woodsmith finishing essentials

8/11/2019 Woodsmith Finishing Essentials

1/12

Te c h n i q u e C o l l e c t i o n

A Publication of August Home Publishing

Finishing Essentials


2/121 WoodsmithPlans.com COL008 2012 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserv

One of the keys to a top-notch finish is to start with a well-prepared

canvas. I stick to a simple routine that guarantees a great result.

A high-quality finish starts beforeyou ever open a can of stain orvarnish. Ive found that the simplesurface preparation steps leading upto finishing can often make or breakthe end result. While its tempting torush the process, a little patience upfront can make the finishing go easierand turn out better.

The goal is easy to define. Youwant to end up with a smooth,clean, consistent surface on whichto apply a finish. To achieve this, Igo through a systematic, four-stepsurface prep routine.

First, I search for and remove anyglue spots or squeezeout. Next, I takecare of any surface blemishes thatmight be noticeable once the finish is

applied. Third, I give the entire proj-ect a final, pre-finish sanding. Finally,I clean the surface to remove sandingdust and any other debris that mightinterfere with a smooth finish.

1NO GLUE.Glue spots and squeezeoutare the bane of finishing. Glueon the surface blocks penetrationof a stain or finish and creates anunsightly off-color blotch.

The best cure for glue blotches isprevention, of course. But this isnt

always foolproof. To be absolutelycertain theres no glue left on thesurface, you need to perform a finalinspection and removal.

Start with a thorough examinationof the most likely places at or nearthe joints. Large beads of squeezeoutare easy to find, but thin smears areharder to see. One way to make themstand out is to wipe the surface withmineral spirits (lower right photo).

Once I find glue, I go about remov-ing it in a couple of different waysdepending on the location. On flatsurfaces, you can scrape or sand itoff. If the glue is in the corner, I start

by carefully paring away as much aspossible with a chisel. Then I use adamp rag to soften and scrub away

the rest. (Ordinary PVA glue canbe removed with water and a littleelbow grease.)

2FIXING BLEMISHES. Visible dents,dings, or minor chips are almostinevitable. Sometimes a blemish issimply a small defect in the woodthat you werent able to work around.But there are ways to fix them.

Depending on the type of blemish,I approach it with one of two fixes.Shallow dents can usually be lifted

with steam, as shown in the bon the bottom of page 2. The steacauses the wood fibers to swell, leving the depression.

If wood is missing or the surfahas a natural defect, youll haverepair it with filler. There are a of different formulations of wofiller. The two most practical for fing minor dings are the pre-mixwater-based and solvent-bastypes. Both come in a variety

4 easy stepsfor perfectSurface

Prep

finishing room

{ You can search for glue sme

by wiping the surface w

mineral spirits. The glue bloc

absorption and stands out.



colors and dry quickly to a hard sur-face that can be sanded. Theyll alsoaccept stain to a degree.

I generally choose a color thats ashade darker than the wood in theproject. The filler tends to dry lighterthan what you see in the can. The flattip of a screwdriver makes a preciseapplicator. Try to limit the amount

of filler you spread to the surround-ing area. It can fill the pores of thewood and show up once the finishis applied. When the filler is thor-oughly dry (check it with a finger-nail), you can easily sand it flushwith the surface.

3PRE-FINISH SANDING. When build-ing a project, I sand parts andassemblies all along the way as

Im working. But this doesnt meanthat once the project is complete, nofurther sanding is necessary. Beforeapplying the stain or finish, I go overthe entire project with a thoroughpre-finish sanding. The goal is tocreate a consistent surface that willaccept the finish evenly.

You may have scrubbed (with

water) or scraped away glue,steamed out a dent, or filled a ding.If these areas arent sanded, theylltake a stain or finish differently thanthe surrounding area. A good onceover with 180-grit sandpaper willlevel the field.

At this stage, hand sanding is theway to go. You have better control.For large, open flat surfaces like achest or tabletop, I wrap the sandpa-per around a padded sanding block.For contoured or hard-to-reach cor-

ners, folded sandpaper works best,as shown above.

Since many surfaces wont needmuch attention, you can workquickly. But try to be as thorough aspossible. Sand into the corners anddont overlook the narrow edges.Finally, gently ease any sharp edges.Theyll hold the finish better and beless prone to damage.

4REMOVE THE DUST.Now its time forcleanup. Before you lay on afinish, you need to remove all thesanding dust and any other debris

that may contaminate it. For me,this is a two-stage effort.

To begin, use compressed air or avacuum to remove the bulk of thedust. A vacuum with a soft brushis the tidier way to get the job doneand is my preferred method, as you

can see in the right photo. Com-pressed air may be quicker. Butyoull want to blow off the projectin a room separate from whereyoull do the finishing.

A final dusting with a tack ragcompletes the job, as shown in themain photo on page 1. The tackrag will pick up any remainingdust or debris and leave you witha clean surface ready for finish.And when the finish goes on, thewood will shine and your effortswill be rewarded.

How-To:Remove Dents with Steam

{ Shallow surface dents can often be

lifted with steam. You start by wet-

ting the affected area.

{ Place a dampened cloth over the

surface and then apply a hot iron to

force steam into the wood fibers.

{ The steam created by the hot iron

causes the compressed fibers to

swell back into shape.

{ By applying filler using a

screwdriver, you avoid spillover

into the surrounding area.

{ A final, pre-finish sanding ensures a smooth,

consistent surface. Here, hand sanding allows

you to get into all the nooks and crannies.

A vacuum

with a sof

brush will

the sandin

dust from

surface po

}

Before

After


4/123 WoodsmithPlans.com COL008 2012 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserve

Want a perfectly stained project

every time? Here are a few easy

ways to ensure success.

7simpletips and tricks for

Oil Stains

finishing room

If you apply an oil stain and thecolor looks weak and washed out,you might have overlooked an impor-tant step. The pigments in oil stain aresimply suspended, not dissolved, in thesolvent. While the can sits on the shelfunused, the pigments gradually settleto the bottom to form a thick, gooeylayer (photo at right).

So after opening a can of stain, I nevermake assumptions. The stain may look

like its ready to use, but I always giveit a good stirring to make certain. Youllneed to scrape all the pigments off the

bottom and stir until the mix looksuniform. And then for good measure, Iclose the can and shake it for a minuteor two. This ensures the stain will givethe color you had expected.

And when youre staining a largeproject over a period of time, its a goodidea to stir the can periodically.

1Stir it Up

I think every woodworkersfinishing nightmare is to apply stainto a project, only to find some glue wasleft on the surface and is spoiling the

job. The glue wont allow the stain topenetrate into the wood, causing a light,unstained area (right photo).

Unfortunately, this is an all too com-mon occurrence, but the fix is easy. Itstarts with some careful spot sanding

of the affected area. You want to sandaway the glue without creating a dip inthe surface. Carefully scraping away theglue and then sanding is also an option.

Just be sure to sand up to the same gritas the surrounding area.

Double-check to make sure all the glueis cleaned off, then re-stain the sandedarea. You may need to go over the sur-rounding area to even out the color.

2Fix Glue Spots

Ask a woodworker what type of stainhe or she likes to use and most often

youll get the generic reply oil stain.Oil or pigment stains have been the standard way to colorwood for years and for good reason. For the mostpart, theyre easy to use and produce reliable results. Yousimply wipe or brush the stain on the wood, let it soakin for a few minutes and then wipe off the excess. Itsa simple way to obtain a very dramatic change in color.

But as anyone who has worked with oil stains knows,the process isnt completely foolproof. And at this stage

of a project, if somethinggoes wrong, its a seriousdowner. But for every problem you might encounwith oil stains, theres almost always an easy wayprevent it from occurring or to solve it afterward. Reon to learn seven tips that will help you achieve the moflawless stain for your projects. Youre sure to find onetwo tricks that youll use every time you stain.


5/124 WoodsmithPlans.com COL008 2012 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserve

{ tio Its easy to

avoid a blo

staining jo

Simply app

pre-stain w

conditioneWhen you apply an oil stain,the pigments become trapped in thepores on the surface. This is whatgives color to the wood.

But youll find that the stain isntchoosy. Itll fill every nook and crannythat it can find. Rough, crossgrainsanding scratches or heavy swirls

from a power sander can attractand soak up more stain thanthe surrounding area. Oncethe stain goes on, the scratchespop right out and spoil the job(lower right photo).

The key is to avoid thisproblem with careful and thor-ough sanding before staining.But if its too late for that, youcan always sand away thescratches and then re-stain.

The final tip is simple, but itsalso one that I rely on frequently.

The problem is that its often achallenge to find the perfect color of

stain for a project. The cherry stainyou tested is too red or the mahog-any stain is too brown. For me, acustom mix is the solution.

Stain colors of the same brandcan always be mixed to get an in

between color. And even differentbrands of stain will often make acompatible mix. With a little experi-mentation, you can usually find thecolor youre after. Just be sure tokeep track of the formula.

Its not uncommon, especiallywhen working on a large project, toinadvertently leave a heavy streak orsmear of stain behind when clean-ing off the excess, as you can seein the photo below. Or you mightmiss some stain thats lodged in a

hard-to-reach corner. Occasionally,the problem is simply a matter ofapplying stain to too much surface.

When you cant clean the excess offfast enough, the stain starts to tack up

before you get to it.Dont panic. This isnt a big deal.

In most cases, all you need to do toremove the dried stain is re-wetthe area with fresh stain. The solvent

will soften the stain and allow youto wipe down the area for an even,streak-free color.

Some types of wood have awell-deserved reputation for beinghard to stain. Cherry, maple, andpine fall into this category. A coat of

oil stain usually leaves you with avery blotchy appearance, caused byuneven absorption of the stain (lefthalf of board below).

Here, the best cure is an ounce ofprevention. On blotch-prone woods,its a good idea to apply a wood con-ditioner before staining.

A conditioner is essentially just aclear stain. It penetrates the surfaceto partially seal the wood and limitabsorption of the stain to follow. Thisgives you a much better shot at get-ting a uniform look from your stain-ing job, as demonstrated on the righthalf of the board.

3No Streaks or Smears

5Avoid Blotching

6Sand Away Scratches 7The Perfect Color

4Matching End Grain The end grains on a project are a mixed blessinTheir porous surfaces will soak up stain like a spongThe downside is that the end grain looks much darkthan the surrounding areas.

But theres an easy way to avoid this unwanted cotrast. Before staining, take the time to sand the end grato a finer grit than the rest of the project. The smooth

end grain will trap fewer pigments. This way, the cowill end up matching the other parts of the piece bettas you can see in the photo below.



This easy-to-use product is the secret to achieving a rich, vibrant,

and natural-looking color on your next project.

great color with

Water-Based Dyes

finishing room

} Water-based

dyes can be

mixed from

powders or

liquid

concentrates.

Staining is often a finishing step thatcan make or break the appearance ofa project. And unfortunately theresno magic bullet that will guarantee agood outcome. But the more optionsyou have to choose from, the bet-ter the chance of getting top-notchresults. This is why I keep water-

based dyes on hand.WHY?

A water-based dye can giveyou a look thats very different froma typical oil stain. Oil stains containlarge pigment particles that are sim-ply suspended in a solvent. When

the stain is applied, the pig-ments essentially sit on the

surface of the woodto give it color.

However, thiscan some-

times make

it difficult to produce a deep, naturalcolor without obscuring the figureof the wood.

Water-based dyes work differ-ently. The dye particles are verysmall and actually go into solution like sugar in water. This allowsthe water to carry the dye particlesdeep into the wood fibers. The

result is a look that is more trans-parent and natural. You end upwith a very rich, penetrating colorthat still lets the figure of the woodshow through.

As you can see in the photoabove, a dye can really pop the

beautiful figure of woods such ascurly or birdseye maple. And thepenetrating nature of a dye makesit a good choice when a deep, darkcolor is required.

MIX IT UP.Youll find dyes that formulated for use with differsolvents water, alcohol, and osoluble types. However, becauof their slower drying time, wat

based dyes are by far the easiesuse, especially on large surfaand projects.

A water-based dye can be mix

from a powder or a liquid conctrate, as shown in the photo at lThe dyes come in a wide rangecolors both wood tones apure colors. Two or more cancombined to create virtually ashade in the rainbow.

When you mix a powdered dalways use precise measuremeand keep track of the formula. Tway, you can easily match the sacolor again, if necessary. For me,


7/12



Once you know what each type of finish brings to the table,

making the right choice becomes a whole lot easier.

Woodworkers are pretty lucky thesedays. When it comes to deciding whattype of finish to apply to a project, wehave an abundance of options. Thecatch is that each class of finish hasits own specific, and often very differ-ent, attributes. So choosing the bestfinish for a particular project involvesmatching up your requirements withthe right finish. The key is having agood understanding of what varioustypes of finishes have to offer.

CRITERIA.I judge each type of finishbased on three basic criteria. First,I consider what sort of appearancethe finish will produce spe-cifically, color and sheen. Next,you need to take into account themethod and ease of application.Finally, you want to match the pro-tection and durability offered tothe needs of the project. Ill offer a

brief summary of how the commonfinishes available to woodworkersstack up in each of these areas.

PURE OIL.Simply wiping on severalcoats of a pure oil such as linseedor tung oil rates very high in termsof foolproof application. And theamber color that the oil imparts can

be very desirable on many woods.However, on the downside, a pureoil finish wont build a protectivefilm, regardless of the number ofcoats you apply. Youll get verylimited moisture and abrasion resis-tance and little sheen. Its best savedfor light-duty projects that wontsee a lot of wear and tear.

OIL/VARNISH BLEND.A similar type offinish is referred to in the trade asan oil/varnish blend. Its simply a

mixture of a pure oil, varnish, amineral spirits. Watco and Minware a couple familiar brands. Iequally easy to apply and producan appearance similar to a pure oThe bonus is that the varnish in t

blend will give you slightly betprotection. It will only build tothin, relatively soft film with a moerate sheen. So again, dont preyour luck. Limit use to projects thwill be treated kindly.

WIPING VARNISH.A wiping varnishmerely a varnish thats been thinnabout 1 to 1 with mineral spirThe advantage is that the mixtuis fluid enough to be applied easwith a rag. However, since a wipi

varnish dries faster than an oil, yhave to work at a good clip to wion the finish and then wipe off texcess before it tacks up.

A wiping varnish adds a famount of amber color to the woand will build a thin film withnoticeable sheen. I would rate tprotection offered by wiping vnish as middle of the road. Itsrelatively foolproof choice for mamoderate-wear projects.

a guide to choosing

The Best Finish

finishing room

{ Wipe-on oil finishes cant be beat for fool-

proof application and rich color. However,

dont count on a high degree of protection.


9/12



Any discussion of oil finishes usually begins with boiledlinseed oil. This finish has been in use for hundreds of years.Its main advantage is that it gives wood a warm, amber

color. Best of all, boiled linseed oil is inexpensive, and youcan find it in almost any hardware store or home center.The oil is pressed from the seeds of the flax plant. And

it isnt boiled. In the past, the oil was heated so that itwould dry quicker and harder. Now, chemical dryingagents are added to speed the process. Linseed oil typi-cally has a thicker consistency (like maple syrup) thanthe other oils mentioned here.

Over time, boiled linseed oil will yellow, especially onlight woods like maple. So I find that you get the besteffect on medium- to dark-colored wood.

The warm, timeless, in-the-woodlook and silky feel of an oil finishmakes it an attractive option forwoodworkers. A simple applicationprocess thats nearly impossible tomess up clinches the deal.

If all this sounds ideal to you,take a look at these three types ofpure oil finishes. Then youll learnhow to take advantage of theirunique benefits.

PRECAUTIONS. Keep in mind thatclassic oil finishes arent perfect.

Their main drawback is limited dura-bility. An oil finish doesnt form a film,so it doesnt stand up well on heavilyused surfaces like a dining table.

APPLICATION. An oil finish may alsotake longer to apply than someother types. Oils, by nature, dryslowly, so you can usually applyonly one coat per day. (In cool,damp conditions, you may need towait two days.) I recommend fourto five coats for the best look andgreatest protection.

In a nutshell, heres how to appan oil finish. For the first coat, flothe surface with oil and let it soin well. After 20-30 minutes, wioff any excess. For the followicoats, I rub in a thin layer of and then wipe off the excess. Whits completely dry (about a daytwo), the project is ready.

Finally, a safety note: Make suto spread out oily rags and allothem to dry fully to prevent spotaneous combustion.

These three simple, traditional finishes combinegreat looks with easy application.

pure

Oil Finishes

PROS:

CONS:

Imparts warm amber coloron medium-colored wood

Enhances figure in wood Inexpensive

Easy to find

Softest finish

Finish yellows over time

Not very moisture resistant

Can encourage mold &mildew growth in dampconditions

LINSEED OIL



Finishing products always seem to have a little mysterysurrounding them. Thats especially true with tung oil.There are a few products on the market called Tung OilFinish or Tung Oil Varnish. The truth is they have littleor no actual tung oil in them. The easiest way to find truetung oil is to look for it on the label. Several specialty mak-ers produce 100% or Pure Tung Oil.

Tung oil does have some advantages. As you can see in

the photo at left, its lighter in color, so it works better onlighter-toned wood than boiled linseed oil. It also doesntyellow with age, so its a better bet on light woods.

And even though it dries slowly, tung oil does dry harderthan linseed oil. That means you end up with a finish thatbuilds up faster and is more water-resistant.

Of all the pure oil finishes, walnut oil is the least common.But I include it here because its a great natural finish thatdoesnt have any chemicals added to the oil. Some peoplelike it for kitchen items and toys.

There are two types of walnut oil finish available. Oneis simply pure walnut oil that you find at the grocerystore. Its usually used for making salad dressing. Theother type is the one shown here. This brand has beenheat-treated to speed the drying time and create a moredurable finish. If you want to thin this finish for greaterpenetration, I recommend citrus oil.

When used on cutting boards, spoons, and bowls, youllneed to renew the finish from time to time by simply wip-ing on another coat. But also be aware of potential allergieswhen using this type of oil on kitchenware.

{ Shellac Sealer. Wipe on

a couple coats of shellac to

seal the oil. Wait 10 to 15 min-

utes between each coat. Then

sand the surface smooth.

quick & easy

HybridFinishThe traditional oil finish I explainedearlier looks beautiful its appli-cation is just time-consuming. Ivecome up with a way to get the look

of a pure oil finish with more dura-bility and in less time.The process starts by applying a

thin coat of oil on the workpiece just enough to give it a warm color.Then wipe off any excess until thesurface feels dry. After letting theoil set up for 30 minutes, you canseal it and protect it with shellacand varnish. Simply follow thesteps at right, buffing out the finishat the end for a satin sheen.

{ Varnish Top Coat. To add

sheen and increased durability,

wipe on two to three coats of a

fast-drying varnish. You can

add a coat every two hours.

{ Buff It Out. Use #00

steel wool to rub out t

finish. This way, youll g

a satin sheen once

last coat dries.

PROS:

CONS:

Dries harder than boiledlinseed oil

Creates thicker film infewer coats

Wont yellow lighter wood

Dries slowly

More expensive

Often gets confused withwiping varnish

Lacks warm, amber tone ofboiled linseed oil

PROS:

CONS:

No chemical additives

Great for toys, food bowls,

and eating utensils Lightest color

Most expensive

Hard to find

Not very durable

Needs to be renewed often

Some people are allergic towalnuts

TUNG OIL

WALNUT OIL


12/12

Woodsmith Store800-444-7527

Lee Valley800-871-8158leevalley.com

Rockler800-279-4441rockler.com

W.D. Lockwood866-293-8913

wdlockwood.com

Woodcraft800-225-1153woodcraft.com

WoodworkersSupply

800-645-9292woodworker.com

MAILORDER

SOURCES

Project SourcesFor clear, vivid colors, its hard to

beat water-based dyes. You canfind dyes in a wide variety of woodtones as well as bright colors, in

both powder and liquid form. Theyare sold through a number of the

woodworking retailers, such asLee Valley, Rockler, W.D. Lockwood,Woodcraft, and Woodworkers Supply.

The easy-to-apply finishes in thePure Oil Finishes article on page9 included walnut oil (146022)from Woodcraft, and tung oil (849-216) from Woodworkers Supply.

woodsmith finishing essentials

Documents