Winner of the 1998 Stanley Award for Best How-to Book!
A well-applied finish can add the crowning touch to any piece of
furniture, yet finishing is a skill that many woodworkers find
difficult to master. Most people erroneously assume that flawless
finishes have to be sprayed on or that there's some trick to
achieving perfect results. The truth is that superb finishes have
been produced for years using simple tools like brushes and pads.
This book takes you through the steps necessary to apply finishing
materials by hand, detailing each process, the materials used, and
the correct technique.
You'll learn how to set up a safe and suitable working
environment, how to prepare the surface of the wood for finishing,
and how to choose the right stain to color the wood. At the core of
the book are step-by-step techniques for six classic hand-applied
finishes: shellac (including French polishing), oil, varnish,
lacquer, water-based finish, and milk paint. Each technique is
clearly and concisely explained, with many sharp photos and detailed
drawings to accompany the text.
About The Author:
Jeff Jewitt is a professional finisher who specializes in period
finishing techniques. A contributing editor of Fine Woodworking
magazine, Jeff Jewitt is also the author of
Great Wood Finishes and
The Complete
Illustrated Guide to Finishing.
Introduction:
Although many books and articles have been written on the
subject, finishing remains one of the biggest bugaboos for
woodworkers. Three years ago I began teaching a course called "Six
Finishes in Two Days." The idea behind the course was to omit some
of the theory and chemistry of finishing and simply to demonstrate
six classic finishes from beginning to end using actual products and
projects. Although some students are interested in the whys and hows
of finish chemistry, most just want to learn how to finish.
This book evolved naturally from the finishing course. It is
intended to be a reference manual of techniques for applying
finishes to wood by hand. Most people erroneously assume that
flawless finishes are sprayed on or that there is some "trick" to
achieving superb results.This is simply not true. Flawless finishes
have been produced for hundreds of years using simple tools like
brushes and pads. This book takes you through the process of
applying different kinds of finishes, detailing each process, the
materials used, and the correct technique.
The book is organized according to the natural sequence of
finishing. Starting with the basics of material selection, the
chapters progress from surface preparation and coloring to the
actual process of applying the finishing material. Since all
finishing materials vary in characteristics, the methods for
applying them are slightly different. Each technique is accompanied
by photos and a step-by-step text so that you can grasp the
application nuances.
I've tried to present as many application options as possible for
each type of finish. If you're a beginner or novice, you'll find
this approach better suited to your skills and the materials you
have access to. If you're more advanced, you'll find alternate
techniques to improve your skills.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
1 Getting started
2 Preparing the wood
3 Coloring the wood
and filling the
grain
4 Shellac finishes
5 Oil finishes
6 Varnishes
7 Lacquers
8 Water-based
finishes
9 Milk paint
10 Maintaining and
repairing finishes
Glossary
Index
Soft-cover, 8 x 10 in., 192 pages with
color photos and drawings
Published 1997
Book ISBN: 978-1-56158-154-2
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