WoodFinishingGuide PDF

Complete Guide to
Wood Finishing
F L E X N E R O N F I N I S H I N G
BY BOB FLEXNER
Finishing Purpose of a Finish A large number of two-part, high-
A nish serves two purposes: protection performance nishes used in industry and
and decoration. by many professional cabinet shops.
Overview Protection means resistance to mois- Wiping varnish is alkyd or polyure-

ture penetration. In all cases, the thicker thane varnish thinned about half with
the nish, the more moisture resistant it mineral spirits so its easy to wipe on and
is. Three coats are more protective than wipe off. You can make your own, or there
two, for example. Boiled linseed oil, 100 are a large number of brands, which, unfor-
percent tung oil and wax will dry soft and tunately, are poorly labeled. (Refer to The
Understand the basics. gummy, however, so all the excess has Basics of Wiping Varnish on the maga-
to be wiped off after each application to zine web site for more information.)
achieve a functional surface. Therefore, no
signicant thickness can be achieved. Pro-
tection is limited with these nishes.
A wood nish is a clear, transparent

coating applied to wood to protect it
from moisture and to make it look richer
Finishes decorate by making wood look
richer and deeper. The impact is less dra-
matic on unstained lighter woods such as
and deeper. This differs from paint, which maple and birch, and greater on stained and
is a wood nish loaded with enough pig- darker woods such as cherry and walnut.
ment to hide the wood. And it differs from
a stain, which is a wood nish and a colo- Types of Wood Finish
rant (pigment or dye) with a lot of thinner Common categories of wood nish include
added so the excess stain is easy to wipe the following:
off. The remainder just colors the wood; Oil (boiled linseed oil, 100 percent
it doesnt hide the wood. tung oil and blends of these oils and var-
Unfortunately, the term nish also nish).
refers to the entire built-up coating, which Oil-based varnish (including alkyd,
could consist of stain, several coats of n- polyurethane, spar, wiping and gel var- Polyurethanes. The left section of this panel was
ish (a coat is one application layer) and nish). nished with water-based polyurethane, which,
maybe some coloring steps for example, Water-based nish (a nish that thins
like all water-based nishes, adds little color
to the wood. The nish just makes the wood a
glazing or toning in between these coats. and cleans up with water). little darker (compared to the lighter strip down
For some reason, we have only one word Shellac (an ancient finish derived the middle, which was covered with tape).
to refer to both the clear coating used, and from resin secretions of the lac bug). The right section was nished with oil-based
to all the steps used. Lacquer (the nish used on almost all polyurethane, which, like most nishes except
Usually, the context makes clear to mass-manufactured household furniture water-based nishes, adds some degree of yel-
low/orange coloring to the wood. Oil-based
which is being referred. made since the 1920s). polyurethane continues to darken as it ages,
while water-based polyurethane doesnt darken.
Clear Finish Paint Stain & Clear Finish
Finish on oak. On this oak panel, a clear nish was applied to the left section, paint to the middle section and a stain and clear nish to the right section.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 58
POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE February 2011 PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR
56-59_1102_PWM_Flexner.indd 56 12/1/10 3:46:12 PM

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 56
The primary differences in the nishes

are as follows:
Scratch, solvent and heat resistance.
Oil-based varnishes and high-perfor-

mance nishes provide the best scratch, Gloss Semi-gloss Satin
solvent and heat resistance. Water-based
nishes are next. Shellac and lacquer are
susceptible to all three types of damage. Sheen. A nish can have an innite number of sheens depending on how much atting agent is added.
Oil is too thin to be effective.
Color. Water-based nishes add lit-
tle color to the wood. All other nishes Sometimes, there are problems in Brushing is simple essentially no dif-
(except possibly CAB-Acrylic) add some the wood that have to be blocked off with ferent than brushing paint. Spraying is
degree of yellow-to-orange coloring. a special sealer so they dont telegraph also simple, but spray-gun care and tun-
Drying time. Shellac, lacquer and through all the coats. These problems are ing is more complicated, and spray guns
high-performance nishes dry the fast- resinous knots in softwoods such as pine, and their sources of air (compressor or
est. Water-based nishes are next. Var- silicone oil from furniture polishes that turbine) are considerably more expensive
nish and oil require overnight drying in causes the nish to bunch up into ridges than brushes.
a warm room. or hollow out into craters, and smoke
Solvent safety. Boiled linseed oil and and animal-urine odors. The nish that Application Problems
100 percent tung oil are the least toxic blocks these problems (seals them in) Common problems and ways to avoid
finishes to breathe during application is shellac, and it should be used for the them:
because they dont contain solvent. Water- rst coat. Notice that, except for resinous Brush marks and orange peel. Elimi-
based nishes (thinned with water and a knots, the problems are associated with nate these by thinning the nish 10 per-
little solvent) and shellac (thinned with renishing. cent to 30 percent so it levels better.
denatured alcohol) are next. Oil-based Runs and sags. Watch what is happen-
varnish thins with mineral spirits (paint Sheen ing in a reected light and brush out the
thinner), which some people nd objec- Oil-based varnishes, water-based nishes runs and sags as they occur.
tionable but which isnt especially toxic. and lacquers are available in a variety of Dust nibs. Keep your tools, the n-
Lacquer and high-performance nishes sheens, ranging from gloss to flat. All ish and the air in the room as clean as
thin with solvents that are the most haz- sheens other than gloss are created by the possible.
ardous to be around. solid-particle atting agents manufac- Bubbles. Brush back over to pop the
turers add to the nish. The more atting bubbles, or thin the nish 10 percent to
Sealing Wood agent added, the atter the sheen. These 30 percent so the bubbles have more time
The rst coat of any nish seals the wood atting particles settle to the bottom of the to pop out.
that is, stops up the pores in the wood can, so you have to stir them into suspen- No matter what the problem, you can
so the next coat of nish (or other liquids) sion before each use. always x it by sanding the nish level
doesnt penetrate easily. This rst coat You can get any sheen you want by and applying another coat. PWM
raises the grain of the wood, making it pouring off some of the gloss from a can
feel rough. You should sand this rst coat in which the flatting agent has settled Bobs new book, Flexner on Finishing,
(with just your hand backing the sand- (dont let the store clerk shake the can) is available at ShopWoodworking.com.
paper) to make it feel smooth. You dont and blending the two parts. Or you can
need a special product for this rst coat mix cans of gloss and satin to get some-
unless you have one of two problems you thing in between. You will need to apply
want to overcome. the nish to see the sheen youll get. Its u Go Online FOR MORE
Alkyd varnish and lacquer can gum the last coat you apply that determines the Youll nd links to all these online extras at:
up sandpaper when sanded, so manufac- sheen (there is no cumulative effect), so u popularwoodworking.com/feb11
turers of each provide a special product you can experiment with each coat. TO BUY: Get Bob Flexners new book,
called sanding sealer with dry lubricants Flexner on Finishing.
added to make sanding easier and speed Finish Application ARTICLE: Read The Basics of Wiping
your work. Sanding sealers weaken the Oil, wax, wiping varnish and gel varnish Varnish.
nish, however, so you should use them can be applied with a cloth or brush, then All of our products are available online at:
only when youre nishing a large project wiped off. The other nishes are usually u ShopWoodworking.com
or doing production work. applied with a brush or spray gun.
POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE February 2011
56-59_1102_PWM_Flexner.indd 58 12/1/10 3:46:40 PM

Wiping Varnish
BY BOB FLEXNER
An excellent nish
for rst timers
(and beyond).
W
iping varnish is the nish I
recommend you use if you
are finishing for the first
time. Wiping varnish is a term I coined
in 1990 to categorize a large number of
very popular nishes that are sold indi-
vidually under many different names
but are actually all the same oil-based
alkyd or polyurethane varnish thinned
about half with mineral spirits (paint
thinner). Collecting them into a cat-
egory removes the mystique manufac-
turers attempt to create and it makes
the nish easier to understand. It also
Commercial wiping varnishes. (Top) These are typical commercial brands of wiping varnish sold
in home centers and paint stores. (Bottom) These are typical commercial brands of wiping varnish
sold in woodworking stores and through catalogs.
allows us to discuss uniform application The difference between varnish and

procedures that apply to all brands. oil nishes is that varnish dries hard
Notice from the pictures above that and can be built up on the wood for bet-
many of the brands of wiping varnish ter moisture resistance. Oil (boiled lin-
are labeled tung oil, tung oil varnish seed oil, 100-percent tung oil and blends
or tung oil nish. None of these are of oil and varnish) dries soft so all the
Identifying wiping varnish. Because of the
tung oil and few have any tung oil in excess must be wiped off after each coat.
uninformative naming, you need a method
for identifying commercial wiping varnishes. them. Even in the rare cases when a No built-up moisture resistance can be
Unfortunately, you can rarely do this from little tung oil is added, it is insignicant achieved. This is a big difference!
the label. You will need to put a puddle of the and doesnt justify the misleading nam- You can distinguish wiping varnish
nish on the lid or other non-porous surface ing. All of these products are simply labeled tung oil from real tung oil by
and see how it cures. If the product thins and
oil-based alkyd or polyurethane var- the following: Real tung oil is always
cleans up with mineral spirits and isnt labeled
varnish or polyurethane, and it cures nish thinned about half with mineral labeled 100-percent tung oil, so far as I
hard and smooth after several days in a warm spirits. (The wiping varnish Waterlox know; no brands of real tung oil contain
room, its wiping varnish. is a phenolic varnish.) thinner (mineral spirits usually called
POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE November 2011 PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR
50-55_1111_PWM_WipingVarnish.ind50 50 9/7/11 4:27:50 PM

75-percent 25-percent
Mineral Mineral
Spirits Spirits
1 Coat 2 Coats 3 Coats 4 Coats 1 Coat 2 Coats 3 Coats 4 Coats
Thin mix. A thin mix of polyurethane and mineral spirits (paint thinner) Thick mix. A thick mix of polyurethane and mineral spirits builds much
builds very slowly. more rapidly and is still thin enough for easy application.
petroleum distillates or aliphatic is, three parts polyurethane to one part

hydrocarbons on the label); wiping thinner. In both cases, the nish was What You Need for
varnish always contains thinner. brushed and left. You can clearly see the Applying Wiping Varnish
For this exercise on scrap wood you faster build using the three-to-one mix. u A 16" x 24" or larger sheet of " or
should make your own wiping varnish. Though Im going to use a half-and-half " veneered plywood or MDF. Any
You could use a commercial brand, but blend (similar to commercial brands) hardwood veneer is OK. You can get
making your own gives you more con- for this exercise, I recommend you try this from your scraps, a wood supplier
trol because you can add more or less the three-to-one mix because it is still or from one of many cabinet shops
(which often throw away pieces this
thinner. You have much more control thin enough to be easy to apply, and it size).
of the rate of build per coat if you make builds faster. You can always add more
The following items are all available
your own wiping varnish than if you mineral spirits if the nish is tacking from a home center, paint store or
buy a commercial brand. In the picture up too quickly. woodworking store or catalog/web site.
above left, panel sections are nished u A pint or quart of gloss, oil-based
with one, two, three and four coats of Make Your Own polyurethane varnish.
polyurethane thinned with 75-percent Instead of buying a poorly labeled wip- u A pint or quart of mineral spirits.
mineral spirits that is, a one-part poly- ing varnish and taking the risk that you
u A clean plastic container, coffee can
urethane to three parts thinner. get something else for example, an oil/ or wide-mouth jar with a lid. (Also
In the picture above right, the panel varnish blend just make your own. All likely available in your kitchen.)
sections are nished with one, two, three you have to do is thin any full-strength, u Latex or other type of protective
and four coats of polyurethane thinned oil-based varnish or polyurethane a quar- gloves.
with 25-percent mineral spirits that ter-to-a-half with mineral spirits. u Lint-free rags such as old, clean T-
shirts, cheesecloth or paper rags (soft
white paper towels in a box or roll
marketed to painters).
u A good quality natural-bristle brush
(best), or foam brush, or an inexpen-
sive chip brush. A width of 2" is
easy to use on most projects.
u A sheet of #320- or #400-grit sand-
paper.
u A small brown paper bag (from the
supermarket).
Make your own. To make your own wiping varnish for this Be sure to stir. Stir the thinned
exercise/project, pour approximately equal amounts of oil- polyurethane or the two parts will
based, gloss polyurethane and mineral spirits into a clean remain separated.
wide-mouth container.
popularwoodworking.com

Applying Wiping Varnish
Wipe Off Excess Method
Im going to show you three methods
of applying wiping varnish: wipe off
the excess; dry-brush the excess; and
leave the excess. You can use any of the
methods for all the coats or alternate
among them. I suggest you try both of
the rst two methods to see which you
like best. You can use the third method
on at, horizontal surfaces.
At left are pictures of one through six
coats using each application method. In
the upper picture I applied from one to
six coats and wiped off the excess after
Dry Brush Excess Method
each. In the middle picture I applied
from one to six coats and dry-brushed
the excess after each. In the lower pic-
ture I applied from one to six coats and
left them to dry. You can see that wiping
off produces the slowest build and leav-
ing produces the fastest build.
Applying finishes is easy and

logical [but]dont be impatient.
Bob Flexner
from Wood Finishing 101
Leave Excess Method
Wipe Off Excess Method

Brush or wipe the wiping varnish onto
the wood and wipe off the excess. This
method produces the best results,
meaning that there are no runs, no pos-
sibility of brush marks and almost no
dust nibs. But the build is very slow, so
it takes more coats than the other two
methods to get the same look and pro-
tection against moisture.
1 Wipe off excess method. If you choose to brush the nish, the
fast, efcient method on at, horizontal surfaces is to deposit a
brush load of the wiping varnish onto the near edge then spread it. Here,
2 Spread the nish. With a
puddle of wiping varnish
deposited, spread it end to end.
Im using an inexpensive, throwaway bristle brush, called a chip brush, You can use an inexpensive,
because Im not worried about bristles falling out. They will be removed throwaway, foam brush instead
when I wipe off the excess nish. of a bristle brush.
POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE November 2011

First Coat. The rst coat soaks into to shine up other nishes that have More Coats. Keep applying coats
the wood and seals it when the nish become dull (be sure the surface is (with six hours to overnight between
dries. So, even though you intend to clean) or to make a brushed varnish or each) until youre happy with the look of
wipe off the excess, you should apply polyurethane nish almost perfect after the nish. The procedure for each addi-
a wet coat to all areas and keep it wet you have sanded out the brush marks. tional coat is the same. First, you sand
for several minutes. Add more nish to Sand Smooth. The surface always feels and clean the surface as just described.
areas that become dull due to the n- rough after the rst coat. A critical step Then you brush or wipe on the wiping
ish soaking in. You can use this wipe- for achieving a smooth nal result is to varnish and wipe off the excess before
off method of applying wiping varnish sand this coat smooth after it dries. the nish dries.
3 Wipe on wiping varnish. The most efcient way to apply wiping

varnish when you intend to wipe off all the excess is simply to wipe
it on. Wet your rag well with the nish, or pour some nish onto the 4 Wipe off wiping varnish. With the surface well wetted, wipe off
all the excess with a dry cloth. (You could also use a durable paper
wood and spread it around with the rag. You want to put on a wet coat towel.) Theres no need to scrub the surface. A little dampness wont
so the wiping varnish penetrates well. hurt anything.
5 Sand rst coat. After drying, sand the surface lightly using #320- or
#400-grit sandpaper until the nish feels smooth. It shouldnt take
much, usually not more than one or two passes everywhere. Theres no
6 Feel for dust. After removing the dust with a vacuum, tack rag or
dust brush, wipe over the surface with your hand. Youll feel if there
is any remaining dust and, as long as its not much, youll remove it with
reason to use a at block to back the sandpaper. Abrading with sandpa- your hand. You can clean off your hand by wiping it on your pants leg.
per produces much better results than using steel wool or abrasive pads
because sandpaper cuts off while the others merely round over.
7 Apply more
coats. Wipe a
damp-to-wet coat of
8 Wipe off after
each. Wipe off
the excess nish. You
wiping varnish over the can leave the surface a
entire surface youre little damp.
nishing. You dont
need to make these
coats as wet as the rst
one because the nish
can no longer soak into
the wood.

Dry Brush Excess Method Sand Smooth. Its always critical to
Brush wet coats of wiping varnish onto sand after the rst coat so the rough-
the wood and remove some of the nish ness doesnt telegraph through each
with a dry brush. This method leaves additional coat.
more build than wiping off the excess, More Coats. All additional coats go
but still eliminates the possibility of on the same as the rst. Apply as many
runs and sags. as you need to get the look you want,
First Coat. Brush a wet coat of wip- allowing overnight drying for each in
ing varnish over the surface as in the a warm room. Be sure to sand each coat
wiping-off method. You could also wipe smooth before applying each additional
on a wet coat with a cloth. coat. 1 Dry brush excess method. With the
surface wet with wiping varnish, dry
your brush on a clean cloth.
2 Brush off excess.

Then brush back
over to pick up some of
the nish. At the begin-
ning, dry the brush after
each pass so you pick up
the maximum amount
of nish. If you decide
to go over the surface
a second time, you can
make several passes
before wiping. Its best
to use a better-quality
3 Reected light. Watch whats happen-
ing in a reected light. Your goal is to get
an even thickness of nish without puddles
bristle brush that wont on horizontal surfaces or runs on vertical
shed bristles. surfaces.
4 Sand smooth. After its

dry, sand the surface with
#320- or #400-grit sandpaper.
You can use just your hand to
back the sandpaper. Make two
or three passes everywhere until
the nish feels smooth.
There should be very
little dust. You may be able to
remove it with just your hand,
wiping it on your pants leg. But
you can use a vacuum, dust
brush or a tack rag, then wipe
with your hand to check that all
the dust has been removed.
5 More coats. Brush a wet coat of wiping varnish onto the sur-
face. You dont have to be too careful how you brush because
the dry brushing will smooth things out.
8 Vertical sur-
faces. The dry-
brushing method is
perfect for vertical
surfaces. You can
also wipe off all the
excess, of course,
but dry brushing
leaves a thicker
build with each
coat without runs or
sags. Always watch
what is happening
in a reected light
7 Dry the brush. After each
pass, dry your brush on a
clean cloth. If you decide to dry-
(overhead, window
or light on a stand)
brush the surface a second time, and dry brush to
remove any prob-
6 Dry brush excess. With the entire sur-
face wet, begin lifting some of the wiping
varnish by brushing over with a dry brush.
you can make more than one
pass before drying the brush.
Youll get the feel very quickly.
lems you nd.
POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE November 2011

Leave Excess Method varnish. So its just like brushing full- sand lightly between each coat. Youre
Brush wet coats of wiping varnish onto strength varnish or polyurethane, or nished when you achieve the look you
the wood and leave them, allowing over- brushing paint. want.
night drying between each. This can be Sand Smooth. The rst coat of nish Finish Up. There are always some
done only on at horizontal surfaces always causes a rough surface. You need dust nibs stuck in the last coat of nish.
such as tabletops because of runs and to sand this smooth before continuing As long as they are small and there arent
sags. You can always use the dry-brush- to the next coat. too many of them, you can remove them
ing technique to remove excess on edges More Coats. Brushing and leaving by rubbing the surface with a brown
and other connected vertical surfaces builds the nish much more quickly paper bag. PWM
to avoid runs. than wiping off or dry brushing. But
This article is excerpted from Bobs book,
First Coat. This is a brush-on- dust nibs are more likely because the Wood Finishing 101, Hes also the author of Flexner
and-leave method of applying wiping nish remains tacky longer. Be sure to on Finishing (both Popular Woodworking Books).
1 Leave excess method. Deposit a

brush load of wiping varnish onto
the near edge of the panel. A brush 2 Stretching out. Stretch the wiping varnish out
edge to edge. You dont have to be as careful
load is the bristles dipped about one- with wiping varnish as you do with full-strength var-
third to one-half way into the wiping
varnish, lifted out and plopped down
on the wood.
nish or polyurethane because wiping varnish levels
well. You could even brush across the grain and the n-
ish would still level so you dont see the brush marks.
3 Continue as if painting. Continue
depositing the wiping varnish and
stretching it out across the surface.
5 More coats. After drying, sand

the surface lightly using #320- or
#400-grit sandpaper until the nish
feels smooth (right). It shouldnt take
much, usually not more than one or
two passes everywhere. Theres no rea-
son to use a at block to back the sand-
paper. (Again, abrading with sandpaper
produces much better results than does
steel wool or abrasive pads.)
4 Airplane landings. So as not to drag

the bristles over the edge and cause
runs down the side, use airplane-like landings
Remove the sanding dust with a
tack rag, vacuum or dust brush. A tack rag (far right) or vacuum is best because brushing kicks dust
into the air; the dust can then settle back onto a freshly applied nish and stick to it.
about an inch or so in from each edge and Just before applying the next coat, wipe over the surface with your hand. Youll remove any
brush across and off the other side. remaining dust. Continue with more coats until you are happy with the appearance.
6 Smoothing trick.
A brown paper
bag works exception-
u Go Online FOR MORE
ally well at removing For links to all these online extras, go to:
u popularwoodworking.com/nov11.
the roughness caused
by ne dust nibs stuck ARTICLE: What is wiping varnish, exactly?
to the last coat. Simply Let Bob tell you.
fold the bag and rub ARTICLES: For more nishing advice and
the surface. To avoid techniques for all skill levels, visit the
scratches, its best to nishing section on our web site.
allow the nish to dry
TO BUY: Wood Finishing 101, from
to the point that you
which this piece is excerpted.
dont smell anything
when you put your Our products are available online at:
nose against the surface uShopWoodworking.com
and take a whiff.

Flexner on Finishing
by bob flexner
Rules for Sanding Wood

Material and finish choice help dictate grit progression.
T he objective of sanding wood is to remove

mill marks, which are caused by woodworking
machines, and to remove other flaws such as
dents and gouges that may have been intro-
duced in handling. The most efficient method
of doing this is to begin sanding with a coarse
enough grit of sandpaper to cut through and
remove the problems quickly, then sand out
the coarse-grit scratches with finer and finer
grits until you reach the smoothness you want
usually up to #150, #180 or #220 grit.
This is a very important concept because
it gets past all the contradictory instructions
about which sandpaper grits to use. Condi- Washboarding. The primary reason you need to Cross-grain. Sanding cross-grain tears the wood
tions vary. sand wood is to remove the washboarding and fibers so the sanding scratches show up much
other mill marks caused by machine tools. On more, especially under a stain. The best policy is
For example, a board that has been run
this board, the washboarding, which was caused to always sand in the direction of the grain when
through a planer with dull knives will require a by a planer and has been highlighted with stain, possible. The scratching that does occur is then
coarser grit to be efficient than typical veneered is particularly severe. I think it would have been more likely to be disguised by the grain of the
plywood or MDF that has been pre-sanded in most efficient to begin sanding with #80 grit. wood.
the factory. You can finish-sand both of these
surfaces with #180 grit, for example, but you
might begin with #80 grit on the solid wood
and #120 grit on the plywood. It would be a
total waste of time and effort to begin with #80
grit on the pre-sanded veneered wood (and
you would risk sanding through). So you dont
want to begin with too coarse a grit because
it will cause you more work than necessary
sanding out the scratches.
Theres also no fixed rule for how to prog-
ress through the grits. Sanding is very per-
sonal. We all sand with different pressures,
number of passes over any given spot and
lengths of time.
Unquestionably, the most efficient progres-
sion is to sand through every grit #80, #100, Squigglies. Random-orbit sanders are more effi- Fine sanding. Sanding finer than #180 or #220
#120, #150, #180 sanding just enough with cient than vibrator sanders, but they still leave is wasted effort in most cases, as explained in
each to remove the scratches of the previous cross-grain marks in the wood. I refer to these as the text. In fact, the finer the grit the wood is
squigglies. The best policy is to sand them out sanded to, the less color a stain leaves when the
grit. But most of us sand more than we need
by hand in the direction of the grain after sand- excess is wiped off. In this case, the top half was
to, so its often more efficient to skip grits. ing to the finest grit, usually #180 or #220, with sanded to #180 grit and the bottom half to #600
Youll have to learn by experience what the sander. Doing this is especially important if grit. Then a stain was applied and the excess
works best for you. you are staining. wiped off.
photos by the author popularwoodworking.com

How Fine to Sand

Its rarely beneficial to sand finer than #180
grit.
Film-building finishes, such as varnish,
shellac, lacquer and water-based finish, cre-
ate their own surfaces after a couple of coats.
The appearance and feel of the finish is all its
own and has nothing any longer to do with
how fine you sand the wood.
Oil and oil/varnish-blend finishes have
no measurable build, so any roughness in the Hand sanding. The most efficient use of sand- Block sanding. The most efficient use of sandpa-
wood caused by coarse sanding telegraphs paper when backing it with just your hand is to per when backing it with a flat sanding block is
through. But these finishes can be made ulti- tear the sheet into thirds crossways and then fold to tear the sheet into thirds crossways and then
one of the thirds into thirds lengthways. Flip the fold one of the thirds in half. Hold onto the block
mately smooth simply by sanding between
thirds to use 100 percent of the paper. with your thumb and fingers as shown here. Flip
cured coats or sanding each additional coat the folded sandpaper for a fresh surface, then
while it is still wet on the surface using #400- open up the sandpaper and wrap it all around
or #600-grit sandpaper. Its a lot easier doing of practice to learn to control, there are three the sanding block for a third fresh surface.
this than sanding the wood through all the methods of sanding wood: with just your hand
grits to #400 or #600. (See What Is Oil? in backing the sandpaper, with a flat block back-
issue #154, April 2006, for a more thorough ing the sandpaper and with a vibrator or ran- in place on the block with your fingers and
explanation of both processes.) dom-orbit sander. thumb. When you have used up one side, turn
Only if you are staining or using a vibrator Using your hand to back the sandpaper can the folded sandpaper and use the other. Then
(pad) or random-orbit sander does sanding lead to hollowing out the softer early-wood open the sandpaper and wrap it around the
above #180 grit make a difference. grain on most woods. So you shouldnt use block to use the middle.
The finer you sand, the less stain color will your hand to back the sandpaper on flat sur- Most woodworkers use random-orbit
be retained on the wood when you wipe off faces such as tops and drawer fronts because sanders because they are very efficient, easy
the excess. If this is what you want, then sand the hollowing will stand out in reflected light to use, and they leave a less-visible scratch
to a finer grit. If it isnt, theres no point going after a finish is applied. pattern than vibrator sanders due to the ran-
past #180 grit. The sanding scratches wont The most efficient use of sandpaper for domness of their movement. For both of these
show as long as they are in the direction of hand-backed sanding is to tear the 9" x 11" sanders, however, there are two critical rules
the grain. sheet of sandpaper into thirds crossways, then to follow.
Sometimes with vibrator and random-orbit fold each of these pieces into thirds length- First, dont press down on the sander when
sanders, sanding up to #220 grit makes the ways. Sand with the folded sandpaper until sanding. Let the sanders weight do the work.
squiggly marks left by these sanders small it dulls, flip the folded sandpaper over to use Pressing leaves deeper and more obvious
enough so they arent seen under a clear fin- the second third, then refold to use the third squigglies that then have to be sanded out.
ish. Sanding by hand in the direction of the third. This method reduces waste to zero and Simply move the sander slowly over the sur-
grain to remove these squigglies then becomes also reduces the tendency of the folds to slip face of the wood in some pattern that covers
unnecessary. as youre sanding. all areas approximately equally.
In all cases when sanding by hand, its best If you are sanding critical flat surfaces by Second, its always the best policy to sand
to sand in the direction of the wood grain when hand, you should always use a flat block to out the squigglies by hand after you have pro-
possible. Of course, doing this is seldom pos- back the sandpaper. If the block is hard (wood, gressed to your final sanding grit (for example,
sible on turnings and decorative veneer pat- for example), its best to have some sort of softer #180 or #220), especially if you are applying a
terns such as sunbursts and marquetry. material such as cork glued to the bottom to stain. Use a flat block to back the sandpaper if
Cross-grain sanding scratches arent very improve the performance of the sandpaper. you are sanding a flat surface. Its most efficient
visible under a clear finish, but they show up (I find the rubber sanding blocks, available at to use the same grit sandpaper you used for
very clearly under a stain. If you cant avoid home centers, too hard, wasteful of sandpaper your last machine sanding, but you can use
cross-grain sanding, you will have to find a and inefficient because of the time involved one grit finer if you sand a little longer.
compromise between creating scratches fine in changing sandpapers.)
enough so they dont show and coarse enough I made my own sanding block. Its measure- Removing Sanding Dust
so the stain still darkens the wood adequately. ments are 23 4" x 378" x 11 4" thick, with the No matter which of the three sanding meth-
You should practice first on scrap wood to top edges chamfered for a more comfortable ods you use, always remove the sanding dust
determine where this point is for you. grip. Any wood will work. I used sugar pine before advancing to the next-finer grit sandpa-
because it is very light in weight. per. The best tool to use is a vacuum because
Three Sanding Methods To get the most efficient use of the sandpa- it is the cleanest. A brush kicks the dust up in
Other than using a stationary sanding machine per, fold one of the thirds-of-a-sheet (described the air to dirty your shop and possibly land
or a belt sander, which will take a good deal above) in half along the long side and hold it back on your work during finishing.
Popular Woodworking October 2007

Power sanding. Random-orbit sanders are
easy to use and efficient for smoothing wood.
To reduce the likelihood of the squigglies these
sanders produce, use a light touch. Dont press
down on the sander. Let its weight do the work.
Tack rags load up too quickly with the

large amount of dust created at the wood
level. These sticky rags should be reserved
for removing the small amounts of dust after
sanding between coats of finish.
Compressed air works well if you have a
good exhaust system, such as a spray booth,
to remove the dust.
Its not necessary to get all the dust out of
the pores. You wont see any difference under
a finish, or under a stain and finish. Just get
the wood clean enough so you cant feel or
pick up any dust when wiping your hand over
the surface.
How Much to Sand

The biggest sanding challenge is to know when
you have removed all the flaws in the wood and
then when you have removed all the scratches
from each previous grit so you can move on
to the next. Being sure that these flaws and
scratches are removed is the reason most of
us sand more than we need to.
A lot of knowing when you have sanded
enough is learned by experience. But there
are two methods you can use as an aid. First,
after removing the dust, look at the wood in a
low-angle reflected light for example, from a
window or a light fixture on a stand. Second,
wet the wood then look at it from different
angles into a reflected light.
For wetting the wood, use mineral spirits
(paint thinner) or denatured alcohol. Avoid
mineral spirits if you are going to apply a water-
based finish because any oily residue from the
thinner might cause the finish to bead up.
Denatured alcohol will raise the grain a little,
so youll have to sand it smooth again. pw
Bob is the author of Understanding Wood Finishing

and a contributing editor to Popular Woodworking.
CIRCLE #152 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD.

by bob flexner
Home-center Finishing
You can achieve a great finish from commonly available products.
W e all love home centers for the good

stuff they carry and for their low prices. But
home centers cater to the lowest common
denominator consumer that is, they carry
only the stuff that has a big market.
The result is that many of the finishing
products used on furniture and cabinets,
products you read about in woodworking
magazines or hear about in woodworking
classes, are rarely found in these stores. Exam-
ples include very fine-grit sandpapers, dyes,
glazes, paste wood fillers, spray lacquers and
high-performance finishes such as catalyzed
lacquer.
So how do you proceed if you have to do
your finishing entirely from the products avail-
able at home centers?
Its not all that difficult, really. Youre just
limited in some of the decorative effects you
can achieve decorative effects youre prob-
ably not interested in anyway because youre
using the natural color and figure of the wood
for your decoration.
With the limited choice of finishing prod- Home-store finishing. You dont have to go to specialty retailers to find finishing supplies; you can
produce a quality finish from products readily available at home centers.
ucts at home centers, you can still get all the
following:
Protection and durability ranging panies producing and marketing finishing centers is Minwax, while General Finishes
from minimal to the best possible materials sell their products (how all com- and Behlen dominate in woodworking stores
A sheen ranging from gloss to dead flat panies probably sell their products, for that and catalogs, and Old Masters is popular in
Finishes ranging from amber to matter). independent paint stores. There are also stores
colorless Finish companies target specific mar- that feature Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin
A near-flawless finish resembling kets. Within any given category oil stain, Moore, Pratt & Lambert, Varathane and many
sprayed lacquer varnish, water-based finish, etc. all com- other brands.
Elimination of blotching from stains panies products are very similar, if not iden- In addition, some companies target just
A glaze substitute tical. But because stores and catalogs carry contractors, others target cabinet and furni-
A pore-filling option different brands, and because the market- ture makers, and still others (an entirely differ-
The ability to block off problems in ing can sometimes make you believe some ent group of companies) target refinishers.
the wood. brands are somehow better than others, you Within any finish category oil stain,
may think youre getting inferior products glaze, varnish, lacquer, etc. all these com-
Marketing at low-end, mass-consumer home centers panies make essentially the same thing. They
Before proceeding with how to accomplish when youre not. all have access to the same raw materials, and
these objectives, I want to explain how com- For example, a big brand name in home the instructions for putting these raw materi-
Popular Woodworking November 2007 lead photo by al parrish; step photos by author
als together are available to everyone, even to dont harden, as long as you apply several these woods appear washed out unless you
you and me if we want them. coats. Because shellac loses a lot of hardness apply a stain underneath.
So theres nothing at all inferior about the and water resistance as it ages in the can, its
finishing products available at home centers. best to use it within a year of manufacture. Sheen
Theres only a limitation of whats available. The date of manufacture is stamped on the Its rare that home centers provide finishes
From these limited choices, however, bottom of the can. with sheens other than gloss and satin (shel-
you have many possibilities for achieving lac comes in gloss only), but you can use these
the results you want. Color two to achieve any sheen you want.
The color you get on the wood is partially con- Sheen is the amount of gloss, or reflection,
Protection and Durability tributed by the finish. Finishes differ in how in a finish. If no flatting agent is added that
You have control of the amount of protection much yellowing or oranging they add. is, theres nothing at the bottom of the can that
and durability you get simply by how much Amber shellac adds the most orange color. has to be stirred into suspension before appli-
you build your finish and by your choice of You can use this finish on pine, for example, cation the finish produces a gloss, or sharp
finish. (See Test to Find a Durable Finish at to create the knotty-pine look popular in the image clarity. Manufacturers create satin and
popularwoodworking.com/finishing.) 1950s, or recreate the warmth common on flat finishes by adding a flatting agent, which
Protection means resistance to moisture oak trim and paneling original to early 20th- is usually silica. The more flatting agent added
penetration into the wood in liquid or vapor century houses. the less reflective the finish.
(humidity) form. All finishes provide better Boiled linseed oil and 100-percent tung
resistance the thicker they are, so the finishes oil have a slight yellow color to begin with,
that harden well and can be built up on the and then they yellow, or rather orange, signifi-
wood are capable of much better protection cantly as they age. You can use either of these
than finishes such as boiled linseed oil, 100- finishes under any other finish to achieve this
percent tung oil and blends of one of these oranging as long as you let the oil cure well
oils and varnish, that dont harden. first. A week or two in a warm room should
Among the finishes that harden, oil-based be adequate.
polyurethane varnish provides the best resis- Oil-based varnishes, lacquer and clear
tance to moisture penetration and also the shellac also have a slight yellow tint, which
best durability that is, the best resistance to may darken a little with age. But the finish
being damaged by scratches, heat, solvents, most significant for color is water-based,
acids and alkalies. Polyurethane is almost as both polyurethane and acrylic. These fin-
protective and durable as the best of the high- ishes arent, and dont, yellow at all. They are
performance finishes used in industry. water clear.
Following polyurethane in declining order So you would choose a water-based finish Create custom colors. Keeping in mind that the
are alkyd (regular) varnish, polyurethane for light woods such as maple or ash, or for name of the color on the stain can is merely a
water-based finish, acrylic water-based finish, white pickled woods, if you dont want them to manufacturers interpretation, you can adjust
any stain by mixing. You can even mix two or
lacquer and shellac. have a yellow tint. You would probably choose
more stains of different brands as long as you
But even fresh shellac is considerably more one of the other finishes for darker woods stay within one type: oil or water-based. Here,
protective and durable than the finishes that because water-based finishes usually make Im increasing the reddish tint in a walnut stain
by adding some mahogany.
The aging process. Boiled linseed oil and 100 percent tung oil add yellow
coloring to the wood initially but then darken significantly as they age. This
oak board was finished with three coats of each finish more than five years
Orange effects. Your choice of finish can have a big effect on the color you ago. From the left are boiled linseed oil, 100 percent tung oil, wiping var-
get, whether or not you have stained the wood. From the left, water-based nish (varnish thinned half with mineral spirits), and a half-and-half mixture
finish darkens this walnut a little but doesnt add any color; lacquer adds a of boiled linseed oil and varnish. Notice that the linseed and tung oils have
little yellowing; polyurethane varnish adds a little orange; and amber shel- oranged about the same and that the mixture of oil and varnish has dark-
lac adds a distinctly orange coloring. ened about halfway between that of the oils and varnish alone.
and wipe off all the excess; wipe or brush it

on and wipe off some or most of the excess;
brush it on and leave it. The more you leave
the greater the build but the longer time dust
has to settle and stick to the finish.
To get a thick build with fewer coats, brush
several full-strength coats of alkyd or poly-
urethane varnish, sand the surface level up
to #400-grit sandpaper, then apply several
coats of wiping varnish and wipe off some or
most of the excess. You can make the wiping
varnish yourself by thinning the same finish
youre brushing by half with mineral spirits,
Control sheen. You can achieve any sheen you No HVLP necessary. You can use aerosols as or you can use one of the already thinned
want just from the gloss and satin varieties of an alternative to a spray gun to achieve a level
brands. (See The Basics of Wiping Varnish
varnish, water-based finish and lacquer offered surface. Aerosols are available in polyurethane
in home centers. To get a sheen in between and water-based finish in addition to lacquer. To in the November 2005 issue, #151.)
the gloss and satin, mix the two. To get a sheen get a thicker build with less expense, brush two You can also use an aerosol for your finish-
flatter than the satin, pour off some of the finish or three coats, then sand the surface level up to ing. Aerosols are now available in oil-based
(as Im doing here) from a can of satin in which #400 grit and spray a couple of coats with the polyurethane and water-based finish in addi-
you have allowed the flatting agent to settle, and aerosol.
tion to lacquer and shellac, but they are rela-
then mix the two to get what you want.
tively expensive. Instead of building all your
coats with the aerosol, you can brush a couple,
To get a sheen in between that of gloss and faces. But you can achieve the same without sand out the brush marks then use the aero-
satin within any finish type varnish, lacquer a spray gun simply by thinning the finish sol of the same type of finish to apply level
or water-base simply mix the two (after stir- or using an aerosol. The thinner (meaning final coats. (See Aerosol Spray Finishing at
ring the satin, of course). To get a sheen flat- thinned) the finish, the better it levels and popularwoodworking.com/finishing.)
ter than the satin, let the flatting agent settle the faster it dries. Whatever finish youre applying and how-
(dont let the store clerk shake the can) and Better leveling means no brush marks. ever youre applying it, always watch it in a
pour off some of the top. What is left will be Faster drying means reduced dust nibs. reflected light to spot runs as they develop
much flatter. You can then mix these to get You can thin any finish to get it to level bet- and respread or rewipe to remove some of
something in between if you want. ter, but the easiest to use are the varnishes. All the excess.
Because it is the top, or last, coat applied home centers carry already thinned alkyd and Whatever method you use to get a level
that is responsible for determining all of the polyurethane varnishes. These are sometimes surface, rub it lightly with a folded brown
sheen, you can change the appearance sim- labeled Wipe-On Poly, but also tung oil, paper bag after the finish has hardened to
ply by applying another coat with a different tung oil finish or tung oil varnish. In no remove minor dust nibs and make the surface
sheen. (See Some Reflections on Sheen at cases do these products (which I call wiping feel smoother.
popularwoodworking.com/finishing.) varnish because theyre easy to wipe on wood)
have anything to do with tung oil, but they Blotching
Avoiding Flaws produce wonderful results nevertheless. Blotching is uneven, and usually ugly, color-
Spray guns can be used to produce nearly There are three good ways to apply a wip- ation caused by stains penetrating the wood
flawless, meaning almost perfectly level, sur- ing varnish: Wipe or brush it on the wood unevenly.
To avoid blotching on softwoods such as
pine, use a gel stain. This is a stain thickened
Thin to achieve a
smooth finish. To enough so it doesnt penetrate. Gel stains ought
eliminate brush marks to be called pine stain because they are so
(shown on the left), effective at eliminating blotching in pine.
thin the finish a quar- On hardwoods such as cherry, birch, maple
ter to a half with the
and poplar, its more effective to use a washcoat.
appropriate thinner
and then brush it. If This is any finish thinned to about a 10 percent
you want to speed solids content. Lacquer is used in industry, but
the build, brush two the type sold in home centers is varnish or a
or three full-strength blend of oil and vanish labeled wood condi-
coats, then sand the
tioner or stain controller. You can make your
surface level up to
#400 grit and apply a own by thinning any full-strength varnish or
couple thinned coats. blend of boiled linseed oil and varnish with
two parts mineral spirits.
Popular Woodworking November 2007

When you apply this washcoat, be sure to Products called paste wood filler or Problems in the Wood
let it cure at least six hours in a warm room, grain filler (not the same as wood putty or Of all the finishes, shellac is easily the most
better overnight, or it wont be very effective. wood filler) designed to achieve this look are effective for blocking off problems in the wood.
This is different than the directions on the rarely available at home centers. But you can The most common problem in new wood is
cans, which usually say to apply the stain achieve the same result by sanding a number resinous knots in pine and other softwoods.
within two hours. of coats of finish down to the deepest level of The resin can bleed into the finish and cause
There is no need to apply a washcoat to the pores. You can sand a little between each it to remain tacky and not cure.
woods such as oak, ash, walnut and mahogany coat, or you can sand more after you have In old (refinished) wood, the most com-
that dont blotch. (See Battling Blotching at applied all the coats. mon problems are fish eye (cratering or ridg-
popularwoodworking.com/finishing.) Because we all apply finishes differently, ing) and odors from smoke or animal urine.
you will have to experiment on scrap to deter- Shellac blocks all these problems so you can
Glaze Substitute mine the number of coats necessary so you then successfully apply any finish over it. If
Colored glazes are used to add highlighting, dont sand through. you are using varnish or water-based finish,
antiquing or create faux graining over at least For the easiest sanding between coats, its best if you use dewaxed shellac, sold in
one coat of finish. Glazes are rarely available use stearated sandpaper. Norton 3X and most home centers as SealCoat.
in home centers, but you can substitute a gel 3M Tri-Mite and Sandblaster are all stea- To make your own dewaxed shellac, pour
stain with excellent results. Glazes and gel rated. This means they contain a soap-like off or decant the shellac from a can of Bulls
stains are essentially the same thing anyway lubricant that reduces clogging. You can use Eye Clear Shellac after the wax has settled to
a thickened stain. your hand to back the sandpaper when sand- the bottom. It will take a long time for this to
To do glazing, brush or wipe the glaze or gel ing between coats, but you should use a flat occur on its own, so dont shake the can when
stain over at least one coat of finish and then sanding block on flat surfaces when sanding you buy it, or thin the shellac with at least two
remove all the color you dont want using a rag, many coats level. parts denatured alcohol in a glass jar (so you
brush, sponge, graining tool (usually available For the easiest sanding after a number of can see it) to get it to settle faster.
at home centers), steel wool or any other tool coats, use black, wet-dry sandpaper with a If there are no problems you need to block
that produces the results you want. mineral-oil, mineral-spirits or mixed mineral- off, theres no reason to use shellac as a first
A typical use of glaze on cabinets and fur- oil/mineral-spirits lubricant. Begin sanding coat. (See The Case for Shellac at popular
niture is to leave it in recesses to add three- with a grit sandpaper that levels efficiently woodworking.com/finishing.)
dimensional depth or an antique look. Be sure without creating larger-than-necessary
to apply at least one coat of finish over the scratches (for example, #320 or #400 grit) and Conclusion
glaze after it has dried to protect it from being then sand to finer grits if they are available. Somehow, a lot of unnecessary mystique is
scratched or rubbed off. (See Glazes and Glaz- If finer grits arent available, apply one introduced into wood finishing. In reality,
ing Techniques at popularwoodworking. more coat of thinned finish (so it will level however, it is quite simple. This is most evident
com/finishing.) well), spray with an aerosol or rub the sur- when you realize all the possibilities available
face with #0000 steel wool. You can use a from just the few products stocked by home
Pore Filling wax, oil or soap-and-water lubricant with the centers. pw
Some woods look better with their pores filled steel wool to reduce scratching and improve
to create a mirror-flat surface. Mahogany is smoothness. (See Rub to Create a Great Finish Bob is author of Understanding Wood Finishing and a
the best example. at popularwoodworking.com/finishing.) contributing editor to Popular Woodworking.
Refinishing woes. Fish eye (cratering) is one of the most serious problems
in refinishing. Its caused by silicone from furniture polishes getting into the
Eliminate blotching. The easy way to eliminate blotching in pine is to apply wood and causing the new finish to wrinkle when applied. One easy way
a gel stain as I have done to the right half of this pine board. The left side is to avoid fish eye is to block it with a first coat of shellac, applied here to the
stained with a liquid stain. Gel stains are so effective on pine they should left side of the board. The only new-wood use for shellac as a first coat is
be called pine stain. over resinous knots in softwoods such as pine.
by bob flexner
The 7 Myths of Polyurethane

Oft-repeated rules that are, quite simply, wrong.
A ll 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 example of
the problem.
What is Polyurethane?
Oil-based polyurethane is simply a type of
varnish. Its common alkyd varnish made
with some polyurethane resin added. Alkyd
is the resin used in almost all varnishes and
oil-based paints. The polyurethane resin adds
scratch, heat, solvent and water resistance to
the alkyd varnish.
Pure polyurethanes (with no alkyd resin)
are always two-part products. They cure in
several ways: With the addition of moisture
(an example is Gorilla Glue), with heat (many
common plastics), or they are packaged as two
separate components that cure after they are
mixed (similar to the way two-component
epoxy adhesives work).
The two-component polyurethanes are
becoming more common in the furniture
No advantage. Its not necessary to brush across the grain, as Im demonstrating here, to work the fin-
industry because they perform well and have a
ish into the wood. The finish penetrates perfectly well by capillary action no matter how it is applied.
very high solids content, meaning less solvent
to escape into the atmosphere.
One-component, uralkyd polyurethane This isnt to say you shouldnt use water- In contrast, woodworking is physics. You
has become so dominant in the woodwork- based polyurethane. Just be aware that it is can see that a band saw is a band saw and not a
ing and home-consumer world that its now an entirely different finish a water-based table saw (even though both have a table) and
becoming somewhat difficult to even find finish. This article deals solely with oil-based that a mortise-and-tenon is not a dovetail.
old-fashioned alkyd varnish. polyurethane. So authors and manufacturers have much
Confusion has been added in the last more opportunity to provide inaccurate infor-
decade or so with the introduction of water- The Myths mation, intentionally or not, about finishes
based finishes, some of which combine poly- Myths are much more prevalent in finishing than about woodworking tools and proce-
urethane with acrylic resins. These finishes than in woodworking because finishes are dures. And consumers are more vulnerable
are sometimes labeled polyurethane, with chemistry, and you cant always see differ- to misinformation that is, myths about
no obvious reference to their being an entirely ences in chemistry. For example, polyure- finishing than about woodworking.
different class of finish, one that performs less thane and lacquer look the same, both in a Once a myth gets into print, its com-
well than oil-based polyurethane and has very can and on the wood, even though they have mon for it to be repeated endlessly until it
different application characteristics. very different characteristics. becomes fact, simply because everyone says
Popular Woodworking August 2008 photos by the author

it. Here are some of the most common myths
concerning polyurethane (and varnishes in
general).
MYTH #1: Brush across the grain first
to work the finish into the wood. All finishes
soak perfectly adequately into the wood no
matter how they are applied. They do this by
capillary action, the same physical phenom-
enon that allows water and nutrients to rise
from the ground to the top of a tree.
If it were necessary to brush across the
grain first, or diagonal to it (as Ive also seen
advocated) to get the finish to penetrate into Bubbles. If you shake a finish vigorously, as I did this jar containing polyurethane (left), thousands of
the wood, how would a sprayed finish pen- tiny bubbles appear. These can be transferred to the wood by a brush. But bubbles appear on the
etrate? wood even when you dont shake the finish because of the turbulence caused by the brush move-
ment, as Im demonstrating here with polyurethane I didnt shake (right). So its more important to
The only benefit gained by brushing first
know how to deal with the inevitable bubbles than to follow instructions not to shake.
across the grain and then with the grain (to
line up the brush strokes with the grain) is to
make the thickness of the application more (finish) to pigment. But finishes are all binder, even highlighted in bold letters on the cans of
even. But I never have a problem with some so they bond perfectly well without a separate common brands such as Minwax and Olympic
areas being noticeably thicker than others product. polyurethane.
anyway. Sanding sealers contain a soap-like lubri- Sure, if you shake the can, bubbles appear
More important, the longer polyurethane cant that makes the sanding of the first coat in the finish. And if you then brush the finish,
is brushed the more thinner evaporates, and easier and faster, so they are especially useful bubbles appear in it. But they appear in the
this causes the finish to thicken and brush in production situations. But they weaken brushed finish even if you dont shake the can.
marks to be more pronounced. the bond of the finish, so unless youre doing This should be the clue that shaking isnt the
MYTH #2: Thin the first coat 50 per- production work, youre better off not using critical factor brushing is.
cent to get a good bond. This is an old myth a sanding sealer. If the great majority of bubbles are the
that probably got its start because of poor Polyurethane bonds especially poorly to result of the turbulence caused by the rapid
understanding of the role of primers used sanding sealers, so most manufacturers of movement of the brush, the way to avoid bub-
under paint, and sanding sealers sometimes polyurethane discourage their use. Further- bles could be to brush very slowly to reduce
used under varnish and lacquer. more, polyurethane sands easily, so there isnt the turbulence.
Primers do create a better bond for paint any need for a sanding sealer. The published instruction from one author
because they contain a higher ratio of binder Nevertheless, the existence of primers and who suggests doing this is to brush one foot
sanding sealers (and the recent addition of every eight seconds and not brush back over.
SealCoat, a dewaxed shellac from Zinsser, Try it. Its almost impossible to brush this
marketed for use as a sealer under polyure- slowly. And not brushing back over to stretch
thane) have created a belief among some that out the finish and thin it on the wood and
something has to be put under the polyure- also line up brush strokes leads inevitably
thane to make it bond better. to runs on vertical surfaces and build-up on
And those who believe this have come up horizontal surfaces wherever you set down a
with the idea of thinning the finish. finish-loaded brush.
In fact, the only benefit gained by thinning So youre going to get bubbles if you brush,
is faster drying. The thinner the layer of any whether or not you shake the can. The trick is
finish, the faster it dries, and the sooner it can to know how to keep the bubbles from drying
be sanded and the next coat applied. So there in the finish.
is a benefit, but its not improved bonding. Usually, bubbles pop out on their own. But
MYTH #3: Never shake the can or on hot days when the skinning-over occurs
youll introduce bubbles. A corollary is: faster and traps the bubbles, you may need to
Never wipe the bristles over the rim of the help the popping along by tipping-off using
can because this will also introduce bubbles your brush. Brush lightly back over the finish
into the finish. right after application. (You should do this
This is a very old myth that is more mis- anyway to line up the brush strokes with the
Sanding. Not only does polyurethane not need
thinning or a special product to create a better leading than myth because its true but it grain.) Most of the bubbles will disappear.
bond to the wood, but it also sands easily on its doesnt matter. I dont know when the myth If the tipping-off doesnt work well enough,
own without clogging sandpaper. started, but it is so well established that its add 5 or 10 percent mineral spirits to keep
the finish open longer and give the bubbles the thinner. The second (and much longer) settle and stick to the surface. Painters dont
more time to pop out. step is the curing, which is the crosslinking mind because dust isnt a big problem for
Some brands of polyurethane, such as Min- brought about by the introduction of oxygen them, but it is for furniture finishers.
wax, bubble noticeably more than others, but from the air. Most woodworkers want their polyure-
this is rarely a problem because the bubbles When you apply polyurethane, you notice thane to reach a dust-free stage faster, not
tend to pop out quickly. that it stays wet on the surface for a short time slower, as evidenced by myth #4. What little
There are two ways to deal with bubbles as the thinner evaporates. Then the finish benefit might be gained in reducing brush
that wont pop out. The first is to wipe off the goes into a tacky or sticky stage for an hour marking is more than cancelled out by
bubbled coat of finish using a rag dampened or longer. This is the length of time it takes increased dust nibs. (If you want to reduce
with mineral spirits, naphtha or turpentine. for the oxygen-induced crosslinking to occur. dust nibs, thin the last coat of polyurethane
You can do this for 15 to 30 minutes after Adding a faster-evaporating thinner doesnt by 25 to 50 percent so it dries faster.)
application without a problem. You wont speed this crosslinking. Additionally, because Penetrol is an oil,
damage the coat underneath, and you dont In fact, adding naphtha probably has no it cant help but weaken the durability of
have to get all the polyurethane removed. noticeable effect on the drying of the finish polyurethane though not enough to cause
Simply wipe until what is left is smooth and beyond the impact of thinning described at a problem in most situations, so far as I can
bubble-free. the end of the second myth. tell. (See the next myth for the way to elimi-
The second method is to let the bubbled MYTH #5: Thinning with Penetrol nate brush marks.)
finish dry and sand it level before applying reduces brush marks. Painters have added MYTH #6: Slant the panel to reduce
another coat. Thin this coat enough with Penetrol, a widely available additive, to oil brush marks. I read this myth for the first time
mineral spirits so the bubbles have time to paint for decades to reduce drag and brush only recently. The idea is to get brush marks
pop out. marking, especially when painting in hot or to flow together by tilting flat panels such as
The disservice caused by attributing bub- cold weather, or in sunlight. But until recently tabletops 5 or 10 off the horizontal.
bles to shaking rather than to brushing is that I had never seen Penetrol recommended for Not only is this a tricky procedure that
users become frustrated and lose confidence use in polyurethane, which is usually applied will lead to sagging if you arent careful to
when they follow directions and still dont indoors in more ambient working conditions keep the finish thin on the surface (similar
avoid the problem. and brushes easily without drag. to the difficulty brushing vertical surfaces),
MYTH #4: Thinning with naphtha Penetrol is a slow-drying oil product that but the procedure doesnt make any sense. Its
makes polyurethane dry faster. Naphtha lengthens the tacky stage of polyurethane and not gravity causing one brush-mark ridge to
evaporates much faster than mineral spirits oil paint. This creates more time for dust to sag into another that reduces brush marking.
or turpentine. So the logic behind this myth,
which is fairly new, is that the finish will dry
Penetrol. Adding
faster if the thinner evaporates faster. Penetrol (a widely
But, like all varnishes, polyurethane available addi-
dries in two steps. The first is evaporation of tive for oil paint)
to polyurethane
slows its drying
so dust has more
time to settle and
stick to the finish.
Any possible gain
in reduced brush
marking is more
than cancelled out
by the added dust
nibs.
Sticky stage. Once the bubbles have popped

out, you want the polyurethane to dry as fast as
possible to get beyond the sticky stage (demon-
strated here by a fingerprint in the finish) so dust
nibs are kept to a minimum. Adding faster-evap-
orating naphtha to the finish doesnt speed the
drying of this stage beyond what is accomplished
simply by the thinning. You could just as well use
mineral spirits.
Popular Woodworking August 2008

Brush marks. The way to apply a brush-mark-
free finish using polyurethane is to first sand out
the brush marks on the next-to-last coat using
a flat backing block and a mineral oil, mineral-
spirits or water lubricant. Then thin the last coat
about 25 percent with mineral spirits so it levels
well. Slant panel? Slanting a panel 5 or 10 is not the way to reduce brush marking, but this has actually
been suggested recently. You would have thought furniture finishers working during the last several
hundred years would have figured this out if it were true.
Its gravity evening out the difference between
the ridges and the troughs that eliminates
brush marking. For two reasons, pay more attention to
Some brands of polyurethane level natu- doing a thorough sanding if you are using
rally better than others because of their for- a gloss finish than if you are using one with
mulation. But all polyurethanes can be made flatting agents included (semi-gloss or satin).
to level perfectly by adding mineral spirits. So First, even tiny flaws show in gloss finishes,
the way to get a brush-mark-free finish is to while they are often disguised in semi-gloss
sand the next-to-last coat level, then thin the and satin. Second, finishes dont wet and
last coat enough so it levels well. bond as well to gloss surfaces as they do to dull
The amount of thinner necessary varies surfaces. (The dullness in semi-gloss and satin
with brands. My suggestion is to begin with finishes is caused by a microscopically rough
about 25 percent mineral spirits and adjust surface created by the flatting agent.)
from there. Use a sandpaper grit that removes the flaws
Scuffing. The main reason to sand polyurethane
MYTH #7: Scuff sand between coats to efficiently without creating deeper scratches between coats is to level dust nibs and other
get a good bond. The purpose of this instruc- than necessary. I almost always sand with flaws, not to create a better bond. This is demon-
tion is to create scratches in the surface so the #320 or #400 grit, regular or P grade. There strated here by the gloss remaining in the pores
next coat of finish can establish a mechani- have to be big flaws in the surface to require after sanding the surface. The next coat of finish
still bonds in the pores even though the finish
cal bond. The finish keys or locks into the sanding with coarser grits.
there is rarely scuffed.
sanding scratches. I never back the sandpaper with a flat block
This myth is somewhat complicated. The when sanding between coats to remove dust
first clue that sanding between coats isnt nibs, though it would be all right to do this if their instructions. Some of the myths make
so critical is that you rarely create scratches the surface is truly flat. The biggest problem no sense but do no harm. Others purport to
everywhere anyway. There are almost always using a flat block is that you are more likely to solve a problem, and when following them
gaps in your sanding for example, in the clog the sandpaper and the clogs, or corns, doesnt help, frustration sets in.
pores, in recesses and often just because you will put deeper scratches into the finish that Its unfortunate, but once a myth gets into
arent being thorough enough. might telegraph through the next coat. print, nothing, not even an article such as
And yet, the next coat usually bonds well You can also abrade with steel wool or a this, seems to have any impact slowing its
anyway, especially if not a lot of time has gone synthetic abrasive pad, but neither cuts and spread.
by between coats. How often have you seen levels as well as sandpaper. Probably the opposite, in fact. Conspir-
coats of polyurethane separating? acy theorists know that merely repeating an
Heres the way to approach sanding Conclusion untruth in order to debunk it tends more to
between coats: Do it anyway. Polyurethane Brushing polyurethane is not complicated, solidify it in the minds of believers. PW
dries slowly, so there are always dust nibs that but somehow authors and manufacturers
should be sanded out before the next coat is have succeeded in making it seem so. They Bob is the author of Understanding Wood Finishing
applied. have done this by introducing myths into and a contributing editor to this magazine.
by bob flexner
Finishing the 5 Types of Woods

Organize all the woods into categories to determine the best finishing strategy.
W oodworkers choose among doz-

ens of wood species for projects. Unless
grain when plainsawn, or less coarse when
quartersawn. Quartersawn oak is
youve actually used many differ- usually easy to identify because
ent woods and experienced how of its medullary rays.
they machine, feel, smell and
respond to stains and finishes, Additional Woods
you probably find making an Of course, wood identifi-
intelligent choice confus- cation becomes more dif-
ing. There needs to be some ficult when more woods
way to organize the woods are added. Traditionally,
so decisions are easier. chestnut, elm and ash
And there is. were sometimes used
To begin with, you can instead of oak. Each is
divide all woods into five coarse grained but sub-
large categories: pine and tly different. You just have
related softwoods; coarse- to learn to recognize these
grained hardwoods; medium- differences.
grained hardwoods; fine-grained Butternut, hickory and
hardwoods; and exotics. pecan were also used, and
Traditional furniture is rarely their grain resembles walnut and
made of pine or exotics, so for sim- mahogany. Color can help in iden-
plicitys sake, lets reduce the categories to tification. Butternut is tan; hickory and
three: coarse-, medium- and fine-grained pecan are tan with a slight pink cast.
hardwoods. And to begin with, lets deal with There are lots of fine-grained woods in
just the five most common traditional fur- A fan of woods. Pictured are a number of woods addition to cherry and maple, including birch,
niture hardwoods: oak, walnut, mahogany, woodworkers choose among for projects. Clock- poplar, gum, beech, yew and holly. Gum and
cherry and maple. wise from the top are pine, oak, walnut, cherry, beech have a color similar to hickory and
butternut, mahogany, ash, gum, soft maple, pop-
pecan. Yew is light brown to reddish. The
lar, chestnut, teak, rosewood and ebony.
Importance of Grain heartwood of poplar has a distinct greenish
Grain is the most important indicator for iden- color, which ages to light brown. The others,
tifying woods. Grain is the open pores or pit- To tell the difference between cherry and and the sapwood of poplar, are near white.
ting in wood that give it texture. In finished maple and between walnut and mahogany, the To distinguish between these fine-grained
wood you may have to look closely to see the color of the heartwood is key. On an antique woods, you need to recognize subtle differ-
grain because it may have been filled. you may need to cut a sliver from an incon- ences in figure. Figure is primarily grain ori-
Most old furniture was made with one spicuous place to see its color. On newly milled entation, the appearance of which has a lot to
of these five woods, so identifying woods in wood, you can simply look at the color. do with the way boards and veneer are cut, but
antiques is fairly easy. If the grain is coarse, If the color of fine-grained wood has a red- also small distinguishing characteristics such
the wood is likely oak. If it is fine that is, if dish tint, the wood is cherry. If near white, as the flecks in cherry, maple and beech.
theres no obvious pitting the wood is prob- its maple. If the color of a medium-grained
ably cherry or maple. If there is pitting and its wood is charcoal gray, its walnut. If reddish, Exotic Woods
finer and more evenly spaced than in oak, the the wood is mahogany. Mahogany could be classified as an exotic
wood is almost always walnut or mahogany. Keep in mind that oak can have a coarse wood because it grows in jungle areas. But
continued on page 68
Popular Woodworking April 2009 photos by the author

continued from page 66
Coarse-grained woods. Common coarse-

grained woods include from the top: plainsawn
oak, quartersawn oak and ash. All stains and
finishes look good on these woods. Medium-grained woods. Three common exam- Fine-grained woods. Woodworkers use a great
ples of medium-grained woods used in wood- many fine-grained woods. Examples include from
working are from the top: mahogany, walnut and the top: cherry, curly maple and beech. As with
mahogany has been used so extensively for butternut. These woods are widely considered most fine-grained woods, these tend to blotch,
the most elegant when their pores are filled. All especially when stained. But the blotching is
so long, it makes more sense to classify it as
stains and finishes can be used successfully. often considered attractive as with curly maple.
a medium-grained wood along with walnut, Water-based finishes look especially good on
hickory and pecan. the white woods but make darker woods such as
With the exception of teak and rosewood, to bring the sheen of the spring growth even cherry look washed out unless a stain is used.
exotic woods were rarely used until recently, with that of the summer growth.
and then usually just for decoration and veneer. Like pine, fine-grained woods tend to coarse-grained woods. Only quartersawn oak
Now a wide variety of exotic woods are used blotch often in an unattractive way. But looks good filled. Plainsawn, coarse-grained
for bowl turning, decks and furniture. sometimes, as with curly, birds-eye and mot- woods look plastic, in my opinion, when filled.
Most of these woods are medium-grained, tled woods, the blotching is attractive. As I The filled areas are too wide.
but many are very distinctive in color and fig- have described often in these pages, you can Water-soluble dye stains dont color the
ure and therefore fairly easy to identify once reduce the blotching by applying a washcoat pores well in coarse-grained woods. If you
you have become familiar with them. I dont (thinned finish) before applying the stain, but use a water dye, follow it with an oil-based
have any easy categories that will help. the coloring will then be lighter. wiping stain of a similar color, either directly
All fine-grained woods finish well with over the dye or over a washcoat, to add color
Finishing the Five Categories any finish, but oil finishes require many coats to the pores.
Here are some thoughts about finishing each for a nice appearance. Water-based finishes All stains and finishes (water-based with a
of the five categories of wood. look wonderful on the white woods because stain applied underneath) also look good on
Pine and related softwoods have a very pro- they dont add any yellow/orange coloring, but exotic woods. The common finishing problem
nounced grain soft, absorbent, white spring they make cherry look washed out unless a with these woods is getting an oil or varnish
growth alternating with hard, dense, orange stain is applied under the finish. finish (not others) to dry in a reasonable time
summer growth. The spring growth absorbs Medium-grained woods finish to look the because of the natural oily resins many of these
stain well, but the summer growth doesnt. most elegant of all woods as long as the pores woods contain.
So staining these woods usually reverses the are filled. This is one reason mahogany and To overcome the problem, wipe the surface
color, making the spring growth darker than walnut have long been considered the premier with naphtha or acetone just before applying
the summer growth. furniture woods. the first coat of oil or varnish. Then apply the
Pine also tends to blotch, which can be All finishes except water-based look won- finish right after the solvent evaporates off
quite unattractive. derful on these woods, and water-based also the surface. PW
On the other hand, pine finishes well with looks fairly good if a stain is applied under
any finish, though I dont like oil finishes the finish. Bob Flexner is author of Understanding Wood Finish-
because so many coats are usually required All stains and finishes also look good on ing and a contributing editor to Popular Woodworking.
Popular Woodworking April 2009

BY BOB FLEXNER
Renishing
Furniture
Repair, strip and renish
to restore old pieces. Stripper types. There are ve categories of strippers. From left to right: high-percentage methylene
chloride, low-percentage methylene chloride, strong solvent and no methylene chloride, renisher
(no methylene chloride and no wax), and NMP (n-methyl pyrrolidone).
R enishing is a topic worthy of an

entire book. In fact, restoring fur-
niture includes all of woodworking and
3 In most cases, the rst step is to
do as much of the wood repair, including
regluing, as possible so glue seepage and
Strong solvent, but no methylene
chloride (labeled ammable with no

methylene chloride listed).
nishing because all skills may be called minor damage occur on top of the old Note: Each of the above contains
into play. In lieu of a book, here are some nish rather than on bare wood. Glue wax that rises to the surface and slows
not-so-random thoughts. seepage and damage are then totally evaporation. This wax has to be washed
1 Renishing is a good thing, not removed with the old nish. An excep- off the wood with a solvent or strong
bad as suggested by the Antiques Road- tion is when paint has to be stripped detergent after the coating has been
show. Furniture with a deteriorated n- rst to see what wood or veneer exists stripped, or there may be bonding and
ish usually ends up in a city landll. underneath, so it can be matched. drying problems with the newly applied
2 There are three broad approaches 4 Stripping is messy, but its almost nish.
to renishing: Make the furniture look always a lot easier than sanding off an Renisher (very similar to strong-
new (as the maker or factory intended old nish or paint. Stripping also does solvent, non-methylene-chloride
it to look); make the furniture look old less damage to the wood and to color strippers, but without wax to slow
but in good shape (usually with a satin that may be in the wood color that is evaporation).
or at nish and maybe some glaze in the result of the wood aging or a stain NMP (packaged in plastic contain-
recesses); or make the furniture look that had been applied. ers with n-methyl pyrrolidone listed as
like something else (for example, 5 There are two broad categories of an ingredient).
change the color). All three are legiti- products that can be used to strip old 7 Denatured alcohol will dissolve
mate approaches. paint or nish from furniture: paint and remove shellac, which was used on
stripper and the solvent for the nish. almost all furniture nished between
(Heat guns and caustic lye strippers are the 1820s and 1920s. Lacquer thinner
very risky on furniture because of the will dissolve and remove lacquer, which
damage they can cause to the wood, was used on almost all furniture n-
veneer and glue joints.) ished after the 1920s. Keep the solvent
6 There are ve large categories of in contact with the nish using wetted
paint strippers. The primary differences rags or paper towels. When the nish
are strength, speed and toxicity, which has dissolved, wipe it off.
tend to correspond. From strongest, fast- 8 Its rare that much sanding is
est and most toxic, the categories are: required after the finish has been
High in met hylene ch lor ide stripped. Sanding with ne sandpaper is
(labeled non-ammable an d notice- necessary only to check that all the n-
Test for nish. To determine if an old nish is
ably heavier). ish has been removed. Any remaining
shellac or lacquer, dab on some denatured
Low in methylene chloride (labeled nish will gum up the sandpaper, telling
alcohol or lacquer thinner. Alcohol dissolves
shellac. Lacquer thinner dissolves lacquer. I ammable with methylene chloride you that more stripping is necessary.
used alcohol here, so clearly, this is shellac. listed as an ingredient). Usually, the less sanding the better.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 60
POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE August 2011 PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR
58-63_1108_PWM_Flexner.indd 58 5/19/11 9:26:11 AM

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 58
9 Dont be tricked by remaining

stain in the wood. No stripper will
remove all the stain, and its not nec-
essary to remove the stain unless you
want to make the color lighter.
10 Use oxalic acid, sold in crystal
form as wood bleach, to remove dark
watermarks. Dissolve the crystals to
Finish residue. When stripping a nish, dont
a saturated solution in hot water and be fooled by stain that isnt removed. Its
brush the solution onto the entire sur- rare that all the stain comes out of the wood.
face. After the solution has dried back Instead, look for remaining shiny areas that Fish eye. Its usually easy to spot the poten-
into crystal form, wash (dont brush) indicate you havent removed all the nish. tial for sh eye by brushing the surface with
mineral spirits, water or any stain. To avoid
the crystals off the wood. The crystals
sh eye when the nish is applied, the silicone
are toxic to breathe. that causes the problem has to be washed out
11 You can use stain to create what- excess ller easier to wipe off and to of the wood or blocked with shellac, or sili-
ever decorative effect you want. But create a cushion that allows you to sand cone has to be added to the nish to lower its
it was rare that pre-20th-century fur- off any streaks you may leave without surface tension.
niture was stained. The darker colors cutting into stain or the color of the
associated with most old mahogany and wood below.
cherry furniture is the result of oxida- 15 A common renishing problem 16 The nal step is to apply a nish.
tion (age). Old walnut usually lightens is sh eye. The newly applied nish Shellac is a good choice if you want to be
a little. bunches up into ridges or crater-like consistent with the original nish used
12 The most efcient method of depressions caused by silicone (which on 19th-century furniture. Lacquer is
applying stain is with a rag or spray gun. is found in most furniture polishes) much more versatile than shellac if you
Wet the surface thoroughly, then wipe having gotten into the wood through are spraying. Varnish, including poly-
off the excess with a dry cloth. cracks in the old nish. Silicone is a urethane varnish, is the most durable
13 Most 20th-century mahogany, very slick oil and isnt fully removed of all consumer nishes. Water-based
and some walnut and quartersawn oak, in the stripping process. nish provides easy brush clean-up and
had its pores lled when the furniture There are three ways to deal with reduced odor, but creates a washed-
was made. You need to repeat this lling silicone contamination: Wash the wood out look on darker woods unless you
using paste wood ller (not the same as many times with a strong detergent or use a stain underneath the nish.
wood putty), especially on tabletops, solvent such as mineral spirits to thin Oil nishes rarely look good on old
when you renish or the wood will look and remove the oil from the pores; seal furniture because oil nishes are too
too raw. Just as with wood putty, its best the wood with shellac to block the oil thin on the wood. PWM
to use a colored ller because it doesnt from getting into the nish; or add sili-
Bob Flexner is the author of the new books Flexner
take stain well after it has dried. cone (sh-eye eliminator) to the n- on Finishing and Wood Finishing 101.
14 Its best to apply a thin sealer ish to lower its surface tension so it will
coat under the wood ller to make the ow out level.
u Go Online FOR MORE

Stripping with alco-
hol. Shellac can be For links to all these online extras, go to:
removed by placing u popularwoodworking.com/aug11
alcohol-soaked rags in
ARTICLES: We have many nishing articles
contact with the nish
available on our web site, free.
for a short time until
its easy to simply wipe ARTICLE: Furniture prior to World War II
off the nish. Lacquer was constructed using hot hide glue.
can be removed the Read our recipe for Liquid Hide Glue.
same way using lac- TO BUY: Get Bob Flexners new book,
quer thinner. Flexner on Finishing.
Our products are available online at:

uShopWoodworking.com
POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE August 2011
58-63_1108_PWM_Flexner.indd 60 5/19/11 9:27:21 AM

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Woodworking Resources!
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a sample of the great wood finishing resources you can find
in the ShopWoodworking.com store. Go there today,
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Complete Guide to

Finishing Purpose of a Finish A large number of two-part, high-

Overview Protection means resistance to mois- Wiping varnish is alkyd or polyure-

A wood nish is a clear, transparent

Clear Finish Paint Stain & Clear Finish

POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE February 2011 PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR

56-59_1102_PWM_Flexner.indd 56 12/1/10 3:46:12 PM

The primary differences in the nishes

Oil-based varnishes and high-perfor-

POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE February 2011

56-59_1102_PWM_Flexner.indd 58 12/1/10 3:46:40 PM

allows us to discuss uniform application The difference between varnish and

POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE November 2011 PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR

50-55_1111_PWM_WipingVarnish.ind50 50 9/7/11 4:27:50 PM

1 Coat 2 Coats 3 Coats 4 Coats 1 Coat 2 Coats 3 Coats 4 Coats

petroleum distillates or aliphatic is, three parts polyurethane to one part

50-55_1111_PWM_WipingVarnish.ind51 51 9/7/11 4:28:02 PM

Applying finishes is easy and

Wipe Off Excess Method

POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE November 2011

50-55_1111_PWM_WipingVarnish.ind52 52 9/7/11 4:28:14 PM

3 Wipe on wiping varnish. The most efcient way to apply wiping

50-55_1111_PWM_WipingVarnish.ind53 53 9/7/11 4:28:28 PM

2 Brush off excess.

4 Sand smooth. After its

POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE November 2011

50-55_1111_PWM_WipingVarnish.ind54 54 9/7/11 4:28:41 PM

1 Leave excess method. Deposit a

5 More coats. After drying, sand

4 Airplane landings. So as not to drag

50-55_1111_PWM_WipingVarnish.ind55 55 9/7/11 4:28:54 PM

Rules for Sanding Wood

T he objective of sanding wood is to remove

photos by the author popularwoodworking.com

How Fine to Sand

Popular Woodworking October 2007

Tack rags load up too quickly with the

How Much to Sand

Bob is the author of Understanding Wood Finishing

CIRCLE #152 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD.

W e all love home centers for the good

and wipe off all the excess; wipe or brush it

Popular Woodworking November 2007

The 7 Myths of Polyurethane

A ll levels of finishing are burdened

Popular Woodworking August 2008 photos by the author

Sticky stage. Once the bubbles have popped

Popular Woodworking August 2008

Finishing the 5 Types of Woods

W oodworkers choose among doz-

Popular Woodworking April 2009 photos by the author

Coarse-grained woods. Common coarse-

Popular Woodworking April 2009

R enishing is a topic worthy of an

chloride (labeled ammable with no

POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE August 2011 PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR

58-63_1108_PWM_Flexner.indd 58 5/19/11 9:26:11 AM

9 Dont be tricked by remaining

u Go Online FOR MORE