Wood finishing involves three major steps, each of which
will be explored in greater detail in this website.
They are:
1.) Preparing
the Wood
2.) Staining
the Wood
3.) Finishing
the Wood
Preparing the Wood
Without
proper preparation, your stain and finish will not be absorbed into the pores
of the wood evenly.
a.) Sanding ? Raw wood should first be
sanded with #120-grit sandpaper to remove any dents or scratches, for if left
in the wood, dents and scratches will absorb too much stain and finish, making
them very noticeable. A second, lighter sanding should be done with #180-grit
sandpaper to remove any scratches left in the wood by the #120-grit sandpaper.
All sanding should be done in the direction of the grain of the wood and
preferably by hand or with an orbital sander - and not with a belt sander.
b.)
Conditioning ? All softwoods and most hardwoods will turn blotchy when stained
with a medium or dark stain. To reduce the blotchiness, first apply a coat of
Wood Conditioner according to the manufacturer?s directions.
Staining the Wood
Wood
stains are absorbed by the pores of the wood. Lighter stains enhance the grain
of the wood, while darker stains will, within limits, change the wood?s natural
color. After testing the stain on scrap wood or an inconspicuous spot, apply a
liberal coat of stain using a brush, pad, cloth or aerosol can. The final color
will be determined by
1.) the wood?s ability to absorb the stain and
2.) the
length of time you allow it to penetrate the wood.
Only testing will determine
the length of time needed to achieve the color you want.
Once
that time has expired, remove any stain that the wood did not absorb by wiping
the wood in the direction of the grain with a clean cloth. Allow the stain to
dry according to the manufacturer?s directions.
Finishing the Wood
A
finish locks in the color of the stain, seals the pores against unwanted
liquids, prevents the wood from swelling during times of high humidity and from
cracking when the air is extremely dry, extends the life of the wood, protects
it against minor scratches and makes it look more attractive.
There
are approximately ten different types of furniture finishes readily available.
The application techniques and drying times, as well as safety precautions,
will vary from type to type and manufacturer to manufacturer, so read the label
instructions carefully. Each type will be examine and explained in this
website, along with ways you can
1.) determine which finish to use and
2.)
make it look like it was applied by a professional ? or better.
Like I said, each of these three steps ? and more ? will be
explored and explained in this website, so read on!
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