Finishing

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, [...]

Understand the difference between these often misused terms. It would be difficult to find wood finishing subjects that have been made more confusing than sealing and washcoating. This is [...]

When it comes to finishing parts, I have a simple yet effective trick up my sleeve: using nails and corrugated cardboard. This method allows me to suspend the parts while their finish is drying, [...]

The key to a quick finish is the finish you choose. Finishing is seldom the most enjoyable part of woodworking, so many woodworkers want to get it over within a day – or even an afternoon. Many [...]