A guy in Portland showed me how to fix a cloudy lacquer finish with a rag and some denatured alcohol.

I was working on a 1920s sideboard and the final coat of pre-cat lacquer came out with a milky haze, which I thought meant a full strip and redo. He had me dampen a clean cotton rag with alcohol and lightly rub the surface in small circles, which pulled the moisture right out without damaging the finish. Has anyone else run into this clouding issue and found a different fix that works?

3 comments

3 Comments

julia54914d ago

Ever try a tiny bit of mineral spirits on a super fine steel wool pad? I had a dresser top go cloudy in a damp garage and the alcohol trick just smeared it. Lightly buffing with 0000 steel wool dipped in mineral spirits, then wiping clean, brought back a perfect shine without the risk of cutting through.

kellyjones15d ago

My buddy had the same problem with a table top last year. He used a hair dryer on low heat from a few inches away and the cloudiness vanished. That trick saved him a ton of time.

torres.grant15d ago

Honestly that alcohol trick is a lifesaver, I had the same cloudiness on a guitar body last fall. Tbh the key is to use a super clean rag and barely any alcohol, just enough to dampen it. If you rub too hard you'll go right through the top coat. Ngl I tried the hair dryer method once but it made the finish a little soft for my liking.

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