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Techniques

Tips and Techniques for Fantastic Oak Finishes
by American Woodworker Editors Thursday, October 29, 2009
by Dave Munkittrick Like a movie star, oak possesses natural good looks. Oak’s distinctive grain pattern (see photo below) is what people are responding to when they say, “I love the look of oak.” Unlike a movie star, however, oak is...
4 Proven Finishes for Oak
by American Woodworker Editors Thursday, October 29, 2009
by Dave Munkittrick A good finish should highlight the best characteristics of the wood it goes on. I’ve put together four finish recipes that make the most of oak’s contrasting grain. The first three recipes use two different color layers...
Super-Smooth Poly Finish
by American Woodworker Editors Thursday, September 10, 2009
A Defect-Free, Even Finish with a Brush by Eric Smith Polyurethane is a tough, high-quality finish, ideal for tabletops and other surfaces that take a lot of abuse. But no matter how clean your finishing area or how good your brushing technique, a few...
Outdoor Finishes
by American Woodworker Editors Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Simple to Super Durable by Brad Holden Outdoor finishes have one thing in common; they all require maintenance. Of course, paint is unequaled at protecting the wood from its two biggest enemies: moisture and ultraviolet (UV) light. Moisture causes the...
Tips for Repairing Finishes
by American Woodworker Editors Monday, August 10, 2009
Rescue battle-scarred finishes with ordinary materials by Bob Flexner Revive A Dull Finish All finishes dull as they age, but you can usually bring back their shine. The easiest way is to apply paste wax. If the dulling has progressed too far, however...
Make New Varnish Look Old
by Tim Johnson Friday, February 20, 2009
Q. I built my own kitchen cabinets a few years back. One drawer got damaged, so I stripped the finish from the drawer front, made the repair and applied a fresh coat of polyurethane. The new finish is noticeably lighter than the old one. I sure don't...
Restore an Antique Table
by Tim Johnson Friday, February 20, 2009
This old table looks like a prime candidate for refinishing. Strip off the old finish, sand out all the dings and scratches, spray on a catalyzed lacquer finish and it would look brand new. But in my opinion, doing this would rob the table of its history...
Protect Joints Before Pre-Finishing
by Tom Caspar Friday, February 20, 2009
If you plan to finish your project prior to assembly, be sure to protect the joint surfaces first, so they don't get contaminated by stain and finish. Finishing products seal the wood and prevent glue from penetrating the wood fibers, which it must...

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