can you paint french polished furniture

mrs_baggins

A happy new year to you!! I am babysitting hence why I am not out enjoying myself. No actually I am enjoying myself internet trawling!!

I have a piece of furniture which i want to upcycle and paint but I think it has a french polished surface. I bought it about 20 years ago and was oak repro stuff which has polished top and those ornate gold effect handles and soome moulding . Its pretty hideous but want to paint it but not sure abot the finish. any ideas??

anotherbaldrick

Paint will not adhere well to the varnished/polished surface. You would need to buy some varnish stripper and remove the old surface (bit messy) and sandpaper over the piece before undercoating.

macman

You'll need to completely remove every trace of the French polish before you refinish it.
If it is French polish, you need a specific remover, not varnish stripper, since French polish is not a varnish.
I've never tried it, but meths should work, as the shellac used is soluble in alcohol.

anotherbaldrick

macman wrote: »

You'll need to completely remove every trace of the French polish before you refinish it.
If it is French polish, you need a specific remover, not varnish stripper, since French polish is not a varnish.
I've never tried it, but meths should work, as the shellac used is soluble in alcohol.

I would assume the piece being a bit of modern repro is not true "French Polish " but polyurethane varnish.

macman

anotherbaldrick wrote: »

I would assume the piece being a bit of modern repro is not true "French Polish " but polyurethane varnish.

Maybe, but we can only go on what the OP has told us.

MrTyo

As already suggested, meths if it is really French Polish, Paint stripper if polyurethane.

If your debating which to buy i am going out on a limb here and thinking that your female with that user name, then i guess you may have some acetone in your place (nail polish remover). You can try some of that on it with some wire wool, it will not be as effective as meths, but if it does start cutting through it well chances are its real polish.

mrs_baggins

thank you everyone for the replies. well I dont know for sure if its french polished or not. i bought it along wth a load of other furnture another lfetime ago( about 20 years maybe bit longer) from a plaace near me that hand made them . reproduction stuff. but dont know for sure. may try a discreet patch and see what happens. And yes I have nail varnish remover although I think mine is acetone free so not much use!

ooh but i think i do have some meths! that horrible stuff that reminds me of the dentist. will have a looksie in the garage