How to Choose the Right Wood Finish?

You are all set to start with your DIY project for wood finishing! Read on these tips to help you with the proper selection of wood finish for the results you want.

• Decide on such issues as to how the wooden product will be used? Whether it will be exposed to water, moisture or other such elements? Do you want the wood finish to be transparent, semitransparent, or opaque?
• Depending upon your requirements, buy the appropriate finish. For this, you must know the basics of wood finishes. Clear finishes give transparent looks and include varnish, polyurethane, lacquer, water-based and shellac. Opaque finishes are paints, which come in various colors.
• Always read the information on the package label for additional help in selecting the right finish. Look at the finished samples available at many stores to get an idea of what the finish will look like.
• For exterior wood surfaces like siding and fascia boards, use a paint that is labeled for exterior use and preferably contains a fungicide.
• If you want to change the color of raw wood, use a wood stain. Wood stains also make inexpensive wood, such as pine, look more expensive (like cherry, oak, or mahogany)
• If you want a weatherproof finish such as for outdoor wood furniture, use wood stains made with sealers.
• Give thick finishes to the furniture in high-moisture or high-traffic areas. Examples of such furniture include your garden furniture or living room furniture. To get a thicker finish, go for wood varnish, polyurethane, lacquer, water-based finishes, shellac or paint. These can be applied in several layers on the wood surface. Oil finishes cannot build up layers and leave the wood surface more natural-looking.
• To bring out the beauty and the grain in wood, use oil finishes. They work more efficiently on hardwoods such as red oak, maple, cherry, and walnut.
• Use linseed oil finish only on interior projects and for restoring wood furniture with an existing linseed finish. You will find both- regular and boiled linseed oil. Use boiled linseed oil if you want shorter drying time.
• If you are finishing a wooden craft that has not been finished previously, you can use either danish or teak oils. Danish oil has comparatively low luster than teak oil.
• For non-toxic wood finish, like for butcher blocks or wooden toys, use mineral oil.
• For articles that are more exposed to moisture, use tung oil finish.
• For slightly glossy or flat appearance, use wax finish.

Whatever finish you choose, remember wooden finishes protect your wooden crafts and furniture apart from making them look good. So, give a finish that is appropriate to the wood surface and make them stay with you for a lifetime.

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DIY: Remove Stains from Wood Furniture

Wood furniture lends sheer elegance to any home. They are durable and easy to maintain too. They are given efficient wood finishes by wood furniture manufacturers. However, sometimes these finishes can not counter the problem of staining. The furniture can get stained by milk, nail polish and even water. So how can you get rid of these stains? Here are some easy to follow techniques for your help. However, if there are some tough stains on very expensive furniture item then its better to get professional help. Sometimes the quick remedies may damage the wood finish.

Tips for Removing Common Stains

Before applying the following remedies on larger areas of any furniture, remember to test it on a small area to see whether it damages the finish or not?

Water Stains: If you see any water marks in the form of rings on your wooden dining table, cover it with a clean, thick blotter and press down with a warm iron. Repeat the process for some time. You can also apply some salad oil, mayonnaise or white toothpaste on the stain and then wipe it dry. Now you can wax and polish the table.

Alcohol/ Milk Stains: Take some liquid or paste wax and rub it on the stain with fingers. You can also use a paste of boiled linseed oil and rotten stone. Another trick is to rub with a dampened cloth having ammonia on it. Then wipe it dry and wax or polish.

Nail Polish Stains: If nail polish spills on your hardwood furniture then treat it as soon as it occurs. Blot it immediately and then rub it with fine steel wool dipped in wax. Steel wool is a bundle of strands of very fine soft steel filaments, used in finishing and repairing work to polish wood or metal objects. Afterwards, wipe it dry and wax or polish.

Paint Marks: Fresh latex paint on hardwood furniture can be removed with the help of water and oil-based paint with mineral spirits. If the stain has dried, soak the stained spot in boiled linseed oil. When the paint gets softened after a while, lift it carefully with a putty knife or wipe with cloth after dampening it with boiled linseed oil. If some paint is still left, remove it by rubbing along the grain with a paste of boiled linseed oil and rotten stone. Wipe it dry and wax or polish.

Wax Marks: Hold an ice cube wrapped in cloth against the wax so that it gets hardened. Then remove it with fingernail or some other stiff object such as a blunt knife or a plastic card. Now rub with extra-fine steel wool dipped in mineral spirits. Then wipe it dry and wax or polish.

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