Finishes not only improve the appearance of wood but also increase their durability by offering protection from damage by water, harsh chemicals used in homes and mechanical stress. A project involving woodwork is not yet complete without the application of a finish unless you want to live with raw wood. Here I will explain how to stain wood.
The process is not an easy task, especially if you are not aware of the materials needed and the procedure on how to apply a wood finish. Understanding the types of wood finishes available and the reasons to even start a wood finishing project is very important. This article will offer a guide on all these aspects of wood finishing.
Materials needed for the project
Good source of light.
To see if you have you have missed a spot or if there are runs and drips when applying a wood finish, you need to have a source of reflective light. A light source may be in the form of a solar lamp or an electric light bulb. If you choose to rely on ambient light only, chances are you could go wrong with the project. When just starting out with woodworking I highly recommend to go read my ultimate woodworking beginners guide.
Stripper
If you want to apply a new finish to a previously finished wood, you need to secure an excellent stripper to remove the old finish. If the wood was already finished with paint, you should use a thick stripper to get the paint off your wood. On the other hand, a thin stripper is used to dissolve all other types of finishes used for wood.
Sander
Since you may want to apply finishes on large-sized wood, it is recommended that you utilize the use of sandpaper mounted on a sanding block. If still the work is tedious for you, you should invest in a power sander that can do the job 30 times faster than hand sanding.
Suitable finish application tool
Application materials range from brushes, rugs and spray can. The choice of these tools depends on the type of finish you will use for your project. For paints and stains, a brush is preferable, while for clear finishes such as wood oils, a rug or a spray can is better. You should purchase these materials in the same store you get your finishes.
Finishes
There is a wide variety of finishes to use and hence making a choice depends on preference and the goals you want to accomplish by finishing your wood. Here is a detailed explanation of the commonly used wood finishes when wondering how to stain wood:
Clear coats
This category boasts with the widest variety of wood finishes available. Some of them include:
- Wax: Wax is applied to woods with smooth surfaces or on top of other coats to offer protection against moisture.
- Oils such as linseed and Tung: These offer the advantage of quick and easy application to wood. Their primary purpose of these finishes is to condition the wood.
- Polyurethane: This is a polymer mainly in liquid form that dries to form a stable layer on the wood. As with all polymers, polyurethane takes a longer time to dry and hence should not be used in dusty environments.
- Varnish: This is one of the most durable clear coats. Varnishes have excellent resistance to moisture protecting wood from such conditions.
- Lacquer: When applied on wood, lacquer dries rapidly, forming a hard coating. They are, however, prone to cracking if they stay for a long time.
Wood stain
This type of finish is used on plywood and natural woods to make visible their surface grains. Wood stain comes in different colors. The most common colors for wood stains are brown and red. If you are experimenting your wood finishing skills, this is one of the materials you should use.
Paints
If your wood finishing project requires intense color, then paints are the finishes you should go for. Paints are commonly used for plywood, medium-density fiberboard and natural woods. This finishing material needs a lot of expertise to apply as factors like coverage needs to be considered.
What finish should you take
For knowing how to stain wood you will need to know what finisher to use. Some factors influence the type of wood finish you need for your project. These include:
Wood type
You should evaluate factors such as porosity and roughness of the wood as they affect the kind of finish you will use. The surface quality of your wood will also dictate whether you will apply the finishes in extensive coverage or not. Softwoods blend well with lighter finishes while hardwoods go well with more robust finishes.
Preferred color
Color is critical, especially if you are using paints and stains. You should select a finish color that at least matches with other materials in your particular setting. Since there exist dark and light varieties, you should choose the one that is appealing to you.
Location of the wood
If a wooden structure is located outdoors, color matching may not be a big deal as compared to those indoors. The amount of light in the wood location should, however, be evaluated as it helps to create an estimate of how the wood will look like when light hits it. The place where the wood is placed also determines the intensity of pre-treatment processes required, such as sanding.
Finish coverage required
Paint and stains offer better coverage than clear coats. You should evaluate if you need a finish that shines through exposing the wood grain surface or one that hides the wood surface completely.
How to stain wood step by step
Wood surface preparation
This is an essential step as it reduces interruptions during finish application saving on the amount of finish and time needed. These are the main wood preparations steps you must not skip:
Sanding
Dents and stretches on wood should be removed by the use of sandpaper mounted on a sanding block or a power sander in case of larger projects. You should avoid sanding against the grain of the wood, as this may be very tedious. You should sand the surface until even the scratches from the previous sanding are eliminated.
Inspection
This step is done to ensure that you are satisfied with the sanding procedure above. You should use a steady source of light to ensure that the surface you want to apply finish on is entirely smooth. You should take your time and level any blemishes that you observe on your surfaces.
Cleaning
You should use a dry cloth or rag to wipe off shavings and dust left on the surfaces. The fabric you choose should, however, pick up even the finest materials on the wood surface. You may use a vacuum cleaner after wiping the larger materials to suck the finer materials left.
Actual application
Mix the contents of the finish can
This is done to make sure that the components of the finish are spread uniformly throughout the finish. If you have stored a finish for long before use, you should mix the contents more. The question of whether to stir or shake the contents depends on what is directed by the manufacturer.
Gather the application tools you need
Depending on the type of finish you selected and its mode of application, you should keep around a brush, rag or spray bottle.
Test the shade or tint of the finish
Before applying the finish to the entire wood, you should test a small amount of the finish on a separate surface to see if it will offer the required color. The testing material should, however, be from the same species as the primary wood you want to apply finish on.
Partition a small area on the wood and apply the finish
To keep track of the drying time, you first need to apply to a smaller area before proceeding to the rest of the wood. You should also get an estimate of the amount of extra paint you will use for a particular area if it dries quickly.
Proceed to other areas
Evenness is a rule of thumb in this step. You should be patient when applying your finish to ensure that it blends uniformly with the wood surface. Any excess wood finish should be wiped off immediately before it dries up and become hard to remove.
Apply another layer (optional)
This should only be done if you are not satisfied with the color intensity of the previous layer. You should, however, allow the previous coat to dry up before applying a subsequent layer. The previous layer should be on the entire wood surface before applying another layer.
Why is wood finishing important?
Protection
Wood is prone to wear and tear, especially if rough activities are done on it. Wood finishes offer a sacrificial layer that protects the wood from any mechanical damage. Wet conditions structurally degrade wood and make it even prone to pest. Since many wood finishes are waterproof, they make wood water resistant.
Aesthetics
Raw wood grains are not as appealing as finished ones. Finishes help bring the best characteristics of wood surfaces. Finishes also cover any defects on the wood surfaces. If you want a touch of the rustic beauty in wood, you need to consider finishing.
Smoothening
This is very important, especially for furniture demanding close human contact like a reading table. Wood finishes alter the texture of wood surfaces, making it friendlier for human use. If you want to keep your furniture in good shape, you should not ignore wood finishing.
Wood finishing being the last step of a woodworking project, may be ignored. However, by now, you are aware of the reasons why the step is very crucial. With the wide variety of wood finishes available as discussed above, it is with no doubt that you cannot exhaust the list of finishes to suit your needs. If you are unable to follow the above guideline on how to stain wood or to ensure that there are reduced errors, you may engage professional wood finishing services.
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