Sealing a smelly wooden bed
#1
02-25-14, 01:55 PM
Sealing a smelly wooden bed
The headboard of my antique bed smells funky and i'd like to seal in the smell with something that's odorless. It's just the unfinished back of the headboard that smells. One hardware store recommended Varathane No-Odor Polyurathane, and another said to use Polycrylic by Minwax, which is water-based. Any recommendations? I assume i need something waterproof? Thank you
#2
02-25-14, 02:03 PM
I doubt you'll find something that is both effective and odorless. Pigmented shellac is the best primer for sealing odors. Clear shellac or oil base poly might seal it good enough. Any waterbased coating will be the least effective.
#3
02-25-14, 04:33 PM
Group Moderator
Have you tried a thorough cleaning? The smell may be from mold, mildew or a thin film of decades worth of dust, smoke, oil...
#4
02-25-14, 08:55 PM
I cleaned it with furniture polish, which didn't do anything, so i think the smell is in the wood. It's a pungent smell. I put 2 coats of tung oil on it, which didn't contain the smell.
I need the odor of any sealant to be gone in 8 days, so i was thinking of putting 4 coats of water-based polyurethane. I figure the "exterior" version would give a better seal than interior, but what do i know.
I need the odor of any sealant to be gone in 8 days, so i was thinking of putting 4 coats of water-based polyurethane. I figure the "exterior" version would give a better seal than interior, but what do i know.
#5
02-26-14, 04:10 AM
The biggest difference between exterior and interior poly is the hardness of the film. Interior finishes tend to dry to a harder film which helps them to wear better, exterior finishes have a softer film which allows it to better survive the changes in weather. I'd be a little leery of applying water based poly over the tung oil..... maybe if you scrubbed the tung oil with liquid deglosser first it would adhere better. I think it would be easier and more effective if you used an oil base poly or varnish.
#6
02-26-14, 04:28 AM
I cleaned it with furniture polish,
Since it won't show I wonder if maybe fiberglass resin once the tongue oil was removed.
