I've got this piano from 1917 that I want to refinish. I want it to be a very dark wood stain but I have no experience on how I would remove the existing finish and recoat it. Also should I seal it with polyurethane?
You would do better to ask on a Piano forum. I would imagine you can damage the piano as an instrument if you don't do it properly.
Duane Collie
Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.
Piano technicians from a piano forum sent me here. They said "a piano, for this purpose, is just a big piece of furniture." I am only refinishing the case of the piano which doesn't affect any of the mechanisms. And besides I took all the mechanisms out.
This would be a very big project to do it right, it's not simple like a dining room table with its less complex surfaces. I am not a re-finisher, but I have done my share just out in my garage on my own furniture. Is this an inexpensive unit that you want to look touched up? Something like an old Baldwin upright? Or are you talking a grand piano where you want a full, like-new refinish? Let's see photos of this project and what you are trying to accomplish.
Duane Collie
Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.
It's a baby grand piano which is smaller than a full sized grand. I want to remove all of the finish on it now because it feels like plastic. I got it for free and I don't currently have any money put into it.
That's a massive project, then. More than you would want to undertake for a first-time refinish effort. Baby Grands have high-end, polished finishes on them, they are quite difficult to do and require a master restorer to look good. Would be a big mistake to attempt that in my opinion. If you must, there are re-finish videos on You Tube you can watch. Good luck.
Duane Collie
Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.
The finish on it now has no shine and looks like garbage. I tried to upload a picture but it's not working.