# Filling the grain/cracks with lacquering



## Gracobucks (May 29, 2011)

I am lacquering a chess board for a GC we do work for. Where the 2 woods meet the lacquer isn't filling and leaving a crack. Hard to see in the picture, shows a little in the left corner. How can I fill the cracks/grain? He didn't like that the 2 woods where at slightly different heights so it is getting resanded and will be bare wood when I get it back.


----------



## MikeCalifornia (Aug 26, 2012)

Have him remake the pieces that are not tight? Hes going to all the trouble to sand it all to the same height, same thing. Your material will eventually fill but you will exceed the mfg recommendation for a lacquer system, most are 4coats max, 4mils that is with a sanding sealer. You might opt for an acrylic pour system for that top if it is still an issue.


----------



## stelzerpaintinginc. (May 9, 2012)

Typical GC. Asking for the finisher to compensate for deficiencies in the fit. Seriously though, no lacquer will fill something like that. If he wants some kind of filling topcoat and doesn't mind the plastic look, a poured epoxy resin finish is an option, but IMO there's a certain coldness to it, not being able to feel or smell a hand-crafted piece.


----------



## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

MikeCalifornia said:


> Have him remake the pieces that are not tight? Hes going to all the trouble to sand it all to the same height, same thing. Your material will eventually fill but you will exceed the mfg recommendation for a lacquer system, most are 4coats max, 4mils that is with a sanding sealer. You might opt for an acrylic pour system for that top if it is still an issue.


Sounds like the best approach. I'm guessing that he tried to make this from individual blocks, not the best way. Instead, the way to do it us to laminate alternating strips of the two woods, crosscut that into strips of equal size, and then laminate those strips.

A quick Google search yielded this:

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/projects/classic_chessboard


----------



## Delta Painting (Apr 27, 2010)

Grain Filler...

https://www.amazon.com/Old-Masters-...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=X6E115XJFG071PTS9K3N


----------



## Gracobucks (May 29, 2011)

Delta Painting said:


> Grain Filler...
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Old-Masters-...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=X6E115XJFG071PTS9K3N


We used this when we did projects in school but they where always stained. Will this work on a clear finish?


----------



## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

Gracobucks said:


> We used this when we did projects in school but they where always stained. Will this work on a clear finish?


Yes. Assuming that you use a dark filler, the issue will be making sure none of it ends up in the pores of the lighter wood.


----------

