Help! Decorator has damaged DP’s piano - water damage to wood, can it be reversed/ restored

[GiveMeHopeJohanna]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone could advise. A decorator we have been using to paint the flat has put a wet bottle (water, juice, something else?) down on my partner’s grand piano (it belonged to his late grandmother and he shipped it over from Rome when he moved to the Uk) and it has left some horrible water damage behind. The moisture has eaten through the vanish and down into the wood - I don’t know what type of wood it is sorry.

I’ll try and add pictures.

Does anyone know if a furniture / wood restorer can fix any of the damage? Please advise if you know anything or have any expertise in this area.

Im quite upset about this. I know I should put things in perspective because of all the terrible news stories at the moment (some of which are unbearably sad and horrible) but as this object means so much to my partner and is a connection to his late grandparents who were very dear to him. It would mean the world to be able to put it right. Plus I’m 7.5 months pregnant so more emotional than usual.

Thanks so much for reading, and for any advice you might have.

Best
xx

More images

I have heard you can use an iron to remove the moisture or a hairdryer - however I have not tried it. May be worth looking this up on youtube.

I certainly hope the decorator is paying to have this fixed.

Is that defo water and not something that has stripped it like white spirit

A wood restorer should be able to fix this no bother. However I'd be absolutely fuming and would expect the painter to cover the costs.

It’s definitely fixable- but the decorator should be paying for it to be fixed or doing it himself, don’t attempt to do it yourself.

That is really sad I'm so sorry. Do you have a local piano shop? With a workshop? I would give them a call - they will know. Or if not, if you have someone come and tune it ask them who they would recommend locally who might be able to help. The tuner themself won't be the right person but they may know who is.

I wouldn't do anything to it before speaking to an expert other than making sure it is dry on the surface with a soft towel (microfibre).

And yes, bill the decorator. That is not on. Everyone knows glasses don't belong on wood.

(I'm a pianist but I know nothing about maintenance)

Don't attempt to do it yourself. You need a French Polisher.

Thank you so much everyone! Your responses are so kind and reassuring.

I’ll investigate all avenues.

Ill let the decorating company know first thing too. Let’s see if they will be part of the solution.

Thank you all again ❤️

A french polisher will sort that out no problem

French polisher!

anyone else remember this:

OP I thought you were going to say that a decorator had spilt water inside the piano which would likely make the wood swell and make some of the notes unplayable or make the action stick. So, though it won’t feel like it, it’s actually good news that this is only on the outside where it can easily be fixed, and not on the inside where it can’t. I wouldn’t get the chump decorator to fix it, and I definitely wouldn’t be trying to do it myself based on YouTube, though - get in touch with a piano tuner and ask them if they can recommend a piano restorer who will have seen this sort of thing before and will know the remedy.

Good luck!

Decorator should have insurance to cover this. DO NOT let him try to fix it himself - it's a specialist job!

I've done it successfully. You need a cotton tea towel or pillowcase and an iron on low - no steam. The idea is to draw the moisture out gently.

I did this to a lovely cabinet through my own stupidity. I left a skylight open and it rained.
I got a lot of advice and used oxalic acid IIRC plus some polish.

Everyone saying to get a specialist in and not attempt to fix it myself - don’t worry I 100% intend to do this!

Have so much respect and admiration for those that can do these types of restoration jobs to make something beautiful/ perfect again : )

One of DHs friends has a company called Rags & Riches piano polishing. Try Googling he is really good at his job.

Definitely get the decorator/company to pay for a professional restorer to fix it. As others have said French Polishers will sort it.

As an aside I've sorted out similar damage on a wood floor with Boiled Linseed Oil, BUT, as I said get a professional on that piano and the company who did your decorating need to pay for it.

I'm so sorry. I too thought of the yellow pages advert. Even if you get it repaired it won't be the same will it, because with something so beautiful an expert would spot the repair a mile off. So sorry.

The input the decorator should have is to foot the bill for the French polisher!

"It's just possible you could save my life..."

@girlsyearapart - thanks have emailed him!

@GiveMeHopeJohanna hope he can help you. He’s rescued some celebrity pianos so I think yours shouldn’t be a prob! He did a lovely job polishing our wooden floors

My husband has a decorating company he said get him to use his liability insurance to get it sorted.

i've done the trick with a steam iron & tea towel on a table that had similar damage and the results were pretty miraculous.

if that doesn't work, it will have to be the french polisher. but when I looked up for someone to fix my table, it was going to be £££ unlike the lovely old yellow pages advert.