Is there a wood refinishing expert in the house?

I would use a phenolic resin to seal the fir. Is this something that is a flat surface or multi sides. i.e. top and bottom. If multi sided, you should seal the back or bottoms as well.

What kind of paint are you using? Latex? Oil? How long before you see the "seepage"?

I am not a paint expert, but I do a lot of woodworking and finishing as well as home repairs.

I recommend a good enamel.

Thanks for your reply!

Could you give me a name brand of phenolic resin? Is that something that would be available in a regular paint store?

The fir in question is mostly cabinetry so yes -- flat surfaces and multi-sides.

The real bitch of it is that I'll finally get it looking good after several coats of paint and within ... say.... 6 months .... I start to see seepage. It is such a pain because I have to take all the hardware off again because I spent a crapload of time getting the paint off the hardware. IT'S SO FRUSTRATING!

I use Benjamin Moore Aura paints which are really good paint.

Isn't enamel glossy though? Glossy shows every defect. Glossy makes me nervous.

If you got all the paint off that beautiful old fir, why would you want to just paint it again, Boomer?

Perhaps dadpad could help here? I'll PM him.

a few thoughts but no real hard advice.

Tannin staining is reasonably common in cedar but this might be some kind of oily wood extractive.
You dont state whether you have used water based acrylic (wash brushes in water) or oil based paints (wash out brushes in mineral turps.)
if water based then i think its tannin staining.
i'm thinking an oxalic acid cleaner might be useful. Ask at your paint store and do some online research first. no guarantees
oxalic acid is usually used to restore old timber decking.
The aussie wood working site i post at sometimes has some real cluey blokes i'd reccoment asking there. maybe a photo or two of the bare wood and stained paint.
http://www.woodworkforums.com/

Thanks dadpad (and to Margo for calling you over)!

I doubt I'll be able to get a good photo of it but I'll try. I'll do a bit of research on the products mentioned and also ask my paint store about them.

Yes, I'm using a water based paint.

The problem is -- it really isn't beautiful old fir, it's highly mistreated fir that required some wood putty to make it reusable. I know it seems crazy to do all that work but replacing it would have been the only other option and we're trying to keep the house parts original.

What did you use for primer?

My first suggestion would be to use BIN shellac primer to seal it.
http://www.zinsser.com/product_detail.asp?productid=10

But you said you don't want the smell.

You can try the Bullseye 1-2-3 which is water based but it might not seal quite as well.
http://www.zinsser.com/product_detail.asp?ProductID=11

Unless your primer seals the wood and prevents seeping it won't matter how many coats of paint you put over it.

expert opinion here.
(Darkside is the name given to the practice of working wood without power tools)
http://www.woodworkforums.com/f9/fir-oily-yellowish-seepage-through-paint-114691/#post1125721
RufflyRustic
Head Moderator
Sister of the DarkSide


China

Wow!! Many thanks, dadpad!

My invoice is in the mail.

Hello Community,

In my opinion wood refinishing is required in every house. Using a wood-stain remover to refinish furniture is a very simple process and can make the ugliest piece of wood furniture look new. With the use of a wood-stain remover, you can remove an unwanted layer of stain, and also remove mold, mildew, oils and small nicks and scratches on the surface of the wood--leaving it ready for refinishing. Select a stain and a sealer for refinishing the wood. Buy enough to cover the whole piece of furniture. Usually the container labels will specify how much coverage they offer. Select from a vinyl or aniline stain for a faster-drying project, but be aware that these will give you less time to create the effect that you want. The alternative is to use an oil-based stain. Oil stains are very slow to dry, but allow the user more time to obtain the desired effect. Use sandpaper to remove any nicks or scratches to the wood and to take out any stubborn stains. Use a very fine grade of sandpaper. In most cases, after stripping the furniture, you will want to re-stain the piece because sanding leaves the wood with an uneven, blotchy appearance.

Best Regards,
Matin John