Refinishing is a time consuming process that is best left to the professionals. In most cases, one of the first steps to refinishing is to strip the piece of it's existing finish whether it is paint, poly, varnish or lacquer. Here, at Coastal, we do not use dip tanks but instead strip items which need stripping by hand. Dip tanks often loosen adhesive at the joints, especially in antique furniture. It can also ruin existing veneers and can sometimes even burn the wood. Once the piece is stripped, we thoroughly go over each piece and clean it by hand. Once cleaned, we apply filler to any damaged areas and then it is sanded until smooth. Once the sanding is completed, the coloring process begins whether it is stain, lacquer, varnish, poly or paint. After several coats of coloring has been applied, the piece will be hand sanded, prepping it for it's next coat of color. Once the desired color is accomplished, several coats of clear will be applied in a flat, matte, satin, semi-gloss, hi-gloss finish, whichever meets your request. The clear top coat not only protects the piece and it's finish, but also assists in odor control of your newly refinished item.