Monday, June 27, 2016

Custom Order Piano Refinish


I finally got the opportunity to do a makeover that I've been wanting to do forever!!
A Piano!!!
Can I just tell you.....
it was ALL that I dreamed of and MORE!!

One of our very sweet client's entrusted us with this gorgeous piano, a piece she inherited from her mother.  She wanted an update so this piano could become a real show stopper in her home.  And we were more than happy to help her out with this transformation!

Here are some of the BEFORE pictures:

I have to admit I was a little nervous at the thought of taking a ENTIRE piano apart, but I realized as I went that it really wasn't that difficult.  I thought I would share a couple of helpful hints I found along the way with this project though, just in case you are contemplating taking on a project like this.  It might seem intimidating, but it really isn't as scary as it looks! :-)


For me, I found it was best to start at the top and work my way down to the base of the piano.  Each piece came off relatively easily and I made sure to keep all of the hardware (screws and other items) in separate plastic baggies marked with a brief description of where they came from.


As I got to the keys I found that all of them were numbered.  However, not all of them were in chronological order and so in order to avoid any confusion I placed the keys in order on a table until I was ready to replace them.  That saved a ton of time, not to mention anxiety and confusion, when it was time to put them all back into place.  There was no worry that I was putting the keys in the right order and it went very quickly as I was putting the finished piece back together!


I was surprised at how quickly it went to remove all the pieces so I could begin the prep process!  And I was mesmerized how how beautiful and intricate the inside of a piano really is!  


At this point I covered all the keys and cords inside the piano with paper, made sure I protected the pedals and wheels with taping and got to work!

I cleaned the piano with soap and water and then used a liquid sander deglosser to prep the piece.  If you haven't ever used this product it is a definite must!  I love that it maintains the integrity of a piece and allows you to prep the piece without sanding.  After that step all nicks, dings and holes were filled.  

Once those were dry and lightly sanded, it was time to start priming.  I used approximately 3 cans of spray primer to prime the entire piece.

After the primer coats dried and were lightly sanded, I began the painting process using a semi-gloss white.  Again, I used Rustoleum spray paint, which I absolutely LOVE!  The durability is amazing, the coverage is beautiful, and you absolutely cannot go wrong with this product!!

I sealed the entire piece with multiple coats of Minwax polycrylic clear finish and this beautiful makeover was complete!





I love how this piece turned out and I can't wait to do my next piano!!