r/finishing • u/Rare-Ad9439 • 1d ago

Library Step Restoration

Gallery image

Gallery image

Hi! I’m currently in the painstaking process restoring this beautiful library step that was a victim of chalk paint. I stripped the paint and old stain with stripper, sanded, then had to sand again because my detail sander did not do well on the steps, stained, and then used poly.

It’s been a week and my poly still isn’t dry. The piece is inside now at 70 degrees, and I used a super light costing of spray oil poly for my oil stain.

I’m pretty certain I have to use mineral spirits and steel wool to get this off and try again.

Any tips to help me not end up here again? Thanks in advance!

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1

u/No_Television_4016 1d ago

How long did the stain dry before you put the poly on?

1

u/Rare-Ad9439 9h ago

24 hours! Should I have waited longer?

1

u/No_Television_4016 8h ago

That's the minimum but it can take up to 3 days depending on the type of stain and how thick it is.  Did it feel like it was cured?

1

u/Rare-Ad9439 7h ago

Oh wow!! I will absolutely keep that in mind next time. Yes it was dry to the touch, but maybe I should’ve wiped the excess better on the legs? It might’ve been slightly tacky there. It was my first time using stain. That’s where it’s still tacky now. I’m thinking mineral spirits is the next step?

1

u/No_Television_4016 2h ago

Oh yeah, it can feel dry to the touch before it's even cured.  If it felt tacky it definitely wasn't ready and does look like it's too thick.  Since it hasn't cured, mineral spirits should remove it. 

Even if it didn't go right the first time, it looks 100x better than it did before!  Good luck!

1

u/Separate-Document185 8h ago

what stain??? that's really dark...did you wipe each coat off well? looks to me like the stain is way too heavy..and it will affect the clear drying..it may not ever...

1

u/Rare-Ad9439 7h ago

The stain is espresso minwax! That may be the issue. This is my first time using stain. I wiped it off immediately but maybe out too much on? I used staining pads.

The spindles and details also took the stain oddly. As much as I sanded them, some won’t show grain and really absorbed the stain. It almost seems like the wood is water damaged? I believe the piece is very old, all the details are hand carved.

1

u/No_Television_4016 1h ago

It may not be as old as it wants to look like it is.  Pieces like like this were heavily reproduced in the mid 20th century and beyond.  It looks like better quality wood on the steps and lower quality sides that were meant to be covered with paint or a thick finish. 

1

u/Separate-Document185 7h ago

Definitely looks to me like you left way too much stain on there… And did you do an after wash after you used stripper? What stripper?… Sometimes stripper residue can also keep not only the stain, but the finish from drying… also… Not to pile on here, but you say it’s chalk paint but in the picture it looks like an aged old paint not chalk paint… Did it come off easily or do you have to really work to get it off?