Refinishing speakers

MartinLogan Audio Owners Forum

Help Support MartinLogan Audio Owners Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

JordanD

Well-known member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Messages
255
Reaction score
0
Location
Carson City, Nevada
Hello everyone! Its been a while since I have came on the forum. I have been busy and I have gone off to graduate school so I am being kept very busy, but my passion for music/audio is still in full effect. In fact I might need to update my system.

Now to the meat and potatoes. Before I left my last job (I was working in home theater design and install) I had a client donate a pair of Wharfedale Pacific Evo-30's to me. For the price of free... I couldn't say no. The speakers I have had for about a year now, I use them daily in my bed room via a Sonos Connect Amp and I love them. The sound is really fantastic.... HOWEVER the speakers we not taken care of. The cabinets are littered with dings, dents, and gashes. The finish is a black (I assume) vinyl veneer, and I would like to start a fun project of striping the speakers and giving them a whole new finish. I was thinking something more along the lines of a solid color of a glossy finish and not replacing the veneer. I also had plans of making some granite base plates for them with some solid spikes.

Nevertheless does anyone have any experience/wisdom they would like to offer? I have never done anything like this so I am not even sure how to start. Any resources, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!
Jordan
 
I will take a shot at this.

How large are the speakers. I have never seen small Wharfedale speakers.

I would say you need to remove the vinyl. The amount of work it will take to refinish them trying to cover the vinyl will be extensive and probably not work well. I would suggest going to an automotive paint supply if you are going to go over the vinyl. Tell them what you are trying but my guess is they may not suggest it. The auto industry has primers to bond to most anything but don't be supprised when it is $100 a gallon.

If you are willing to remove the vinyl are there any areas that the vinyl is loose? If so grab it with fingers or pliers and pull slowly. Try to pull large pieces. If it is vinyl it is probably stuck on with contact cement. Take them outside and on cardboard use small amounts of lacquer thinner or acetone to loosen the cement. Either way there will not be any easy removal process.

There is a chance it is a sprayed on vinyl. In that case industrial stripper is about your only choice.

I will offer more suggestions once you decide what way you are going to go.
 
I will take a shot at this.

How large are the speakers. I have never seen small Wharfedale speakers.

I would say you need to remove the vinyl. The amount of work it will take to refinish them trying to cover the vinyl will be extensive and probably not work well. I would suggest going to an automotive paint supply if you are going to go over the vinyl. Tell them what you are trying but my guess is they may not suggest it. The auto industry has primers to bond to most anything but don't be supprised when it is $100 a gallon.

If you are willing to remove the vinyl are there any areas that the vinyl is loose? If so grab it with fingers or pliers and pull slowly. Try to pull large pieces. If it is vinyl it is probably stuck on with contact cement. Take them outside and on cardboard use small amounts of lacquer thinner or acetone to loosen the cement. Either way there will not be any easy removal process.

There is a chance it is a sprayed on vinyl. In that case industrial stripper is about your only choice.

I will offer more suggestions once you decide what way you are going to go.

Beautiful. I will try to remove the vinyl then. I considered just sanding the vinyl until its all smooth, but if the advise is to just strip it then that is what Ill do. I will report back when I actually make some sort of progress haha
 

Latest posts

Back
Top