Need suggestions for removing/covering smell - Woodworking Talk

Josh · 09-09-2007, 09:29 PM

I just built a headboard out of an old solid wood door and it has an awful smell. It just smells like old musty wood. I painted it but that did not help. Any ideas.

TIA
Josh

Messman · 09-09-2007, 09:42 PM

The only thing that comes to my mind is that you put a couple of coats of poly over the entire headboard to seal it. I honestly don't know if it would completely work though. Logically it would, you are sealing the wood with a poly which dries to a hard finish that keeps water and moisture out...but will it keep fumes from escaping hhhhmmmmm??? Worth a shot I would think.

Josh · 09-09-2007, 09:49 PM

I tried the poly on a scrap piece of the door and it peeled the paint.

skymaster · 09-09-2007, 09:59 PM

try sanding back to wood, seal it with Zinzeer or shellac then prime and paint

Messman · 09-09-2007, 10:08 PM

Sounds like the paint base and the poly base were different. Water to oil base? But yea you can go back to wood and then seal and paint over the seal coat.

Josh · 09-09-2007, 10:43 PM

Thanks for thr fast replies, Looks like I will be starting over with this next weekend. I will update and post a pic when I finish

Stick · 09-10-2007, 07:11 PM

To really seal it, they make a sealer product for house fires. It locks in EVERYTHING. Then you can paint it any color on top of that. I used it on a rental house one time that had been neglected with cats and the pee stains went through the carpet, through the padding, and soaked into the hard wood floors. The smell was so bad that a few people actually puked when they walked in. That was over 10 years ago, and to this day you can't smell a thing. Of course, you can never go back to a finished wood look, it will always have to be painted.

Josh · 09-10-2007, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stick

To really seal it, they make a sealer product for house fires. It locks in EVERYTHING. Then you can paint it any color on top of that. I used it on a rental house one time that had been neglected with cats and the pee stains went through the carpet, through the padding, and soaked into the hard wood floors. The smell was so bad that a few people actually puked when they walked in. That was over 10 years ago, and to this day you can't smell a thing. Of course, you can never go back to a finished wood look, it will always have to be painted.

Would I have to sand back to bare wood to apply or could I paint it over what I have already painted?

Stick · 09-11-2007, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josh

Would I have to sand back to bare wood to apply or could I paint it over what I have already painted?

I rolled it on right on top of the varnished or poly'ed floor. I'm pretty sure you don't have to strip the paint. Might not be a bad idea to rough it up a little though, but not sure. I got it at Lowes at the time. I went in and told the guy what I had and he recommended a sealer for small house fires to seal in the smoke smell. Worked great.

Josh · 09-11-2007, 10:16 PM

Thanks, Looks like I will bw making a Lowes trip pretty soon.

**TexasTimbers** · 09-11-2007, 10:28 PM

Hey Josh how about posting some pictures in the Project Showcase? A door headboard is a cool idea.