After sanding and staining or priming unfinished furniture, finish it!
Gather Tools and Materials
- Clear Polyurethane or polyacrylic finish–True water-based (WB) finishes are available in satin, matte and gloss sheens. These are brushed or padded on and are beautiful, durable, quick-drying and easy to apply. They're non-toxic and low-odor, and with their near-zero VOCs are eco-friendly to pets, children and the environment. They are hard to find at local stores, but outfits like Hood Finishes, General Finishes, Mohawk Finishing and others sell them online. Spray-ons in aerosol cans, and brush-on oil base (OB) urethanes, are easy to find in neighborhood stores, but they are smelly, flammable and somewhat toxic, so carefully read label warnings and directions. WB finishes clean up with water; most OB (a.k.a solvent base) products require mineral spirits, denatured alcohol or lacquer thinner solvent. Hood Finishes, for one, offers a solvent based finish with most of the greener attributes of WB products.
- Paint–Brush-on acrylic latex paints are water-based and share the features of WB urethanes. Some people prefer the look and durability of acrylic OB paints, especially high-gloss enamel, but the jury is out on which is better. OB paints, both spray and brush-on, are slower drying, somewhat volatile and are generally cleaned up with mineral spirits.
- Brushes and Pads–Use synthetic brushes for water-based products, natural China bristle for oil-based. Pads, made by Shur-line and others, also work great, especially on big flat surfaces. Obtain a 1" artist brush at a craft store if the project involves finishing small or narrow areas.
- Abrasive–220 grit sand paper used between clear coats of polyurethane.
- Miscellaneous–Scrap board; microfiber cloth; tweezers; cleanup cloth; cleanup water or solvent.
How to Apply Water Base Polyurethane
- Stir the finish in its can (never shake it) with a wood slat or paint stirring stick. It will look milky white, but dries clear. Gently pour into a plastic container wide enough to accommodate brush or pad.
- Practice touch-and-go. Professionals don't hard-slap on clear finishes. They use a very light and delicate touch. Visualize an airplane gently landing, rolling on the runway, and then taking off without stopping–a touch-and-go in aviator's lingo. Practice gently landing brush or pad an inch or two from the edge of a surface, like a table top, slowly rolling the finish on and then taking off at the opposite edge, in one continuous motion. This technique covers a lot of surface uniformly and prevents drips and runs caused by "crashing" the applicator into the edge. Reverse the direction of the next touch-and-go to cover the opposite side.
- Pad or brush the finish on. Experiment and perfect padding and brushing techniques by "going live" on a smooth scrap board, or the underside of a table. Dip the applicator into finish and dab the excess off. Flow the finish on using long even strokes in the direction of the grain. Carefully remove rogue brush bristles, hair or even unlucky mosquitoes with a tweezers.
- Examine the coated surface in bright light at various angles to spot any misses.
- Do not over-brush the finish. Quality polyurethanes miraculously self-level as they dry, giving a smooth even finish.
- Allow 2 - 4 hours dry time between coats. Sand lightly (very important), remove all dust with a microfiber cloth and apply a second coat, sand, and apply final coat. Clean brushes immediately with water.
- Apply at least one coat to the underside of large dining and coffee tables to prevent unbalanced water vapor absorption that could lead to wood warping, especially in high-humidity areas.
How to Apply Paint and Oil Base Polyurethane
The above directions for clear water base finishes hold for OB finishes, except drying times will usually be longer, typically 12 - 24 hours. Between-coat sanding is seldom needed for paint. Try to apply OB paint or urethane outside or in a well-ventilated area, away from flames; there is a chance of igniting fumes.
Latex paints dry quickly and brush mark artifacts may be a problem compared to OB paints that dry slowly and tend to level out smoother.
How to Apply Spray Urethane or Paint
Spray-on aerosol finishes are handy when finishing intricate articles like dining chairs. But, they're all volatile, so ventilate well or use them outside in wind-protected areas.
- Shake the can very, very well, per the label.
- With few exceptions, always keep the can vertical.
- Professional spraying requires a modified touch-and-go technique. Hold the can 12" to 16" away from the furniture. Push the button down and aim the spray 6 inches to the side of the furniture (i.e., start spraying into the air). Move sideways (or vertically) steadily, at a speed that thinly coats the surface. Don't stop the motion or release the button until the paint is spraying into the air on the opposite end or side.
- Always keep a constant distance between spray can and furniture surface. This takes practice. Most beginners inadvertently swoop in and out, in a concave arc, underspraying the edges and overspraying the middle. Visualize a plane that's parallel to the furniture surface, and stay on that plane.
- Apply lots of thin coats. Thick, heavy coats lead to runs, drips and errors. Build up by degrees.
How To Apply Gel Varnish
This thick, durable, fast-drying and attractive urethane (no gloss, satin only) from Bartley and others goes on easily. Simply gob some right out of the can onto a cloth, smear it on the furniture surface, and wipe it off with another clean cloth. Apply several coats.
Cleaning and Waxing
The best way to clean finished furniture is with a slightly damp cloth. Contrary to accepted wisdom and millions of dollars of advertising, wax and furniture conditioners do not preserve or "feed" wood. The wood is dead, and it never had any oil to begin with (except, perhaps, teak). Wax does have one benefit, however: it makes the surface so slick that sliding objects are less likely to scratch it. Any wax will do–carnauba, bees', etc. Wait at least a month after finishing before waxing.
Finally, touch up any stray nicks or scratches.
George Daleiden - I was a science major in college and later a career member of the Institute of Food Technologists. I worked in the processed food and ...
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