A perfect and foolproof wood finish

Four steps to the perfect wood finish

By Steve Maxwell

power sander

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No matter how much trouble you've had finishing wood in the past, you're only four easy steps away from silky smooth success. There are dozens of ways to finish wood, and my no-fail finish is ideal for furniture, cabinets and interior trim. It's a multi-purpose, film-forming approach that lets wood grain show through while also offering surprising durability.

Successful wood finishing depends on a series of successful acts, one built upon the other. If you get too eager and rush ahead without completing the initial steps successfully, it won't work out.

All wood, no matter how smooth, must be sanded to achieve the best possible finish. This is the first step, and for most planed lumber, a random-orbit sander with 120- or 150-grit abrasives is ideal for initial work. Sand until the entire surface is an even smoothness, then switch to 180- or 220-grit discs. Use shallow-angle lighting to reveal surface imperfections. Also, let the weight of the machine do the work to prevent swirls and cross-grain scratches.

Coating is the second step. Although the best water-based urethanes are slightly more challenging than oil-based products, I still prefer water-based because of the low odour and easy cleanup. (Besides, my approach overcomes the irritating tendency of water-based urethanes to leave behind brush strokes and hardened air bubbles.) Apply a thin, even coat, orienting the largest and most prominent surfaces horizontally to eliminate runs.

Even if your wood was smooth before coating, it will feel rough after the finish dries. That's normal and easy to overcome. As surface fibres absorb finishing liquid, it causes them to stand upright, then harden. It's called raised grain, and the third step is all about removing it. A quarter-sheet palm-style finishing sander is the tool of choice here. Add 220-grit paper to your finishing sander, then gently go over all flat surfaces. It's important that you don't remove the finish; just get rid of the raised grain. A couple of passes back and forth with the sander will do the trick. Use handheld sandpaper on edges and rounded profiles, then vacuum the whole project to remove dust.

Repeat the coating and sanding process three times in all, then apply a fourth coat and let it dry without sanding. If your shop was clean and you were careful with the vacuum, then you'll have a pretty good finish at this stage. Not perfect, but pretty good.

If your project has lots of flat surfaces, grab your random-orbit sander again, along with a fine rubbing pad. Sand the surface of your wood very lightly to remove all hardened dust specks and bumps, then place a 6" x 6" fine-grade rubbing pad on the wood with the random-orbit sander on top. Work over the entire surface until everything has an ultra-smooth, matte finish. Switch to a superfine rubbing pad and repeat if you want a gloss.

The only thing shinier than the wood will be your smile.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Use a random-orbit sander with a 120- or 150-grit disc for initial sanding. Carpet or a pad on the workbench prevents scratches on the workpiece.

2. Brush on water-based urethane.

3. A quarter-sheet sander removes raised grain.

4. For the most durable finish, apply four coats, sanding between each. As a final touch, work your random-orbit sander back and forth with a superfine rubbing pad


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