Giving old furniture a new lease of life
Quick answer: In most UV systems, photoinitiators are selected by balancing wavelength fit, through-cure, color control, and line speed. Buyers usually compare a blended package instead of one isolated product.
Wear and tear is inevitable during the use of furniture. Knowing some furniture refinishing techniques can give your furniture a new lease of life and extend its lifespan. Here is a detailed introduction to several common types of furniture damage and the refinishing methods for them.
1. Paint peeling from the surface
When the paint on the surface of the furniture peels, this is a relatively common minor problem. We can first find a paint that matches the original color of the furniture and carefully repair the damage, just like giving the wound initial healing treatment. This step is crucial, and the choice of paint should match as closely as possible. You can refer to the color card when purchasing the furniture or test the color in a small area that is not conspicuous. For example, some classic European furniture is mostly a dark walnut or vintage cherry color, and if a paint with a large color deviation is used, the effect after the repair will be greatly reduced. After the paint is repaired, evenly apply the paint to the furniture surface to perfect the overall effect. In this process, the application technique should be even and smooth to avoid uneven thickness or dripping.
2. Furniture burns
Burn marks on furniture often leave unsightly marks. First, the burnt area needs to be gently removed with a very thin blade. This process requires extreme caution, as if it were delicate surgery, as the slightest mistake could cause even more damage to the furniture. For example, some wooden dining tables may be burnt by placing too hot tableware on them. When removing the burnt part, work with the grain of the wood. Next, use a steel wool ball or flannel to carefully wipe away any remaining debris, and then use sandpaper to carefully sand the surface. You can start with a coarse grit and work your way down to a finer grit, for example, sand the surface with 120-grit sandpaper first, and then 240-grit sandpaper to achieve a very smooth surface. After that, choose the right paint to apply, and finally polish the surface with wax to restore the luster and texture of the furniture and make it look like new.
3. There are scratches on the paint surface
The method of dealing with scratches on the paint surface is similar to that of dealing with peeling paint. You can first use the method of dealing with peeling paint and select a material of the same color to paint over it. In actual practice, for some modern minimalist furniture, the colors are usually quite simple and pure, making it easier to find matching painting materials. For example, if a white minimalist desk has a scratch, you can use white touch-up paint. After the touch-up, you can paint the whole desk again. With this treatment, the furniture can basically be restored to its original appearance, and it is difficult to notice the repair marks without looking closely.
4. Repairing cracks
Solid wood furniture is sensitive to humidity. When the environment is too dry or humid, it is prone to cracking. In this case, you can first use a suitable filling material, such as putty made from a mixture of wood powder and glue, to fill the crack. Take Chinese-style classical solid wood furniture as an example. It mostly uses a mortise and tenon structure, and small cracks may appear at the joints during climate changes. When filling, make sure that the filling material fully fills the crack and is compacted, and then paint the surface of the furniture. This not only repairs the crack, but also protects the wood of the furniture, preventing further dry cracking or moisture damage.
5. Large-area repairs
If the furniture needs to be repainted over a large area, this requires a more systematic and professional approach. First, carefully observe the coloring of the furniture to determine whether the paint color is a mixture, two-layer or three-layer color. For example, some French court style furniture with complex craftsmanship often has a mixture of multiple layers of paint. After determining the paint color, proceed accordingly. For glossy finishes, depending on the specific situation of the furniture, choose from polishing, sanding, applying a polish, etc., and you can also use accessories such as wax or abrasives. In the process of repainting large areas, patience and meticulousness are required in every step, from color mixing to painting techniques, which directly affect the final repair results.
There are also some general precautions when repainting furniture. When repairing and repainting, be sure to ensure that the surface of the furniture is flat and does not deform the furniture. When choosing the color and texture of the paint, it is important to strictly match the original color and texture of the furniture. For example, for some precious mahogany furniture, the color and texture are unique, and the choice of paint material should be even more cautious. When repainting, be careful and try to paint only the areas where the paint has peeled off, otherwise it will easily create a large color difference and affect the overall appearance of the furniture.
It is worth mentioning that photoinitiators play an important role in the production of furniture paint. Photoinitiators can trigger a chemical reaction under ultraviolet light, which promotes rapid curing of the paint. Compared with the traditional thermal curing method, photo-curing has the advantages of fast curing speed, low energy consumption and environmental protection. In modern furniture manufacturing, with the continuous improvement of environmental protection requirements, the application of photoinitiators is becoming more and more widespread. It can make the furniture paint form a hard and wear-resistant film in a short time, improving the surface quality and service life of the furniture. For example, on the assembly lines of some large furniture manufacturers, the use of paints containing photoinitiators can greatly improve production efficiency while reducing harmful gas emissions, in line with the concept of sustainable development.
How formulators usually evaluate this photoinitiator topic
When technical buyers or formulators screen photoinitiators, the most useful decision frame is usually cure quality plus application fit: which package cures reliably, keeps appearance acceptable, and still works under the lamp, film thickness, and substrate conditions of the actual process.
- Match the package to the lamp first: mercury lamps, UV LEDs, and visible-light systems can rank the same photoinitiators very differently.
- Check depth cure and surface cure separately: a film that feels dry on top can still be weak underneath.
- Balance yellowing with reactivity: the strongest deep-cure route is not always the best commercial choice if color or migration risk becomes unacceptable.
- Use the final formula as the benchmark: pigment load, monomer package, and film thickness can all change the apparent ranking of the same initiator.
Recommended product references
- CHLUMINIT 819: Useful when a formulation needs stronger absorption and deeper cure support.
- CHLUMINIT 1173: A practical comparison point for classic short-wave UV initiation.
- CHLUMINIT ITX: A useful long-wave support route in many printing-ink packages.
- CHLUMINIT CQ: A direct reference for visible-light and color-sensitive curing discussions.
FAQ for buyers and formulators
Why are blended photoinitiator packages so common?
Because one product may control yellowing or lamp fit well while another improves cure depth or line-speed performance, so the full package is often stronger than any single grade.
Should incomplete cure always be solved by adding more initiator?
Not automatically. The real limitation may be the lamp, film thickness, pigment shading, or the rest of the reactive system rather than simple under-dosage.
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