When you have built a piece of furniture yourself and have gotten to the part of the project when it’s time to apply the wood finish, you really need to know what you’re doing or you could completely spoil all the work you’ve done up to this point.
I want to quickly walk you through the process of varnishing that wood project. Whether it’s a small lamp table or a huge entertainment center, the finishing steps are basically the same. In this article, I’ll be talking about polyurethane varnish as the finish.
You should have already applied the stain of your choice and have let it dry overnight before putting on the finish coat. Now you’re ready for these 10 steps for a beautiful finish.
- Wipe the entire piece down with a clean cloth to remove any dust and stain residue from the wood.
- Open your varnish and stir it slowly until no residual varnish remains in the bottom of the can. DO NOT shake the can. Shaking varnish will cause air bubbles that will remain in the finish.
- Using a clean good quality bristle brush designed for varish, apply a light coat of polyurethane to the entire piece, making sure to get everything coated.
- When this coat is dry and hard, sand the entire piece with 600 grit sandpaper.
- With a clean dry cloth, wipe down the entire piece again.
- Apply a second light coat of polyurethane to the entire piece.
- Sand the entire piece with 600 grit sandpaper.
- Wipe down the piece once again.
- Apply a good quality furniture polish, like Pledge.
- When dry, polish out the Pledge for a beautifuly smooth finish.
With these 10 steps, you can achieve a professional looking wood finish on any piece of furniture you build. Until next time, stay safe, work hard, and as always, thanks for stopping by MVB Crafts.
Regards,
P.S.
If this article inspired you to create some great furniture, but you would like more information on wood finishes, click Tauntons Complete Illustrated Guide To Finishing
Thanks.
