Question
We have a retail account that has veneer tables. The edges lose color and we touch them up every couple of months. We have a problem with color rubbing off and getting on customer's clothes. We use a catalyzed lacquer with UTC added. It looks great and when we are done we go over all edges with rags and rub off excessive color. Any ideas?
Forum Responses
(Finishing Forum)
From contributor R:
2K urethane instead of lacquer. Wiped with rag and color and then wipe on a clear coat to seal the color.
The quickest method of doing this kind of touch up is to use the touch up colors from Konig. The formulation of pigmented lacquer is almost like that of nail polish.
If color is rubbing off and creating a problem with people's clothes, that means the coating is corrupted. A cured coating - even if it rubs off - ought to behave like a plastic and not a gummy, messy residue.
Another coloring method you can use which avoids you having to rely on UTC is to mix Testors model paint into a small cup filled with lacquer and a small amount of both retarder and acetone. The retarder will help you keep a wet edge that you wouldn't have because of the acetone. You're using acetone because you still need the material to dry and cure. Find a balance, but if you use too much retarder, the material won't properly set up.
Care has to be taken when using the Blendal Sticks that the application isn't too thick. These are beeswax-based products and as such they have limitations which have to be respected. They aren't the best product for fixing worn edges. They work, but there's no way that they work better than the Konig pigmented touch up markers.
The traditional method of fixing worn edges is to pad on the color using padding lacquer (Lacover, WillPro, Lubricite77, Qualasole, and do on). This method works quickly when done properly and to adjust the sheen of your padding you can topcoat with one of Mohaw's low solids topcoats in the right sheen.
Obviously, longevity is not the goal here. If it were, we would be pulling these tables back to a shop, rounding or beveling the edges to prevent the finish and color from being rubbed off a 90 degree edge. Moreover, markers can be left at the business for touchups by the staff which will reduce the frequency of the touchups and the aggravation for the business owner.
We haven't even touched on the cleaning chemicals and scotchbrite pads that may be causing the finish failure to begin with.
The mixture we have been using has been working pretty well for over a year. As the last step, we go over all edges with rags, and make sure there is no color rubbing off. The last time we did the touch-ups there was a lot of color that came off some edges. I wanted to see if anyone had another idea.
We will give the dye a try and see how well it holds up.