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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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| "I have several coats of Danish oil on a carved pineapple, and wood hardener in some places under it. Do I need a primer under the paint I plan to put on? Will Danish oil substitute for the primer? Should I sand the Danish oil area? Can I use the Rust-Oleum Painters Touch latex paint? Will gold paint go over the same primer?"
Yes, you need a primer, and you should sand before applying it, and no, Danish oil will not substitute for it. Most exterior primers will work under any paint, oil or latex, and under any color. |  | |
| "I would like to apply Varathane to a painted wooden table. It is very smooth. Do I need to lightly sand it first?"
Yes, absolutely. Clean it, remove any wax or grease, and then sand. Both cleaning and sanding will increase the adhesion of the finish. | | |
| "Our house contains Douglas fir, cedar, pine, ash, and beech, and our furniture is stained dark. My wife wants to paint it all. Is there any way to tone a darker finish on the ash kitchen cabinets and stairway? And if we do decide to paint the woodwork, what would be best to prepare it? My wife wants to paint the cabinets and give them that old French country antique look."
Yes, you can tone the ash, and you can paint the cabinets. Preparation for both is the same. Start by cleaning the finish thoroughly with TSP and a Scotchbrite scrubber, wiping up all the dirty slurry with paper towels. Sand the surface lightly with 400 grit paper to de-gloss it.
For the wood finishes, add a coat of Zinsser Seal Coat, then spray whatever color toner you want, topped with more of the same finish in clear. For the painted surfaces, use Zinsser B-I-N instead of SealCoat, and paint once it dries. | | |
| "Should I sand any veneer with fine steel wool?"
No. In fact, you should never use steel wool on raw wood or between coats, as it is likely to leave tiny steel threads in the wood and in the finish. Save the steel wool for rubbing out only after all the finish is on and cured. |
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