staining / wood finishing
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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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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. [...]
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 [...]
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. [...]
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.
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 [...]
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 [...]
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. [...]
How To Preserve Family Pictures In A Table Top
Eddie asks, “I want to put pictures i.e. stickers, photos, and other graphics on tables and would like to have a really gloss finish on them without damaging them. What finishing products can be used without damaging the pictures. Also any ideas on where to get graphics. Thank you.”
I have seen some really [...]
What is the difference between pre-stain wood conditioner and a sanding sealer?
Jim writes, “How can you make a pre-stain wood conditioner? How do you make sanding sealer? I know that both are different.”
A pre-stain wood conditioner is used on soft woods like pine, fir, poplar to even out the absorption of the stain. Since softwoods are so porous they will stain unevenly and produce [...]
How To Remove A Whitewash Finish
Regina asks, “I have an oak entertainment center. Its original finish was white wash. I would like to refinish it to match the golden oak color of my kitchen cabinets (as closely as possible). I’m using MinWax golden oak stain, but even after 2 applications, it still looks almost whitewash. Is there a pretreatment [...]
How To Lower The Gloss Of Polyurethane Varnish?
Angele writes, “I just had some wooden shutters installed and the finish is too shiny is there something that can be done to take away some of the shine?”
Polyurethane varnish comes in three different standard luster’s high gloss, semi gloss and satin same as paint does. Unlike paint, the more coats of the varnish that [...]
How Do You Remove Old Paint From Wood Work?
Gram writes: I have an old house that used to have a central stair carpet and the wooden steps that were bare were painted white. I cannot seem to remove the paint and sanding a small area takes hours. Any ideas?
Hi Gram, thanks for asking on how to remove old paint from wood work. Stripping [...]