After you’ve overcome the challenges of building your project, are you fearful that the finish might ruin your woodwork?  That’s the way I felt about a lot of my projects, but with practice and education, I’ve overcome most of those fears.  We’ll show you how to get started to get some great finishing results.

What types of wood finishes are there?

There are many types of finishes, which is why this can be so confusing.  Here are the 5 main types of wood finishes that are commonly used:

- Oil Finish - oil finishes are used mainly on fine furniture and mid century modern furniture.  It’s easy to apply but doesn’t offer much protection from liquids.  Boiled linseed oil, Danish oil, and Tung oil are the most common oils used for finishing.  Mineral oil is used for a food grade finish on cutting boards, charcuterie boards, wooden bowls, and cooking utensils.
- Shellac Finish - a shellac finish is normally found on older furniture and antiques.  This is a fast drying finish that protects the wood, but it dissolves with alcohol, so it’s not good for surfaces where alcoholic drinks will be present
- Lacquer Finish - this is also a fast drying finish and it’s not damaged by alcohol.  Lacquer is used on a lot of factory-made furniture because it dries quickly to support high production rates. The problem is, this is a very toxic finish and needs to be used with a lot of safety precautions.
- Polyurethane Finish - this is a film finish that’s durable and protects the wood well from wear and tear.  It’s sometimes criticized for looking like plastic and taking away from the look of the wood.  Polyurethane is available in a water-based and oil-based finish.  The oil-based finish has a warm yellow tone to it whereas the water-based polyurethane has a clear look.
- Varnish Finish - this is a unique oil-based finish that is flexible enough to be used on outdoor furniture where the wood expands and contracts.  When the wood moves, the finish moves with it and stays intact instead of splitting and breaking down.

Wax is not a finish by itself, but is used in combination with another finish as a top coat.

Recommendation for Beginners

With all those choices, where do you start as a beginner?  Here’s what we recommend.

Safety

A word of caution about finishes - a lot of finishes use chemicals that you shouldn’t inhale.  Make sure you use a respirator with an organic filter.  When you wear a properly fitting respirator, you won’t be able to smell the finish.  Also protect your skin from absorbing the finish by wearing gloves.

Don’t use Stains

Pigment stains can hide the star of the show - the wood.  I’ve seen many projects where the stain has ruined the look of a piece because the woodworker didn’t know what they were doing.  As a new woodworker I suggest not using stains.  If you want your project to have a dark tone to it, use dark wood such as walnut.  For a medium wood tone, use cherry or hickory.  Let the wood you choose show it’s character and beauty!

Selecting a Finish

For beginners, I suggest keeping it simple and minimizing the tools you need.  Use either an oil finish or a wipe-on polyurethane.  You won’t need brushes or need to learn brushing techniques.

An oil finish will protect the wood from minor dust and dirt, but it won’t protect it much from moisture, such as a drinking glass.  If you anticipate your piece being used to set glasses or dishes on, you’ll want to use a polyurethane finish.

A wipe-on polyurethane finish goes on much thinner than a brushed on polyurethane.  For surfaces where there will be a lot of use, I suggest 6 coats of wipe-on finish to build up a thicker protective layer.

Warning: When you’re done applying a finish, make sure to properly dispose of the application cloth.  Oily rags can heat up and start on fire all by themselves.  Ensure you read an understand the label for your finish to avoid a fire.

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