Wood Trim Refinishing

[panZZer]

exactly-polyester. you can easily defeat it by carefully sanding thru 80% of it then soaking in acetone overnite.--it will just flake off .

or if it is all cracked and flaked halfway off-you can just try soaking alone.




Got me some cheap dash wood for my W123 300D

[Palolo]

I would caution against "soaking" the vintage wood trim in anything; the wood's soft grain cells may very well absorb solution, degrade and "pop" into a fuzz that if hard to get smooth or lay back down. The sub-layer veneer glues are also not as strong as the newer glues used in 116s and 123s, etc. Not sure whether the 114/115 trim falls into the newer or older 108/111/113, etc, style of wood trim

The trim pieces in the "got me some cheap trim" link above are more modern epoxy-polyurethane treated and have a more stable glue to bond the wood to the substrate and not the same all-wood layup using water soluble glues as the older trims. That's not to say the wood won't ever warp and pull away, but that's not a surface veneer issue.

Also, remember that some damage occurs "from below"--the bottom sides of the old trims were not treated or sealed, and leaky windscreen rubber would introduce moisture to the bottom, which would wick up through the veneers and water-soluble glues, and damage from within.

Good luck...take pics.

[kenny33012]

Thanks everyone for the input on how to remove the old finish. Removing the glove compartment door was easy. The old finish on it was so flaky the that I could mostly pick it off. The stubborn bits responded well to a hair drier.
I've already removed the old finish and applied wood grain filler to the bare wood.
My next question is, how do I get the other pieces off the dash? The bit on the passenger side offered me no clue as to how to get it off, and the piece on the driver's side looks even more daunting. But I'm committed. There must be a way to remove these wood pieces without taking out the entire dash!

[Coastal220]

I agree with Palolo--soaking, especially in something strong, could be a bad idea. Which is another reason Citristrip is nice; it is thick like yogurt and doesn't run and bleed all over the place.

Please do take pictures.

[panZZer]

Originally Posted by Coastal220

I agree with Palolo--soaking, especially in something strong, could be a bad idea. Which is another reason Citristrip is nice; it is thick like yogurt and doesn't run and bleed all over the place.

Please do take pictures.

WONT even phase it SLIGHTLY, I have never had a problem with fuzzing using the acetone trick, if there was--thats what fine 800 grit & steel wool are for. You want to try strippers off the shelf, knock yourself out

[Coastal220]

RE: panZZer

In my experience you don't want to go nuts experimenting on 40 year old veneer and glues unless you are okay with potential loss and/or problems. The most intelligent thing to do is TEST the stripping product on a small area which is the least visible (though this may not be an option in you case).

Wood is a natural material and not always predictable. There can be great variations within the same species, sometimes even the same tree depending on where, how, and when the material was cut. There is no such thing as "WON'T phase it SLIGHTLY" when it comes to this type of work.

Acetone probably will not strip the finish without upsetting the glue.

[panZZer]

Really?
The fumes must have gotten to me and I took the imaginary pic.


I apologize for interloping --sounds like you got the experience.