Woodwork Finish

Woodwork finish might very well be the determining factor whether your finished project is good or great. Sanding is one of the first steps to the finishing process. The general rule of thumb is to begin sanding with a 120 grit sandpaper, then progressing to 150, 180, 220, and 320, making certain to dust off all sawdust after each time. Power sanders are okay to use at the beginning, but for the final sanding, it is recommended to sand by hand for a perfect smoothness.

After the piece has been sanded to perfection, the next step would be to stain it if you were planning on changing the natural color of the wood. An oil based stain is the most commonly used stain. And it is best to test the stain out on a piece of scrap wood from the project to be certain it is what you want.

Once the piece has been stained to your satisfaction, the finishing process begins. There are four main kinds of finishes, lacquer, shellac, varnish, and oil. They all have different qualities, but have the same main function, and that is to protect your project. Lacquer and shellac are both rather easy to apply and dry quickly, but only remain on the surface of the wood; and lacquer is highly flammable, and shellac is prone to water stains. Varnish is quite popular for its durability, but is rather difficult to apply and takes a long time to dry. Oil, however, soaks deep into the wood, is easy to apply and leaves a beautiful finish. This is what is recommended for beginners.

Making something out of wood can be a very enjoyable and rewarding thing to do. When done properly, the end result is a thing of beauty that can last a long time.