Oct 022020
We can all admit that one of the best parts of the project is being done with it. But what about the finish? Some people prefer not having any finish on their project to give it the completely natural wood look. Other people go to the opposite spectrum and paint their wooden projects with acrylic craft paint finishes. Then there are the more common types of finishes, a variety of which your common hardware/woodworking store will have a plethora of, including fillers, dyes, stains, oils, lacquers, and waxes.
We want to know your preferred finish. Answer it in this month’s woodworking poll below!
Why not allow for multiple choices? I often use a dye, shellac and then an oil finish.
I do mostly boat work, so the classic polyurethane/phenolic gloss varnish is what’s wanted. Nothing can beat a great gloss varnish job on teak or mahogany – with no runs, no drips, no sags, no fisheyes, no brush-marks, no dust, and no polishing out of mistakes. My favorite is the Epifanes brand from Holland, though it requires some experience to get proficient with it. I’ve always used a brush, though spray can be done in certain circumstances. Of all the marine varnishes this one lasts better than others, when applied correctly.
I think I use every product listed and have tried some other things as well, The project pretty much dictates the type of finish required.
It really depends on the wood you’re working on and what you’re building. Some finishes don’t sit well with some types of wood. Pinewood for instance tends to get “blotchy” when stained. So I have to use a (wood stabilizer) to keep the stain from seeping into the wood. But I guess, at the end of the day, it all boils down to individual preferences.