I've created a pretty flexible finishing system I can adapt to achieve a variety of finishes. Here are a few examples.
- Sanding to 220
- Color on the walnut, not on the ash
- Shellac x 2 coats
- 320 sanding
- Wipe on poly
- 320 sanding
- Wipe on poly
- 320 sanding
- Steel wool and wax
- Sanding to 220
- Color
- Shellac x 2 coats
- 320 sanding
- Glaze (Adds depth and darkness to angles and corners)
- Shellac
- 320 sanding
- Wipe on poly
- 320 sanding
- Wipe on poly
- 320 sanding
- Steel wool and wax
- Sanding to 220
- Gel Stain Color
- Shellac x 2 coats
- 320 sanding
- Shellac (building depth)
- 320 sanding
- Wipe on poly
- 320 sanding
- Wipe on poly
- 400, 600 sanding
- Pumice and Rotten Stone applied with a felt block (rubbing out the finish).
- Wax
- Steel wool and wax
- Sanding to 150
- Light distressing
- Wire brushing (brings out texture)
- Sanding to 220
- Color (Varathane Kona here)
- Highlighting (sand edges here and there to remove color).
- Shellac x 2
- 320 sanding
- Glaze (Adds depth and darkness to angles and corners).
- Shellac
- 320 sand
- Wipe on poly
- 320 sanding
- Wipe on poly
- 320 sanding
- Steel wool and wax
- Sanding to 150
- Heavy distressing
- Sanding to 220
- Color
- Highlighting (sand edges here and there to remove color).
- Shellac x 2
- 320 sanding
- Glaze (Adds depth and darkness to angles and corners).
- Shellac
- 320 sand
- Wipe on poly
- 320 sanding
- Wipe on poly
- 320 sanding
- Steel wool and wax
Cherry is tough to finish. You can't apply color directly to the wood, or it will splotch. Cherry will darken with age, but here's how I add color to cherry if requested by my client.
- Sanding to 220
- Shellac x 2 (I'm sealing the wood thoroughly so that no color touches it).
- 320 sanding
- Shellac: Clear and Amber mixed in various ratios to achieve different tones.
- 320 sand
- If more color is desired, I often use universal tints in very small quantities in the shellac.
- Or I use wood stain on top of shellac (wipe on, wipe off). Seal with shellac if color step is used.
- 320 sanding
- Wipe on poly
- 320 sanding
- Steel wool and wax
This is a finish recipe I use on oak to achieve a very old, rugged appearance. It varies by the piece a bit. Sometimes I add glaze, or vary the amount of poly depending on the sheen.
- Sanding to 150
- Light distressing
- Wire brushing (brings out texture)
- I apply a solution of steel wool soaked in white vinegar over night, strained, then diluted in water to achieve various tones. Much experimentation and adding / subtracting of water is required to achieve a specif tone. The vinegar solution reacts to the tannins in the oak. The effect is almost instantaneous.
- Allow piece to dry
- Highlighting (sand edges here and there to remove color)
- Wipe on poly
- 320 sanding
- Wipe on poly
- 320 sanding
- Steel wool and wax
- Sanding to 150
- Light distressing
- Wire brushing (brings out texture)
- Sanding to 220
- Wipe on poly
- 320 sanding
- Wipe on poly
- 320 sanding
- Steel wool and wax