Finishing

Understand the fundamentals of finishing your woodworking projects. A wood finish is a clear, transparent coating applied to wood to protect it from moisture and to make it look richer and [...]

A newly-installed oak floor with oil-based polyurethane wouldn't dry after five days. What was the problem? Bob Flexner explains.

Finishing figured wood is an intimidating thing.  You have a special material and you want to apply a finish that is going to enhance the figure that’s already there. Here is my oil-based [...]

Layering colors is the secret to an authentic look. When a customer asked me to replicate the finish on her antique Stickley sideboard for the pieces she had commissioned, I grabbed my yellow dye [...]

Wipe on years of age in less than a week. If you want to make a woodworker gnash his teeth, ask him to make new cherry look like cherry that has aged naturally to a rich, dark brownish hue. Why [...]

An excellent finish for first timers (and beyond). Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the November 2010 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine. Wiping varnish might be the [...]

All levels of finishing are burdened with myths, but the types of finishes used by amateurs and sold in home centers and woodworking stores suffer the most. Myths about polyurethane are a good [...]

This traditional finish can be tricky to apply. Editor’s note: The staff at Popular Woodworking received the news of Bob Flexner’s passing in December 2024 with heavy hearts. Bob was [...]

By combining paint, metal leaf, and some chemical reactions, you can create interesting effects on a variety of surfaces. Creating a Patina finish can transform any object into a work of art. I [...]

Linseed paint will change the way you approach painting a project, but this wonderful finish takes a different approach than modern paints. The world of finishes is a complex one. When I find a [...]

A Disposable Brush And A Few Rags Build An Awesome Finish. Finishing is a challenging aspect of woodworking. There are many finishing materials and methods of application; within a single piece [...]

We all have to begin somewhere, and this is actually the most difficult time. Years ago I remember teaching a class about finishing that included one student who said he had never used a stain or [...]