9 Wood Finishing Techniques According to Expert Woodworkers!

Published on: April 9, 2022
Written by Eric Devin / Fact-checked by David Rowan

Hello everyone!

This tutorial will provide you an elegant complication of wood finishing techniques and tricks in detail. As someone who loves to do woodworking activities, this writing supports enhancing knowledge of clear and consistent finishes with ease. How?

We accumulate here the nine best skills according to expert woodworkers. All of these are easy to apply and provide a glassy finish without any hassle. Most of the woodworkers feel comfortable when they create a unique brightness on the wood furniture.

Let’s get started.

Nine Wood Finishing Techniques for All Woodworkers

As a sophisticated woodworker, you prefer to create smooth, durable, and clear finished furniture with ease. It is a common goal of all professionals. 

But, sometimes it can be tough to do a great ending in the woods. It is hanging on the woods variety along with a variety of techniques. No worries, we present here only practical and effective wood finishing techniques that are suitable for all woodworkers.

So, don’t be late, just start quickly!

1. Oil-based Finishes Techniques 

The first common wood finishing technique is oil finishes strategies. Of course, you have to use natural oil for applying your unfinished woodworking project. Not only natural oil but other high-quality oils are used to get a perfect finishing. The most common natural oil is coconut oil which always dries out wood. 

Tung Oil, Teak Oil, Danish Oil, and Linseed Oil also provide finishes and nourish wood grain. Yes, oils protect your wood from internal and exterior damage. Remember, your oil selection is dependent on which kind of wood you want to finish along with the budget.

If you don’t know what type of wood piece, you can go through the experts in the field. To get completely sealing the wood finish, you have to turn on the linseed oil, tung oil, or teak oil although these are a little pricey, but more effective. Read more: Wood Stain Color Chart: What Wood Stain Is Best

 Alternatively, you feel trouble fixing the coconut oil and danish oil into the wood finish. To use the oil technique, you do not need to eliminate the standing finish deeply and completely. Because it works flawlessly in any refresh piece of wood.

Some oils provide a glossy finish and some are good for the matte finish so that you have to consider a comfortable transformation after finishing the oils technique. Ultimately, the oil wood finishes technique is an amazing choice to enjoy the highly natural wood colors. 

2. Varnish Procedure

Varnish is another wood finishing technique according to the experts. It works to increase gloss, colors, and provide a final brightness of the wood painting. 

No doubt using garnish can protect the layer of paint from air pollution, dust, and more abrasion. Varnish can protect light from incited color changing when it has UV-light stabilizers. 

By the way, varnishes are a transparent and clear wood finishing technique, made of using several things like solvents, oil, resins, and more. The poor side is gradually drying it. So, the varnish is helpful to smooth finishing with ease.

3. Dyeing Technique

One of the most well-known and effective wood finishing techniques is dyes that are excellent for processing color wooden surfaces. The dyeing process is also suitable for the textile, medical sectors, cosmetics, construction, and more. Just because of endless research in the 29th century, there are a lot of synthetic colors in the market. 

Dye is an unavoidable and aesthetic process in the color industry. The main source of color dyes is nature like insects, plants, and animals. There are numerous dyeing formats like granules, dry powders, pastes, chips, or liquids. 

In textile fibers, dyes are the best way to color fabric. The important factor is the dyeing color absorption. If it can absorb color properly, you can maintain a durable state. 

For finishing the woods, you can use two different types of dyes like oil-based and water-based. It protects the internal wooden surface.

4. Lacquers Finishes

Expert woodworkers also use lacquer paint to get the smooth, glossy, and durable finish of the wood. It provides a clear coating and waterproof surfaces. It allows for coloring not only wood surface but metal and other purposes. It comes in a bunch of colors. 

Distinguished from the other wood finishes, lacquer is thinner based. After applying, it dries quickly due to its evaporating solvent. It is super easy to use. You have to spray it to get good results. So, by applying the technique of the lacquer, you can increase the wood’s natural beauty.

5. Water-Based Finishes Technique 

There are quite differences between water-based finishes and oil-based finishes. Compared to an oil-based finish, a water-based finish provides a milky look. Perhaps, you know oil-based is darker than it. This wood finishing technique is suitable for enjoying a natural, beautiful, and clear look. 

No one can evade this water-based coating for keeping hardwood naturally gorgeous. Plus, it also contains a little odor than the other wood finishes. The water-based finish is delicate and thin so that you can easily get clear and clean ends. Due to its quick-drying system, you can finish it within a short time. 

6. Staining Wood Finishing Technique 

Staining technique means the stain or color-changing process. Wood stain is highly recommended to promote the color of the wood. There are multiple color stains available to use. If you choose a darker color than your wood, you get an excellent combination of looking that expands the fiber’s visibility. Don’t think the stain can protect your wood, it is just the color of the coating. 

How to Apply the Staining Paint?

Take fifty percent water and fifty percent paint, then mixt of both. Use a paintbrush to apply on wood. After applying it, you can use any sponge to wash the extra paint. If it dries properly, you can not wash it again. You have to check the ratio of labels before mixing them. 

So, wood stain is the best technique for coloring & finishing a piece of wood.

7. Steel Wool & Vinegar Stain Technique

Steel wool and vinegar stain techniques are also helpful to finish the wood properly. What amount of mixing the vinegar and steel wool? It depends on the woodworking project size. If you seize a small container, you can keep around four or five pieces of steel wool for a great solution. 

How Do You Utilize Steel Wool and Vinegar Stain?

Take one piece of the steel wool and slice it into pieces. You have to fix them in a bottle or jar. Now, you restore the jar into white vinegar, then lock the jar lid to set. When mixing the steel wool and vinegar, it makes a protective coating to apply in the wood. This iron and oxygen mixture chemicals create heat or temperature inside the jar.

Vinegar requires two or three days of decomposed steel wool. In this case, you have to vacate the cover to release gases. Remember, if you add further steel wool with the mixture, you get a darker stain.

Another important thing, you have to put in a long time to settle the mixture in the container. Then, you apply it to the wood and wait for it to sit. So, time is important to set the steel wool and vinegar.

To apply it to the wood, you can use a piece of steel wool. Remove the extra vinegar from the wool piece then apply to the wood smoothly.

You can also clean the abundance stain, just do it for up to fifteen minutes.

8. Shellac or Natural Wax Finish

This perhaps is a great wood finishing technique especially in getting a unique style of a couple of pieces. You find multiple wax options which can be dark, black, metallic, and white. When you reach the ending point of your piece, you will apply the natural wax technique.

For example, shellac is one of the popular wax finishes that came from a bug that is growing on the tree. So, you have to collect this wax from trees. The combination of this wax and Alcohol provides you with better thickness. The highlighted benefits are its color variety, ease to use, and quick to dry. 

Unfortunately, the dark wax is not suitable for use alone in wood because it absorbs as soon as possible into your wood. So, you have to apply the clear wax for coating the piece which offers a glossy finish.

9. Wood Burning Process

Wood burning is a pretty exciting wood finishing technique. You need to practice using this method properly. There are many ways to do it. 

Among those, Shou Sugi Ban is a more popular strategy, perfect for use on any wood. But, the effect is different on various woods. Shou sugi ban provided a long-lasting and beautiful look although difficult to adjust. 

But, cedarwood is the best option for using this method because this type of wood is lighter than other woods. It contains natural chemicals. So, the wood-burning technique makes your wood gorgeous and exceptional.

Safety Precautions When Using These 9 Wood Finishing Techniques

1. Sanding – Wear a dust mask and safety glasses when sanding to protect yourself from dust and flying particles.

2. Staining – Wear a dust mask and rubber gloves when staining to protect yourself from fumes and contact with the wood.

3. Applying Varnish – Wear a dust mask and rubber gloves when applying varnish to protect yourself from fumes and contact with the wood.

4. Shellac – Wear a dust mask and rubber gloves when applying shellac to protect yourself from fumes and contact with the wood.

5. Oil Finishes – Wear rubber gloves when applying oil finishes to protect yourself from contact with the wood.

6. Waxes – Wear rubber gloves when applying waxes to protect yourself from contact with the wood.

7. Polyurethane – Wear a dust mask and rubber gloves when applying polyurethane to protect yourself from fumes and contact with the wood.

8. Lacquer – Wear a dust mask and rubber gloves when applying lacquer to protect yourself from fumes and contact with the wood.

9. Water-Based Finishes – Wear a dust mask and rubber gloves when applying water-based finishes to protect yourself from fumes and contact with the

Some Final Words

In the end, you have already identified the best one from the nine wood finishing techniques. Our all finished methods are justified by the expert woodworkers. So, there is no confusion about applying these tricks for running any successful woodworking mission. 

Our recommended best techniques are dyeing technique, oil-based finishes, water-based finishes, natural wax finish, and varnish.

Go ahead and enjoy your flourishing woodworking experiment!

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