04/21/2026
Before and after.
This set of McGuire rattan chairs and bamboo dining table were definitely in need of some help. They had been poorly restored previously, and the finish was faded and black. The customer also brought in a set of four McGuire rattan barstools to be restored, which I used to match the color. I started by chemically removing the old finish with a liquid remover that I buy locally. Then, I gave everything a good scrubbing with lacquer thinner and a red Scotch-Brite pad. I replaced a couple of the rawhide laces on the table base and filled the damage on the front of the legs with Mohawk's two-part epoxy sticks. Once the repairs were done, I thoroughly sanded everything with 220-grit sandpaper to remove some of the green stain residue left on the wood and to smooth out the filled areas. Since the color was going so dark, I sprayed on a coat of Mohawk dye stain first as a base color. Then, I used a custom mix of Old Masters Gel Stain to get the color the rest of the way. When the stain was thoroughly dry, I sealed everything with a coat of shellac, then used some Mohawk Blendal powders suspended in shellac to hide the damage on the front of the legs and to add color where needed. I sanded lightly with some fine 3M sanding sponges, then sprayed on a coat of Gemini lacquer. I adjusted the color a little more by spraying on some Mohawk dye stains in between coats of lacquer. Once dry, I finished up with 0000 steel wool and Black Bison Paste Wax to give it a nice soft sheen. Now, we're just waiting on the upholsterer for the new seat cushions.
