# Stain over old Lacquer



## Slomoe (Feb 14, 2011)

I have an old desk that is 25 years old. It was factory stained and top coated with lacquer. The lacquer looks worn and faded, but no checking or peeling. I was going to recoat it with brushing Lacquer. Yesterday I wiped it down with mineral spirits and got it all clean and ready to renew the topcoat. Today I touched up a few nicks and scratches with some Miniwax oil base stain that matched from another project. Tested a spot and it looked so good that I got carried away and wiped down the whole desk with a very light coat of stain using a blue shop towel. I wiped it on as if you would be waxing it and finished off with long grain strokes. This was a very light coat not a brush on and wipe off like normal. OK – so now I’m starting to wonder if I messed up. Will the new brush on Lacquer still burn through to the old top coat and bond or will the new Lacquer dissolve the new stain and I end up with a brown slurry mess. I do plan to wait a few days to be sure the stain is completely dry.


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## rrj (Jan 16, 2012)

I think... that quite a few if not all of the min-wax stains contain some type of sealer/varnish so what you put on may not be compatible with the original lacquer and the new lacquer that you are going to put on top may not be compatible to what is in the min-wax. If the the stain seems okay I would play it safe and apply a coat of de-waxed shellac before applying the lacquer and would probably apply the shellac with a rattle can so you don't lift the stain by brushing. I don't use min-wax products as I don't like them for several reasons so not sure if I am correct but it is what I would do in your situation. Maybe some of the members who are professional finisher's will answer your post with a better solution.


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