How can I prevent bleed through on mahogany furniture from the 1920-1930’s?

Never guarantee a finish on this era of furniture. Inform your customers of this issue and steer customers away from using light colors. Many mahogany pieces from the late 1920's to early 1930's have an aniline dye lacquer finish which can bleed through no matter how many times you paint or prime over it. Although ideal coverage over an aniline dye lacquer can never be guaranteed, the following two products have been known to minimize bleed through:

1. A stain blocking primer such as General Finishes Stain Blocker or Zinsser B-I-N
2. A shellac seal coat will usually stop most of the bleeding

Note: If you are trying to cover red mahogany with a white you may never be able to stop the bleed through. Stain Blocker is most likely to stop the bleed-through of all options listed above because it was specifically engineered to block the most persistent bleed-through.

Tips from GF:

1. Never guarantee a finish on this era of furniture. Inform your customers of this issue and steer customers away from using light colors.
2. Clean the project and apply 2 coats of General Finishes Stain Blocker with a brush, roller or by spraying. The first coat will absorb contaminants in the wood, causing a color change during the first application, and the second will seal the contaminants. More information regarding Stain Blocker here.
3. Another primer alternative is Zinsser B-I-N.
4. Use a dark paint color - there are some pieces that will never work with al light paint.
5. If none of this works, we recommend that you strip and refinish with a penetrating oil stain followed by a clear coat.

Stripping Recommendations:

1. Use a good quality citrus stripper or a soy gel stripper as they are more gentle than traditional chemical strippers.
2. Remove any remaining finish with 150 grit sandpaper.
3. Once you have removed the old finish, wash the piece down with a 50/50 blend of denatured alcohol and water to remove any residual oils and waxes.
4. Once these stages have been completed, it is safe to use any type of wood stain to restore the original look of the piece.