Which Paint ?

alandav123 · Post by **alandav123** » 01 Jan 2010, 22:13

Hi all, i have an old victorian baby grand that has been ssanded back to the bare wood/veneer.

I would like to paint it in a piano white, high gloss, as hard as possible and as easily re touched up as it will be moved quite a bit. Its actually been gutted out and only the shell remains. Its been modified to enable it to split in two halfs and be refitted together in a short time. It will be used for wedding fuctions etc and I will fit my Roland FP-8 in there.

Back to the painting, I intend to bruah apply but would consider going to a spray booth if there is no other option.

I realise its never going to look like a steinway but it will not be examined , it just needs to look nice on the day.

Any constructive advice would be very welcome indeed.

Regards Alan

Pianomate · Post by **Pianomate** » 02 Jan 2010, 00:21

If you want a half decent finish, the best way is by spraying. Best and easiest finish would be an oil based eggshell which if careful you might get away by brushing. I would choose an off-white rather than brilliant white so it doesn't look to harsh. High gloss could only be done properly by spraying.

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 02 Jan 2010, 11:14

If you need a hard finish and are going to spray, look at Formica finish its a high gloss, easer to put on than polyester I do agree with Pianomate off white is better for brushing on

Formica is the finish they use on kitchen work tops but they use a curtain-coata to apply, you can spray it on and the finish is a deep gloss look. One of the company's back in the early 90 I did some tuning for used it and it was just as good a polyester and none of that sanding and buffing after.

Barrie

alandav123 · Post by **alandav123** » 02 Jan 2010, 19:55

Hi there, thank you for your input.
Barrie what is a curtain coata? maybe its a typo but I cant work out what it is.

I have finnished sanding it all off today and will wash it down with sugar saop tonight, then it will be taken apart and put up to the top of the house out the way.
I will then spend a week or so........ evaluating the different paint options.
Some one recomended a two part boat paint made by International Paints called Perfection, that gives a very high gloss white thats very UV resistant to fade, hard as nails, very shiny etc.
It also is quite viscous so the brush stroke marks are minimal.
I know it sounds silly but is there a yardstick white color shade that would be suited to a baby grand, maybe on thats got a recognised code if you know what i mean. As you say a brilliant white would be too stark and harsh and probably look home made.

Lastly I think a real issue with this project it that whatever paints I use in the end, there will be a real need to re-touch it fairly regularly perhaps even on a weekly basis so the retouchability factor is vital. I spent 10 years in Norway playing pianobars 6 nights a week and I am very aware of what drunks will do around a piano.

I have just read some threads regarding polyester paints that were almost unrepairable unless aa professional was involved........... which is simply not an option for myself at this time.

Regards and thanks
Alan

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 02 Jan 2010, 20:57

alandav123 wrote:Hi there, thank you for your input.
Barrie what is a curtain coata? maybe its a typo but I cant work out what it is.

Sorry Curtain Coating
its a conveyor belt with a liquid curtain items pass into it and get a very even layer of what ever, could be Chocolate that what they were first used for

Barrie,

Post by **vernon** » 02 Jan 2010, 21:20

I can't comprehend what you mean when you say the piano "splits in two parts."
The old hammond Ts (organs)could be split but a joanna would surely collapse on the floor in it's myriad bits.

Pianomate · Post by **Pianomate** » 02 Jan 2010, 23:04

The most important parts of getting a good finish is preparation and cleanliness. After washing down with sugar soap you will have raised the grain slightly so rub with fine (400 grade minimum) aluminium oxide paper and make sure ALL the dust is gone (use a vac with a brush attachment) Clean all surfaces (I use a hair type bannister brush and a vac) before you paint, and make sure your work area is free from dust.

alandav123 · Post by **alandav123** » 02 Jan 2010, 23:25

To Pianomate, luckily I never got round to sugarsoaping the piano........ so at least the grain will not have been raised.

Thanks again

alan

alandav123 · Post by **alandav123** » 02 Jan 2010, 23:31

One last thing, not knowing anything about piano construction norms...I have noticed that all the areas to be painted are veneer rather than real wood. The pianos side all the way round, and the lid both above and below are all veneers.

Does that fact create any additional challanges or does it not really matter?

I did notice that when sanding venner it leaves a somewhat texured finish rather than a smooth finish as you would get on wood BUT I will still go over it all again with a much finer paper before anything is painted on.

Regards Alan

Pianomate · Post by **Pianomate** » 03 Jan 2010, 00:23

If you find it textured, use a sanding sealer before painting.

Have you considered an eggshell finish? - it is more forgiving of scuffs and scratches.

My advice on off-white applies to whatever finish you decide on.

NewAge · Post by **NewAge** » 03 Jan 2010, 07:28

Barrie Heaton wrote:
alandav123 wrote:Hi there, thank you for your input.
Barrie what is a curtain coata? maybe its a typo but I cant work out what it is.
Sorry Curtain Coating......Barrie,

It must be my zany sense of humour, but I just love some of the 'Barrieisms' that crop up from time to time.
Sometimes one can sense at a glance when it's an obvious typo, but my curious nature in this instance had me Googling for 'curtain coata'.
Having wet the bed this morning and up early

, I’ve just spent a fascinating moment reading all sorts of interesting snippets from stuff relating to the Iron curtain by a bloke named Costa, to Manhattan style glass curtains on the Costa Brava!
Keep 'em coming Barrie......

ladyinred · Post by **ladyinred** » 11 Jan 2011, 16:48

I am new to this forum so please forgive me if I am in the "wrong place". I have a 4 year old rosewood Kawai digital piano. It has a satin stained (probably) rosewood finish which I would like to paint either white or black with a nice gloss finish. There are no scratches or markings to the casing, luckily. Its merely that now I have re-decorated it would look better in either of those two finishes as the dark wood of the piano doesn't really go with the light oak laminate we've just put down.

Can anyone advise me how I should tackle the preparation and what kind of paint I should use on this particular instrument? I'd be really grateful thank you. Lady In Red

mdw · Post by **mdw** » 11 Jan 2011, 18:22

ladyinred wrote:I have a 4 year old rosewood Kawai digital piano. It has a satin stained (probably) rosewood finish which I would like to paint either white or black with a nice gloss finish.

Can anyone advise me how I should tackle the preparation and what kind of paint I should use on this particular instrument? I'd be really grateful thank you. Lady In Red

If its a digital then the case is probably plastic not real wood or veneer. So your best bet is to contact a paint specialist and ask them what they recomend.

A440 · Post by **A440** » 11 Jan 2011, 22:11

Just been Googling spray-on formica finish. Did I misunderstand Barry, you're talking about a paint rather than applying a laminate and trimming it? Can't find any mention of it but would like to know more if poss. Cheers!

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 11 Jan 2011, 23:00

A440 wrote:Just been Googling spray-on formica finish. Did I misunderstand Barry, you're talking about a paint rather than applying a laminate and trimming it? Can't find any mention of it but would like to know more if poss. Cheers!

its was a spray they used it at Piano workshop in Darwen in the 80s when I ask they said it was called formica spray finish it was a very high gloss, like polyester but with out all that sanding and polishing. I believe they got it form Murrells (sp?) supplies

Barrie,

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