Do MDF Boards Stain Well?
A reader recently asked, “I recently purchase mdf board to build a poker table it was the width i needed because in came in 5′x10′ sizes but it wasn’t quite what i was looking for i wanted the wood grain look so i was wondering could i stain it and how would it look. Also would you recommend gluing a thin sheet of plywood on top of the mdf board to get the desired look i’m looking for?”
Medium density fiberboard (MDF) is really not the best wood product to stain. Mainly because of the way the wood product is made, you can read more about how mdf is made. With so many fine fibers the board will absorbe the stain in a very splotchy manner. It will look pretty ugly.
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How To Artificially Weather Wood Quickly
Carl asks, “How do I get an authentic and realistic looking aged wood, something to look aged without painting? I want a natural look (barn wood with cracks and crevices).”
You could leave the wood lying out in the back yard for several years and let nature slowly weather the wood. It will be a natural look, but it will take too long.
Fortunately we can speed up things a little bit by using a combination of physical modifications (abuse), chemical process and sun shine.
Supplies That You Will Need:
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How To Stop Planer Feed Rollers From Slipping
I own a 13″ Delta planer that has served me well for the past four years. That is until I was planning the lumber for my headboard. I was down to the last two passes to get the lumber to 3/4 inch thickness. All I needed to plane off was two passes at 1/64 of an inch each.
But then it happened, the board stopped moving through the planner. About half way through the board just stopped and I hand to push it will considerable force and then switch to the other side to pull it through. This has never happened before. Of course when the board got stuck it allowed the planer knives to cut a slight grove into that spot. Augh!
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What Is A Polyurethane Varnish Finish?
Polyurethane finish chemical structure is very similar to plastic. Once dried it provides a hard finish that is quite durable that is water resistant. However, when exposed to a hard shock it tends to fracture and flake off. The fractures will look white in color.
Common complaints about polyurethane is that it is you can’t get a bubble free finish with it, it is hard to repair and difficult to stripe off from wood furniture. There are plenty of chemical strippers available at your local home improvement store that will stripe polyurethane finish, if the directions are followed. Don’t try to take short cuts, it isn’t worth the frustration.
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Which Paint Stripper Is The Best At Removing Layers Of Paint?
“Katrina asks, Who has the best brand to remove layered old paint from wood?”
There are a lot of paint strippers and paint removers on the market making all kinds of claims about how well they work. Removing layers of dried on paint from wood work, cabinets and furniture is a smelly and messy work. But, once all of the old paint has been removed from the wood, it can be sanded down and refinished bringing new life to an old piece of furniture.
Here is a list of the different types of paint stripers.
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How Do I Apply A Lacquer Finish To My Wood Working Project?
For the longest time, I thought I would need a lot of expensive spray equipment and a dedicated spray room to get a high quality lacquer finish. My father’s favorite top coat finish is oil based polyurethane varnish. Since that was all he used, that was the only finish that I was exposed to.
I thought that most furniture, especially dinning and kitchen tables were finished with a polyurethane finish. Nope. Quality tables and other fine furniture are typically finished with lacquer. Lacquer is more flexible than polyurethane and more durable. A lacquer finish is much easier to fix if it is scratched, more on that later.
What is lacquer finish?
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What Is A Shellac Finish?
In the early 1800’s shellac began to be used as a wood working finish. It is non toxic. It can be used to partially seal exposed end grain so that it does not absorb so much stain. It cleans up easily with rubbing alcohol.
Shellac is derived from the secretions of an inset in Southeast Asia. The secretions are collected, processed and shipped as amber or light orange flakes. The flakes are dissolved with alcohol into a liquid.
The most common shellac mixture is two pound. That means there are two pounds of shellac that has been mixed with one gallon of alcohol.
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What Is Glaze And What Is It Used For When Finishing Wood Work?
Glaze colors the wood much like stain does. The difference is that stain is applied to the raw wood and penetrates into the wood fibers. Glaze on the other hand is coloring that is added after the wood has been sealed.
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How To Finish Padauk So That It Doesn’t Bleed Orange
Padauk wood is a vibrant orange that looks really good as an inlay or a veneer over lighter colored woods. The problem is that the orange pigment tends to bleed when finish is applied to the wood.
If your project is completely made of Padauk, then it is not a problem. However, if you are doing an inlay with a lighter colored wood such as maple the orange bleeding into the maple looks really bad.
So, how do you stop it from bleeding when applying the finish?
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Finishing Padauk - So It Doesn’t Yellow Over Time
Dan writes, “I have made a set of candle sticks from padauk. I love the orange-red natural color of this wood, but I understand that it will eventually turn brownish due to the UV. Is it possible to use a spar varnish or other product with UV inhibitors to retard or eliminate this process? What do you recommend? “
Padauk (intense orange) and purpleheart (deep purple) are lovely woods that unfortunately are photo sensitive and if not protected from ultraviolet light they will turn a brownish yellow. I have had the pleasure of working with some rough cut purple heart stock.
I built a set of picture frames for my wife. I finished them with a semi-gloss water based varnish. At the time I never even thought about the UV light and what effect it will have on the frames. I am not sure if this varnish has any ultraviolet inhibitors in it. The next time I work with purpleheart I will not use this varnish.
Here are a couple of finishing options to preserve the rich color of your wood.
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A Simple Shelves Plan
This is probably the most common woodworking project that people want to build. Who can’t use more storage? The best part about this project is that you can use standard size wood (2 x 3’s) for the main framework and it can be put together without using complicated joinery.
Construction
Tools required: Jigsaw, sander, drill, router or dado blade
Wood required:
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Bird Feeder Plan
This particular feeder is designed to take bird seed, rather than the more typical left-over food scraps. The advantage of this style is that it can be filled up infrequently as it can store several weeks’ worth of food at a time. The bird feeder is made out of pine and is stained to suit its locale. You can also paint it to fit your style and taste.
Construction
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Storage Chest Plan
This chest was designed to have a dual purpose: firstly (and most obviously) as a storage unit and secondly as a coffee table in a small living room. The shape is very basic, but is the most functional for storing toys and games in.
In order to improve the aesthetic appeal of the chest dovetail joints would be used to join the sides. Details of how to create easy dovetail joints has been included in the Joints section. However, it is not necessary to use dovetail joints: any form of jointing, such as dowel joints or butt joints could be used.
Construction: The base unit
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Magazine Rack Plan
Building a magazine rack is a relatively easy project that you can complete in a weekend. It doesn’t require much wood so you may even be able to make it out of the odds and ends lying around in your workshop.
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Prefinished Plywood - Where To Buy Cabinet Grade Prefinished Plywood
Jack asks, “I am building some cabinets for my kitchen and I am looking for a place to purchase some pre-finished plywood. Thank you.”
I have seen Norm Abrams use prefinished plywood on some of the projects that he built. I think specifically in the dream kitchen series that aired in the spring of 2008. Checking with the New Yankee Workshop on where they got their prefinished plywood from, they purchased it from Atlantic Plywood Corporation in Woburn, MA.
If you don’t live in Massachusetts area,
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