Last month i mentioned that I was in the process of finishing a small desk, and while it is not complete, it has been an excellent learning experience.
To make things more challenging the desk is made of black walnut (legs, aprons, rails and stretchers) and cherry for the top, two species that reacted quite differently to the finishes I chose.
Before you start
With so many finishes to choose from, the amateur woodworker is usually clueless as to where to start, and the usual choice may not be the easier one. When thinking of a finish many will quickly think of varnish and while some of its variants may be easy to apply and yield a great result – think of a wiping oil and varnish mix – other synthetic or acrylic varnishes may prove quite difficult to apply if you’re not prepared.
The first mistake is usualy using the finish straight out of the can. Not only you’re dust and any other small particles to your finish, it is slowly drying and after a while it will feel quite different. What started as a fluid and easy to apply finish may get thicker and more dificult to apply leaving brush marks everywhere.
You should always pour a small ammount of finish to a secondary container and be prepared to add some solvent in order to make it easy to apply and more suited for the job at hand. While you work you may feel the need to add more solvent in order to keep the finish fluid.
Also some finishes should be diluted based on the type of application. Shellac for instance should be well dilluted in the first coats (1 lb cut or less) so it can penetrate the wood whereas the top coats should be thicker (1.5 to 2 lb cut). A water based acrylic varnish on the other hand may only be diluted as far as 10% or it may loose its properties and wont cure properly.
It is important to know the finish you will be using in order to prepare yourself for the application. Some of the questions you should be asking are:
- What solvent should I use?
- How much should I / can I dilute it?
- What should I use to apply it? – brush, rag, spray?
- How long should I wait between coats?
- How long will it take to fully cure?
To be continued….
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