Do you want to know how to achieve that glossy finish on your furniture? Lacquer is the secret. Aside from achieving this beautiful glossy effect, lacquer also protects your paint color to make it last longer. In this article, you’ll learn how to apply lacquer on your furniture. Read through and learn!

Wood to be finished with lacquer must be properly prepared. Immediately before applying lacquer, clean the piece of furniture thoroughly with a tack cloth. Use only aerosol spray lacquer, and protect your working area with drop cloths or newspaper. Also, make sure ventilation is adequate as lacquer usually isn’t very pleasing to the nose.

First and foremost, you must test the spray can on a small piece of newspaper. The reason for this is because spray cans have different patterns of spray. Practicing and watching the test spray pattern will give you enough control to properly cover the surface you’re finishing. Apply lacquer slowly and evenly, holding the spray can upright about 18 inches away from the surface of the wood. If you work farther away than this, the lacquer will tend to “orange peel,” dimpling like the skin on an orange. If you work closer than 18 inches, too much lacquer may be applied to the surface, causing runs and sags in the finish. First spray the top edge of the surface; then cover the entire surface in horizontal strips, from side to side, top to bottom. As you work, overlap the lacquer spray patterns slightly.

The edges of each sprayed area are thin; the centers are thick. Overlapping equalizes the thickness of the lacquer film, keeping the surface even. Never try to equalize the film by brushing the lacquer. Apply only a thin coat of lacquer; this finish must be applied in many thin layers.

There are more things you need to learn in designing furniture. Explore on the other things that you need to learn in order to create quality looking furniture

Get awesome tutorials on how to distress furniture? Visit us today at RestorationPlantation.com and get access to basic and advanced training on furniture restoration! Money back guarantee!