The Power Of The Fourth

I enjoy all aspects of a project – design, wood selection, construction, and finish. I like the fourth aspect best when it is hard to mess up. And you need to not mess it up because your finish can make or break your project! It’s important enough that many professionals send their pieces out for finishing. That leaves the rest of us to do it on our own.

If I’m not at all worried about the durability needed on the top of a dining table or end table, I’ve been using beeswax and a pollisoir when I can for a pleasant, tactile finish. But when it needs to have a bit more protection, I tend to go with a wiping finish of some sort – usually a varnish, but sometimes a 1lb cut of shellac.

When I have the option, I always go with the glossy version of a finish. It doesn’t muddy the figure in the wood and if you don’t want it to be glossy in the end, you can rub it out with 0000 steel wool (or the nylon equivalent) to bring it back to a semi-gloss or matte finish. You can never start off with a semi-gloss or matte finish and then try to make it glossy later. Well… you can make the top of it glossy, but you’ll have already lost some of the clarity of the final product.

Earlier this year, my best friend turned me on to Amazon’s prices for Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil stock finish. I picked up a 32oz bottle for under $20. This is one of those finishes that, if you follow the directions pretty closely, it’s hard to screw up. You can apply it with cotton rag or foam brush, you can re-apply after a few hours, and it builds up a protective, glossy finish in no time. Plus, it has a good shelf life, so I’ll easily use all 32oz before it goes bad.

If finishing a project has always been a challenge for you, you might consider picking up a bottle of it the next time you need to get some more finish. It’s hard to beat for the price.

TKW

* As with any oil finish, be aware that it will darken the wood just a bit and that you have to properly dispose of oily rags. Also, I don’t make any money from Amazon sales and I didn’t receive this finish for free or at any discounted price. Just piping up about a good deal.