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| Leave it to the pro. Michael Dresdner, a nationally known wood finishing and woodworking expert, has answered hundreds of common wood finishing questions in Varathane’s Q&A library to help you successfully complete your project. Click on a link to the left for help and solid advice. |
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| Q: I am getting ready to stain and finish doors and trim for a house we are building and was told you should always sand the product lightly before staining.
A: Quite true. The surface of wood that has been sitting for a while will oxidize, making it harder for the finish to adhere. Millwork in particular must be sanded because it is prone to "mill glaze," the industry term for the slight burnishing that often comes from contact with molding cutters. Sanding will not only eliminate both of these potential adhesion problems, but will also guarantee that all surfaces are prepared exactly the same, which will help finish go on more uniformly. |  | |
| Q: I have a bookshelf that I would like to paint. It has a photo finish vinyl overlay. Do I need to prep the surface before painting it? Is there a certain type of paint or applicator I should use? Once it’s painted, can the paint be removed without damaging the fake finish?
A: Painting vinyl is always a bit risky, and never reversible. If you must paint it, clean the surface well, scuff sand for adhesion, and use a coat of Zinsser BIN before moving on to either a waterbased or oil based paint. Use whatever applicators work best for you. | | |
| Q: I’ve stained and wiped a mahogany piece and plan to seal it with Zinsser Bulls Eye SealCoat, then apply Pore-O-Pac grain filler with a piece of burlap and wipe across the grain to make sure the pores are filled. After the time on the can indicates, I will wipe off the excess in the direction of the grain, let it dry overnight, then sand. Next will come several coats of wipe on polyurethane, steel wooled between coats. Could you please tell me if these are the correct steps, and do I need to thin the SealCoat?
A: No, you do not need to thin the SealCoat, but it does dry very fast, so try to work small areas at a time. In a pinch, you can add a bit of glycerin to the SealCoat to slow it down, but do this only if you must.
Pore-O-Pac works great, but you have the application backwards. Apply it with the grain, or for that matter, in any direction you want. As it starts to get thick and the top turns just dusky, use burlap to pack it into the pores, then wipe off the excess across the grain, not with it, using a clean piece of burlap. Let the filler dry three days before you sand it lightly (320 grit paper) to remove any excess on the surface.
I’m not a fan of steel wool between coats, as it can leave bits of metal fibers in the finish. If you need to level or smooth the surface, sand it with very fine paper (400 grit or higher), but most of the time, with wipe on finishes, this won’t be necessary. As long as each coat goes on within a week or so of the last one, there is no need to sand for adhesion; only for leveling. | | |
| Q: I am puzzled about what to do with the kitchen walls, which are a beautiful knotty pine. They have not been touched for twenty-five years and there is a lot of water damage, dirt, and grease buildup on them. Because they darken the room so much, I would really like to use a wash of white paint thinned with water to create a transparent pickling effect. Could this work, or do you have a better suggestion?
A: The first suggestion is to clean the wood before you decide on any finishing sequence. You may find that cleaning makes the wood light enough. Even if you decide to apply a paint wash, you will need to clean, degrease, lightly scuff sand, and prime the wood first.
Use TSP to clean and degrease the wood. Scuff sand with 320 grit self lubricating sand paper, and seal it with a coat of Zinsser SealCoat before moving on to the paint wash. |
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