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Here are four things you need to know. Finishing is not hard to understand. As I’ve pointed out in previous articles, it’s made confusing by manufacturers who don’t understand their...

I rarely use a stain or dye right out of the can. I make my own custom mixes in small quantities until I get the color just right. In order...

Outdoor projects encounter a variety of conditions. The project is only going to last as long as its finish does. Here’s my approach for finishing this set of exterior doors....

Subtract color to add life. There are four types of bleach that woodworkers commonly use: chlorine, two-part wood bleach, oxalic acid and peroxide. Two-part bleach changes the actual color of...

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...

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...

Avoid shellac drips, sags and runs by making sure your brush is properly loaded. After dipping your brush in the shellac and drawing it across the edge of the can,...

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...

Every woodworker I know uses water-borne polyurethane. Of all the ways I’ve seen to get a silk-smooth finish, abrasive, steel-wool substitute pads are by far the best. The coarseness of...

When matching stains, nothing is more pleasing than getting it right the first time. Matching stain is one of the hardest things to do in the woodshop, especially when trying...

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...

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 [...]