New unfinished furniture is often sturdier, better-constructed, and made of superior durable hardwoods– like oak, beech, maple and ash. Follow these tips to end up with a piece to be proud of.
Gather Tools and Materials
- Abrasives–a.k.a. sand paper in 9" x 11" sheets in three grits: 80 (or 100), 150 (or 180) and 220. Clog-free aluminum oxide papers are among the best.
- Sanding block–a smooth 2 x 4 about 4" to 6" long will work, or buy a pliable rubber sanding block for about $5.
- Power Sander–Use a square 4-inch palm (finish) sander only if painting the piece. Palm sanders and similar oscillating rectangular devices tend to leave tiny and unattractive curley-ques in the wood that may be visible under clear polyurethane finishes. Instead, use a random orbit sander (ROS), which has a round (5" or 6" diameter) face, and special stick-on round abrasives. A ROS, available at rental centers, avoids the curley-que problem and is perfect for fast sanding of large flat surfaces. Never use a belt sander: they're too aggressive for furniture.
- Flexible 2" Putty Knife–to sand in tight places.
- If The Piece Is To Be Stained and Clear-coated–Water-based (WB) non-toxic, low-odor pigmented wipe-on stains of the chosen shade (brown mahogany, walnut, etc.) have a 2 - 4 hour dry time, apply easily and work well, as do WB gel stains. Oil-base (OB) wipe- and spray-on stains are OK, but they are smelly and take much longer to dry. OB wipe-on gel stains from Bartley and others are easy to apply and dry quickly. Avoid straight dyes on maple, pine and aspen, since they tend to blotch. Dyes may fade over time in sunlight.
- If the Piece Is To Be Painted–Obtain a brush- or spray-on primer.
- Applicators–Use synthetic brushes for water-based products, China bristle for oil-based. Pads, made by Shur-line and others also work great, especially on big flat surfaces.
- Miscellaneous–microfiber cloth; lint-free cotton, like an old white tee shirt; old rags; plastic food containers; gloves; water or mineral spirits (discussed below).
Step One: Repair any gouges, dents or voids
Step Two: Sand (Really Sand) The Article
A great final look to the project absolutely depends on a good and complete sanding job. Beside smoothing, sanding helps remove invisible rogue contaminants like waxes and silicones that will ruin a finish. Be patient and plan on sanding in three passes with 3 grits.
- Start with 80 or 100 grit paper to smooth factory mill marks, roughness and imperfections. The first pass will be the most laborious.
- Sand with (parallel to) the grain. If table top edges or parquet/butcher block surfaces don't have a single grain direction, sand in small circles and/or use a power random orbit sander as discussed above. Check the abrasive paper regularly. If it clogs with sawdust, clean it with a brush or stiff rag. Replace the paper when it wears out and loses its edge.
- Sand tight places by wrapping a scrap of abrasive around a putty knife blade and working it in and out of the corner. Shift the paper often around the blade tip as it wears down quickly. Alternatively, fold a small piece of abrasive in half and use fingertips to work it back and forth.
- Examine the article in bright light at various angles. It should look uniformly smooth and feel the same to the hand. When satisfied that more sanding won't improve smoothness, switch to 150 or 180 grit paper, and repeat the process, then move onto the final 220 grit pass.
- If using a ROS or palm sander, don't push down. Let the weight of the machine do all the work. Get the feel of the device on a hidden surface of the furniture, such as a table's underside, or a scrap. Start with the lowest speed setting and increase power when confident. Don't sweep the machine wildly back and forth. Move a palm sander about one inch per second, a bit faster for the ROS.
To avoid unsightly rust, never use steel wool if the furniture is to be stained, primed or finished with a water base latex paint or polyurethane.
Step Three: Clean Up
Vacuum as much sawdust as possible. Then, wipe the entire piece with a microfiber cleaning cloth. Do a careful final inspection. Only experienced furniture finishers should use a tack cloth, since it will create more problems than it solves.
Step Four: Stain or Prime
Stir WB stain in its can (never shake it) with a wood slat or paint stirring stick. Completely mix the pigment, which is a somewhat gunky solid that settles at the bottom of the can on sitting, into the liquid. Mix paint primers the same way. Apply stain or paint to just visible parts of the article, or all surfaces if desired.
- Wipe-on and spray staining: Experiment and learn staining techniques on a smooth scrap board. Pour some stain into a plastic tub. Don gloves and either (1) liberally apply stain with a brush or pad; or (2) drench a piece of old tee shirt in the stain and wipe it on. Work a one square foot section at a time. Even out the look of the color by wiping the stain "dry" with another piece of cloth, back and forth, and then move onto a new section. To even out blotchy or uneven lap marks, wipe a moderately wet cloth over the project (use water for water-base stain, mineral spirits for oil-base products). Allow the stain to dry per label directions (2 - 4 hours) and if needed apply successive coats the same way to deepen the hue's depth and intensity. Even out spray-on stains the same way.
- Gel staining: Wipe on the gel with one cloth in a one-square foot area, and wipe again with another clean cloth to smooth and even it.
- Painting: Spray, brush or pad on primer.
For a real, though optional professional touch, before wiping on the pigment stain first apply a base coat of "traditional" or "colonial" water base maple dye. A dye base coat is hidden under the top stain, but nevertheless produces a vibrant effect especially on woods like cherry, oak, walnut and maple. True dyes, which are as thin as water, are seldom available at big box home centers, but can be obtained online from General Finishes, Hood Finishes, Mohawk Finishing and others.
When the stain or primer is dry, the piece is ready for the topcoat finish, clear or paint.
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 ...
Join the Conversation