Refinishing

The steps to a world class piano finish are many. They include disassembly of case parts, stripping old finish, and repairing and regluing veneer. Then sanding, grain filling, staining, lacquer sealing and several clear top coats with wet sanding in between. Lastly, final rub out.

The hardware is nickel or chrome plated or if solid brass, is hand polished and clear coated. The rubber buttons, case felts and decals are applied and then final assembly.

This beautifully refinished world class grand piano made the natural earth tones of Spruce, steel, brass, nickle, chrome, gold, ebony, ivory, and a Crown Jewel Veneer such as figured mahagony from the Rain Forest, is now a prestigious musicial icon recognized around the World.

Stripper Applied

The varnish and stripper solidifies into a sticky sludge and is scraped off the surface. This is repeated 3 complete times until all the varnish is removed. Then the entire surfaced is scrubbed with a wash using course steel wool and naptha, denatured alcohol or mineral spirits until all the varnish is out of the grain. The surface is allowed to completely dry, 24 hours+.

Toxic Sludge

Sanding

Sanding the parts and case is a very long and tedious process. Veneer is approx 3/32" thick which is about the thickness of a match book cover. Always sanding with the grain, you also must constantly be aware that you don't sand thru an edge on a corner or else you will be preforming some veneer repair.

Sanding the Case

Starting with about 120 grit the sanding gets finer and finer thru 150, 180, 220 and 320 grits. The quality and detail of the sanding, especially where right angles meet will make or break the whole refinishing job. Any darker areas where not enough sanding was done will show right up in the finished product as inferior workmanship.

Fine Sanding

The final sanding using 220 and 320 grit making sure the sanding is even, with the grain and with consistent pressure. Uniformity is the goal here. Don't burn thru any edges!

Lid Sanded

One side of the small half of the lid is complete and ready to be stained. Many, many hours of detailed hand sanding has gone into this lid to get it to this stage. You have to love this work to do it.

Large Lid Sanded

The sanding of the underneath side of the lid is almost complete. This lid has been carefully sanded with 5 different grits of sandpaper. We are now down to virgin veneer ready to take on some color, grain fill, and many coats of nitrocellulose piano lacquer from Mohawk Refinishing Co.

Raw Beauty

Many, many hours of detailed sanding with many grits of sandpaper and Natures Figured Mahogany is back in it's raw state ready for a new life of beauty.

Stain

Aniline Dye

Aniline Dye is sprayed evenly then rubbed with a rag. It is made up of microscopic crystals that dissolve in a solvent and travel wherever the solvent travels, deeper into the wood which adds more depth than stains do to your finish.

Grain Filled

A Grain Filler is wiped on with the grain, allowed to set up and then wiped off cross grainleaving the grain of the figured mahogany filled and level with the top of the veneer. This allows the clear coats of lacquer to flow out to a mirror finish.

Case Filled

The stained case is also filled and wiped to allow the 10 coasts of sanding sealer and clear lacquer to flow out to a mirror polish. A meticulous wiping of the filler must be completed before it hardens as it would be difficult to remove.

Ready for Finish

The case and all the parts are stained and filled and realy for the lacquer top coats starting with 2 = 3 coats of sanding sealer which will seal the sanding and color, and then the final 10 top coats of clear piano lacquer.

Final Rub

The Final Satin sheen rub is with 0000 steel wool and water with a wood rub-out product like Wool Lub. Much care is taken for consistent pressure and with the grain. Surface is wiped dry with a clean paper shop towel.