Finishing

As a woodworking teacher and a maker, I’ve tried almost every finish out there, perhaps short of Urushi. I’ve experimented with everything from oil and wax finishes to lacquer, [...]

How can something so simple be made so hard to understand? It’s probably fair to say that a majority, or at least a large minority, of woodworkers use a finish they can wipe on and off the wood. [...]

Add richness, depth and color like a pro. Some wood finishes seem to have richness and depth that combine to create a special warm glow. This glow usually comes with age, due to natural changes [...]

Repair, strip and refinish to restore old pieces. Refinishing is a topic worthy of an entire book. In fact, restoring furniture includes all of woodworking and finishing because all skills may be [...]

Your decision is simplified by the process of elimination. At some point as you progress in woodworking, you begin to realize that there are many finishes to choose among; you probably ask [...]

This solvent is unique. Lacquer thinner is the thinner used for all types of lacquer (not water-based finishes, which are sometimes misrepresented as “lacquer”). These include the most common [...]

A sure-fire recipe for turning any wood deep black. Remember the old ad slogan, “better living through chemistry”? When it comes to turning wood black—a process called ebonizing—I prefer the [...]

Learn how to restore your damaged furniture finishes with these practical tips and techniques. Over time, furniture finishes can become dull or develop various marks and blemishes. This guide [...]

A primer on coloring. By Bob Flexner Pages: 60-62 From the December 2010 issue # 187

Water can cause many problems to finished and unfinished wood. As woodworkers, most of us have come across problems caused by water that we may be asked to repair. The problems can occur in the [...]

Get Great Results without Rubbing Out Maybe I’m crazy, but I like to brush polyurethane. I’ve built more than 50 dining room tables, and I’ve brush-finished every one, using a simple system that [...]

Safer strippers are having a ‘green’ revival. Methods for removing old paint and finish from furniture have gone through at least four distinct periods. Before solvents became widely available, [...]