Apr. 30, 09 - 08:39AM
Is there one great finish? I suspect not. I want to hear from all of you what your favorite furniture or cabinet finish recipe is, why you like it, and how you apply it.
Finishing can be scary; it provides the opportunity to screw up in a few minutes what took many hours to build. Let's help each other out and see if we can come up with some good finishing solutions!
Apr. 30, 09 - 08:47AM
I do my finishing in my shop, which means shutting down everything else while I'm working on finishing. My shop is a separate building from my house, so fumes aren't an issue.
Since I'm certain to have some dust still floating around I use lacquer. It dries very quickly, minimizing the risk of getting "floaters" in my finish. Specifically, I use Sherwin Williams catalyzed lacquer.
Catalyzed lacquer provides more protection than standard lacquer, but has a shelf life. Once mixed, it has to be used in a given amount of time.
I spray my finish using a Turbinaire HVLP sprayer. It gives me great control, so I'm not ending up with a fresh coat of lacquer on all the tools in my shop.
I often use SealCoat Shellac as an undercoat/sanding sealer. It dries even faster than lacquer, is easy to handle, and does an excellent job of sealing the wood.
It's important to wear a good mask when ever finishing, but especially important when handling catalyzed lacquer.
Apr. 30, 09 - 10:28AM
One of my favorite finishes is a wipe-on and buff finish called Antique Oil Finish. It's made by Minwax and really adds a warm natural lustre to wood without the appearance of a heavy build up or plastic look. You just apply it with a clean lint-free rag and then wait about 10-15 minutes and then buff it with another cloth. It requires about three coats (waiting a day between coats, but the results are very satisfying. Watco is another similar finish. This brand also has a variety of pigmented choices if you want a stain and oil finish in one product. The process is the same with this product: waiting a day between coats and buffing after each coat.
Caution should be taken with your used rags. Hang them outside on a line to dry out. Never leave them stacked in a pile in the shop or they could start a fire.
Submitted: David Radtke
Apr. 30, 09 - 01:52PM
George... You are correct, there is no one finish that works for all situations. I like BriWax for a fast and simple finish. The downsides are it doesn't have much, if any, protection from water, and it's not easy to get an even finish. For a bit more durability I use wipe on/wipe off finishes like BriWax Danish Oil, and Deftoil Natural Finish. Lately, I been using Cabot's Waterborne poly for projects that require a "hard" finish, and when the finishing is small enough for me to do in my shop. I apply it with a 4" roller, and then I tip off the finish with a high quality brush made for latex paints. Lastly, when it comes to needing a super durable high-tech finish, I go to a professional finisher and have them spray on catalyzed varnish.
Submitted: Bruce Kieffer
May. 01, 09 - 12:20PM
Of course there isn't one great finish!!! Why else would there be so many different finishes??? It's crazy and daunting to solve this dilemma.
Some of the easiest finishes are the Sam Maloof oil/poly blends; one has wax blended in and the other does not. Both are super easy to apply: get a box of rags and latex gloves. Wipe the finish on to soak the surface, and then wipe it off. Does it get much easier than that?
Well, there are some issues. To get a really protective coat, it is vital to apply at least six (yes 6) coats, with a buffing of 0000 steel wool between coats. So with drying 4-8 hours between coats, it takes at least 3 days to have a finished surface. Furthermore, because this finish does such a great job highlighting beautiful grain, it is almost crucial that you sand the surface of the wood to 320 grit. Some finishing experts allege you can only sand to 180, but that is absolutely not true with this finish.
Another benefit to this finish is that you can do it in a semi-dusty shop. Because you wipe all of the finish off excepting a light film, nothing can stick to the wet finish.
So in conclusion, this finish is simple, but not necessarily easy... and although getting there is time consuming, the results are stunning. The wood grain radiates as if lit from within and is silky smooth to the touch.
Submitted: Seth
May. 05, 09 - 10:08PM
First of all, George, keep up the great work. Education is the key and you are doing a fine job of doing so.
One great finish. Rule one for deciding how to finish wood is actually three fold:
a. decide what you want it to look like
b. two - decide how much protection the object needs
c. is the coating you are applying repairable
Submitted: Mitch K
May. 05, 09 - 10:44PM
First of all, George, keep up the good work. Education is the key and you are doing a fine job doing so.
One great finish.
Rule number one in making that decision is three fold:
a. decide what do you want it to look like
b. decide how much protection the object actually needs
c. and when - not if -- it is damaged - is the coating repairable.
What do you want it to look like:
The finish definitely plays a major role here. Oil, shellac, lacquer, varnish, waterbase -- all look different.
Protection: What does your project need protection against?
abrasion
heat
chemicals
flexibility
cold checking
UV resistant
impact resistance
Repairability
Eventually the object will be in need of repairing refurbishing or refinishing. Something very few ever think about. You have turned to dust but your wood work and its coating are still here to enjoy with the memory of your craftsmanship.
If at all possible, once all the evaluation is done, shellac is my first choice. Especially for the beauty of it, which to me is a major factor. When more protection is needed, I compromise and go other directions. All these different coatings have their places, and I have used them all with great success. But one great finish, if I had to choose, I must admit, I am a shellacahollic.
Submitted: Mitch K
Jul. 27, 09 - 11:58AM
Hi Gang,
Great job here George keep the good work!!!!!
I just not to long ago and am a amateur in this venue. I have a complete shop as I have dabbled in wood working for may year primarily for home. Now my wife has me doing for retail and wholesale. My main venue is garden/yard ornaments for all holidays.
This finish section is an immense fountain of information for me to digest, but I will. My grandfather whom was a master framer boss and the best furniture maker I have ever known once told me in his shop"Anyone can make something from wood given the right materials and equipment, but it takes a special person to finish that project." He left this world a long time ago but I have remember that. So this section is extremely interesting to me. Keep the information coming and I will devour it as fast as I can. Thank You to all of you whom have given up their secrets to a great finish.
Thanks Greg
Submitted: Gregor
Mar. 21, 10 - 09:56AM
George,
First of all, let me say that I really enjoy this site. You are really putting a great woodworking site together. Keep up the great work.
Now on to the question. I like a simple finish at times. Old school I guess you would call it. For a soft warm looking finish I like mixing Shellac, alcohol, beeswax, and tung oil.
For stained pieces, I like a spit coat of 1/2lb cut dewaxed shellac flakes and alcohol. I find that it keeps me from pulling stain and kills the sponge effect of wood, especially plywood. Then I apply my final clear coat.
For high gloss, it depends, I like to spray with the aid of an HVLP unit, gives me the best coverage and I can shoot several thin coats and get great results. for A semi gloss finish or a satin, I will generally use a couple of thicker sprayed coats.
Since discovering HVLP, I hardly do anything by hand anymore.
Submitted: Captdaveeng21
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