Achieving the proper gloss and texture Washington DC

The final point of a good repair is the sheen. Every item up to this point can be perfect, and if we miss the sheen on the repair it can be obvious from across the room. Clear coating over the repair is done to protect any art work or graining we have placed on the surface of the repair area. It is important to use a high solids material to create the film build necessary to protect the repair area. A good choice is a high solids lacquer aerosol or a precatalyzed lacquer aerosol. Care should be taken to apply light misting coats and build the film slowly. Over-wetting the area can cause the color on the surface to "float," thereby creating a muddy look. After the coat flashes, apply subsequent mist coats. When the area is dry, use 4/0 steel wool to remove the halo left from the aerosol spray. You can then use a touch-up aerosols to adjust the sheen. These are nonhaloing low solids aerosols that are great for sheen adjustment and are available in six different sheens.

If the piece you are repairing has a slight texture or orange peel, this texture can be duplicated. This can be done by holding an aerosol can 10 to 14 in. away and dusting the area. If the area is high gloss and polished, a rubbing compound or padding lacquer can be used to enhance the sheen. When spraying over a burn in repair, care should be taken to avoid wetting the surface. The solvents in the aerosol can cause the burn in material to gloss up; use dry misting coats to create a barrier over the burn in materials.

After completing the repair, review the five points of a good repair and see what areas need improvement.

• Base Color — lightest color in the background
• Level — critical for a good repair
• Grain — grain size, color and direction
• Texture — open pore grain or closed pore grain
• Sheen — gloss, semigloss, rubbed effect, satin, flat or dead flat

Touch-up, like many areas of finishing, requires practice and learning by doing. Look at the surrounding area and try to duplicate what you see. Remember "less is more" — the least amount of time and materials provide the best repair.