Pianotech

  • 1.  Sun damage to high gloss piano

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-14-2015 12:14

    Worked on this 1985 Petrof and, finding it not touched in many years, they had it sitting just like this for years in the sun with the fallboard up.

    To the lady's horror, when I put the fallboard down, it was clear fading had occurred to her high gloss finish. You can see the original colour where the fallboard protected the panel.

    I tried using Cory ReVive and also the PrePolish but neither made any difference.  Is there anything we can use to restore the original finish or is this permanently damaged?
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    Jim Fariss, RPT
    Black Forest Piano
    Black Forest, Colorado
    (719) 425-8845
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  • 2.  RE: Sun damage to high gloss piano

    Posted 08-14-2015 12:45
    > Is there anything we can use to restore the original finish or is
    > this permanently damaged?


    The finish is just fine. We can see you clearly in the reflection. The
    dye/stain/pigment/whatever under the finish is bleached out. Short of
    top coating with another opaque finish, or stripping and starting over,
    no. Maybe keep the fall board down for ten years and see if it catches
    up? What internal damage has accumulated by using the piano as a Trombe
    wall? That needs a close look.

    Just noticed, huh? Who's been dusting it all this time, the maid?
    Ron N




  • 3.  RE: Sun damage to high gloss piano

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-14-2015 12:46
    The dye used under polyester is not colorfast. Oil based stain is colorfast, but polyester won't stick to it. Other than shading over the light areas, there's not much you can do. I've done this, but you won't get the high gloss using lacquer, though it could improve it. I've used Mohawk translucent toner spray. It doesn't have pigment, so the more you spray, the darker it gets, but won't cover up the grain.
    Good luck.
    Paul McCloud
    San Diego