Renewing the Finish of your JLP Hardwood Games

Would you like to renew the magnificent appearance of your JLP line chess games from Chess House?

This two-step process will renew and revitalize these hardwood products. In fact, minor scratches will often disappear as a result.

With this method, you'll get a streak free water-based cleanser that removes fingerprints, residue, and much more from surfaces. It prevents splotching on Maple and Walnut wood including varnished finishes. 

By simply maintaining the luster of your furniture, you are ensuring it's heirloom quality to last for generations to come. Cleaning and maintaining with Heirloom Essentials will extend the life and beauty of your wooden products.

Whether chess board as shown above, a box, or another product, the attractive, vibrant look can be restored.

You might be started with a dusty or well used item that looks like this.

With the right cleanser/polish combination, you can get great results in 5-10 minutes.

Soon it will be looking like this.

This two-step cleanser and polishing formula is recommended, along with a microfiber towel. It's the Heirloom Essentials Spotless Cleanser and Fine Furniture Polish by Woodwright products.

This cleaner and polish is a water base formula that performs well, does not deteriorate finished wood, and contains no silicone ammonia or wax.

The “Spotless” Cleanser easily removes oils and other residues. After this, polish to a rich luster with the Fine Furniture Polish.

It comes in a small, affordable quantity and is quite readily available.

Avoid silicone or wax. Silicone is a good oil but seems to degrade quicker. Wax is susceptible to watermarks, rings, and is visibly damaged with direct heat. Wax and silicone prevent easy repair. 

 

Removing Scratches and Restoring Finishes

JLP board games are finished with a multi-coat catalyzed conversion varnish.

For medium scratches that do not penetrate the finish into the wood itself, you can prepare the surface with a lacquer thinner or acetone, then apply a water based poly-urethane.

Note in particular though that when the water based poly-urethane is applied, it should be wiped on and then off relatively quickly. Don't allow it to stay in place for any length of time.

For deeper scratches reaching wood itself and where a completely renewed finish is desired, sanding down the entire surface is necessary with appropriate woodworking tools before reapplying the conversion varnish.

If you’re not sure which step of restoration, each one can be applied in order without damaging the board.  For example, start with Renewing the Finish. If that is not sufficient, try the Medium Scratch method with water-based polyurethane. If that still is not sufficient, you can remove the finish of a surface, sand it down, and reapply the appropriate varnish.

If you have further questions, feel free to reach out to the Chess House support team.

The JLP Hardwood Games are an exclusive product line of Chess House.