with tannins in the wood

Yikes, I've never seen that in years of using Liberon 0000. Maybe because of my finish? - for cherry I generally use 6-10 coats of "danish" oil, applied until the wood wouldn't take any more, wiped off, dried overnigt or longer, repeat and repeat. Maybe the pores are well sealed by then. I could see a problem with some finishes, perhaps cutting through a thin finish in spots?

 

[Brian Gustin]

Yikes, I've never seen that in years of using Liberon 0000. Maybe because of my finish? - for cherry I generally use 6-10 coats of "danish" oil, applied until the wood wouldn't take any more, wiped off, dried overnigt or longer, repeat and repeat. Maybe the pores are well sealed by then. I could see a problem with some finishes, perhaps cutting through a thin finish in spots?

Probably - On that piece I had only put on 2 coats of Miniwax Wipe-On poly - it wasn't expected to be a wear surface for that decorative piece - I'd only sanded down to 320 grit then after first coat to raise grain, re-sanded and recoated, surface came out perfect, except for the high gloss, so went over it with 4-ought (don't remember the brand) - then when it came to my attention about the "pencil marks" showing up, I delved a bit deeper, sanded down the old finish and saw the staining had penetrated into the wood (so removed top and ran it through planer to take 1/64" off evenly) and realized it must have been the steel reacting with the wood.. so on the refinish job, I got 3 coats of poly on it, then buffed away the high gloss with wadded up brown paper bag, which did the job actually better than the steel wool did.. But just because of finding out about what steel wool (and even sweat off sweaty arms when sanding in summer) can do to a nicely sanded piece, I don't have steel wool around any more... (and wear long sleeves when working on final details & sanding even in hot summer, with a cotton towel close by if I need to rest an arm on something, such as chiseling out a tiny bit more to get a fit right, etc.) I haven't had unwanted black staining issues in ages since then.

 

[Dean Center]

On occasion, I have removed the shine with gray Stochbrite pads and then buffed. Seems to work.

 

[Steve Doerr]

Thanks everyone for you responses. I had tried 0000 steel wool but didn't like the way it looked. I don't like to buff lacquer because I have not had good luck doing that in the past. I did find a rattle can of clear satin lacquer and it worked very well.
Thanks again.

 

[Richard Coers]

0000 steel wool used to be the standard for doing that. Now I use Abralon cushioned fine abrasive pads.

 

[Doug Freeman]

I used to use 4-ought steel wool, but I don't use that any more after discovering several months later that tiny microscopic bit of steel can get embedded in bits of grain in oak or cherry and over time it stains the wood when it reacts with tannins in the wood

I’ve used Briwax oil free 0000 steel wool (much finer than typical 0000 steel wool) for years without such issues, but I never use any steel wool under a waterbased finish.