Choosing the Right Wood Finish for Your Home

Wood finishing is one of the most frustrating aspects for many woodworkers. Though they are not fazed by complicated joinery or precise and intricate machining, many woodworkers still feel uneasy at the prospect of adding a final finish to their projects. I often hear people asking, “What is the optimal finish for my project?”. Having the ability to confidently and comfortably answer that query is a critical barrier to be surpassed.

Products that have been completed can be organized into classifications that are quick to understand, depending on their common working characteristics and the extent of coverage they offer: waxes, oils, varnishes, shellacs, varnishes and water-borne finishing. The type of finish chosen will have an influence on the level of protection, longevity, how easy it is to put it on, the ability to fix it and its appearance. It is not possible to find a single finish that surpasses all other related categories; something that succeeds in one area may not be the best choice for another, thus the process of selecting a finish requires compromises to be made.

When working with wood, it is essential to give it a protective coat to avert any harm caused by UV radiation, precipitation, or high humidity. This is true whether you are constructing a barrier, installing a wooden guardrail, or dealing with detailed wooden furnishings. Without any protective measures in place, these environmental conditions can lead to shrinkage, fissures, enlargement, or decay in the wood.

Furniture made of wood that is dried or weakened won’t be able to hold much weight, so it is smart to pick a wood finish that will guard your upcoming carpentry piece. It is critical to gain knowledge of the various kinds of wood finishes and to remember some essential points to contemplate when making your purchase to decide on the perfect wood finish for the task.

Types of Wood Finishes

Wood finishes can be categorized into two main categories based on their effect on the wood’s look, how they interact with the wood, and the degree of protection they provide to the project. Two kinds of finishes can be applied to wood: penetrating finishes, e.g., tung oil, linseed oil, or cedar oil; and surface finishes, such as varnish, polyurethane, or paint.

Penetrating Wood Finishes

Wood finishes that go deep into the surface create a more natural look for wood pieces. These wood finishes get right into the wooden material, shielding it from drying out, breaking, expanding, and decaying.

• Tung oil is an environmentally friendly wood finish that accentuates the natural appearance of the wood while adding a warm, golden glow. It has a high level of durability and resistance, making it suitable for boat decks and floors. Apply tung oil with a cloth or brush for best results.
• Linseed oil is easy to apply using a brush or cloth, though this product tends to take a long time to fully cure. Use this wood finish for a natural look with a warm, yellow matte tone that darkens with age.
• Danish oil is a highly durable wood finish that is made by mixing boiled linseed or tung oil, varnish, and paint thinner. It is regularly applied with a cloth or brush to coat wooden utensils and handles for a natural matte or gloss finish.
• Cedar oil is a popular option that has a woody odor and it’s known to help protect woodworking projects from insects, swelling, and rot. This wood finish has a warm, silvery-grey appearance that is great for floors and furniture.

Surface Wood Finishes

Penetrating wood finishes are designed to seep down into the wood, while surface wood finishes are intended to create a strong protective barrier on the outside of the wood. Selecting a surface finish that is more durable would be the ideal choice if the furniture or item will be subject to a great deal of wear and tear.

• Shellac has an attractive mellow finish that is intended to accentuate the natural grain of the wood. It is especially attractive on walnut and mahogany. Use a sprayer or a badger hair brush to apply shellac and choose from a range of color tones, like blonde or rich orange.
• Lacquer is another wood finish that is made by combining several other finishes, such as shellac, urushiol, or nitrocellulose. It’s great for protecting wooden furniture, cabinets, doors, or shelving, and it can be applied with a sprayer or a natural bristle brush.
• Varnish is made for outdoor application due to its high resistance to UV radiation and moisture. This wood finish is typically transparent, though some products can have a yellow or orange tint. Apply varnish with a sprayer or a paint roller for the best results.
• Wax is an easy to apply wood finish that is ideal for hardwood floor and fine wooden furniture. Use a cloth, brush, or sprayer to apply the wax to the wood for increased physical and environmental protection.
• Polyurethane is the most durable option for indoor woodworking projects. It’s highly effective at protecting cabinets, doors, furniture, and floors from scratches and abrasive damage. Polyurethane is also water-resistance and is intended to enhance the natural appearance of the wood with a statin or mid-gloss finish.
• Stain is commonly used to protect decks and fences from water and UV radiation in order to prevent cracking, drying, or rotting. This type of wood finish enhances the grain pattern of the wood and it is available in a wide variety of colors.
• Paint, like stain, comes in a wide range of colors. However, paint is intended to fully cover the target surface, instead of allowing the natural appearance of the wood to show through. It can be used for both indoor and outdoor projects, including wood paneling, walls, doors, fences, decks, and furniture.

Cost

It should be expected that paint, stain, and varnish, which are all familiar types of wood treatments employed frequently by householders and DIYers, will have a cost associated with them. On average, it costs about $25 to $50 for a container of wood finish if you need the product to complete a DIY woodworking project or to finish renovations around the home. Hiring a certified painter to complete the job or restorations usually costs an average of $3.50 to $7.50 per linear foot. This consists of the cost for the components, transporting them to the job site, getting the area ready for the work to be done, and the employees’ wages.

How to Choose a Wood Finish

There are numerous options of wood finishes on the market, making it difficult to decide which one best suits your project. Take the time to inquire about important factors that can assist you in picking the right wood finish from the shelves.

What Does the Project Need to be Protected From?

A layer of protection is added by the wood finish, but how much protection from the environment and strength it will offer relies on the kind of wood finish applied. Varnishes are perfect for everyday use and are very resilient against both ultraviolet light and moisture. A marine-grade finish is a wise choice for any wood that might come into contact with outdoor conditions. If the venture is going to be mainly indoors, it might be best to pick a polyurethane wood finish that gives superior durability, although it is less effective at safeguarding against UV rays. Investigate the many kinds of wood finishes before settling on the one that is most suitable for your venture.

What Look Do You Want?

Protection shouldn’t be the only concern. It is essential to consider how the woodworking project will look in the end when searching for a wood finish product. Painting and staining are both popular choices for both internal and external tasks as they come in numerous shades and hues. Oils such as tung, linseed, and danish provide a more organic coating, which brings out the grain pattern of the timber considerably. If you would like to preserve the current look of the wood and offer it some protection, consider using a clear polyurethane finish or a transparent stain.

What Finishes Are More Durable?

The strength of a finish is gauged by its protection against water, strong substances, solvents (including ones in basic cleaners and acidic items), heat, and scratches. Any finishes made from wax, shellac, or lacquer can be ruined if kept soaked in water for too lengthy of a period. The majority of these items are easily prone to scratching, but they can be rubbed out nicely. The other side of the coin is that wax is unexpectedly immune to acids and alkali materials. Aside from that, it is the least durable finish. Shellac is not durable when exposed to substances like ammonia or alcohol. Of all the evaporative finishes, lacquer (nitrocellulose and acrylic, water- and solvent-based) fare the best in terms of overall durability. Using hand-application, oil-based polyurethane is the most resilient finish you can get, and the toughest clear surface possible when sprayed is achieved by the use of catalyzed lacquer or varnish.

Choose a finish to match your skill level.

The decision of what finish to use is determined by one’s experience, the surroundings in which one works, and if the equipment is ready for spraying. The environment in your store – including how warm/cold and humid it is, as well as the presence of sawdust – will have an impact on your decision. Particles of dust will not be as detrimental to a lacquer or shellac finish as they would be on varnish, which takes longer to dry. Shellac and lacquer possess the best resistance to cold temperatures, plus they can be adjusted with retarder additives when the climate is hot and humid. In cold temperatures and humid environments oils and products derived from them take a long time to dry, and dust will quickly attach to the dried coating when given the time to settle.

Equipment for spraying necessitates a bigger financial allocation and, generally speaking, expensive machinery to vent out the spray. It will probably take some time to master the technique of spraying, so don’t expect to get perfect results right away.

The type of finish will notably affect the look of the wood.

Do you want a natural “in-the-wood” finish? Does your work require sophistication, depth, and a perfectly polished surface? Do you have any issues with the hue of the finish, or should we be worried about yellowing of the finish in the future?

Traditionally, woodworkers have turned to oil, wax or oil and varnish blends (such as Watco) for a natural-looking finish. None of these finishes that can be easily applied does not dry to make a hard outer layer. No matter what type of finish you use such as varnish, shellac, or lacquer, you can produce a natural-looking effect. The key is to put on no more than a few coats and buff out the final film with steel wool. For a surface with a lot of texture, rich color, and a high shine, you must make use of a tough sealant such as varnish, shellac, or lacquer. This type of finish is also mandatory when you have to perform complex coloring options like toning and glazing.

The shade and the depth of the coating could be a problem. Both orange shellac and phenolic-resin varnish may give a darker hue to woods that ought to remain as light as they can. In addition, many finishes deepen or darken the wood surface. In the majority of scenarios, this is favorable because it provides more complexity and increases vibrancy. However, you may want to downplay any deepening effect. Using oil on some finely carved woods (like pearwood) may leave an unpleasing, blurry-looking finish.

All three of oil and oil-based varnish, solvent-based lacquer and shellac have the effect of deepening the wood’s hue and enhancing its glossiness. These coatings moisten the individual compartments of the wood, entering the exterior. Rather than being absorbed into the surface of the film, other finishes such as those that are water-based and certain catalyzed lacquers just sit on the surface. By not going deep into the wood, they make it look lighter in shade.

There is a misconception that polyurethane and catalyzed lacquers give off a plastic appearance, which is actually a result of the improper use of these finishes, not the finishes themselves. Applying thick varnish and lacquer on porous woods can cause an unattractive, slippery look to the surface. The ending of the movie creates a barrier over the pores instead of seeping into them, resulting in this outcome. Decreasing the thickness of the coating applied can produce a more attractive end product. A preferred way I use to apply oil-based polyurethane is to mix it with mineral spirits to make a 50% thinner solution and do a wiping technique.

A coating that is inclined to become a yellowish hue as it ages will be conspicuous with materials like maple or birch, which are lighter and have not been stained. A varnish that is either water or solvent based and made of acrylic won’t result in this issue. Wax pastes and some catalyzation completed finishes will not discolor.

Think about safety and the environment.

A finish produced using organic solvents, such as varnish and lacquer, contains a large amount of potentially hazardous compounds which can be damaging to both your health and the environment. It’s also highly flammable. If this is causing an issue for you, try utilizing a water-based finish to remove the risk of fire and to ease the effect on the environment and people’s health. An all-natural oil is a surprisingly effective substitute for a lacquer or varnish that is based in solvents. Unlike the solvent-based option, oil lacks any solvents and is made from renewable materials. However, oil-soaked rags must be disposed of carefully. Shellac is also a good alternative. Denatured alcohol, the liquid used to dissolve shellac, is created from distilling corn and usually does not have an offensive smell.

Once they are completely dried out, all coatings are safe to use, regardless of what you might have encountered in the past or been told. Once the solvents have dissipated, any cured coating is secure to use on food items. This is not implying that it is safe to consume the ending. This basically implies that chemicals like metal driers and plasticizers are locked up tightly enough that they don’t come in contact with your food. The only kinds of coatings to food items that I know of that can be eaten are wax and shellac, as well as mineral oil, which can be bought for medical purposes.

An excessive amount of the finish material is used up when sprayed, resulting in the release of organic solvents into the atmosphere. Applying a finish by either brushing or wiping on is a more practical approach, though it is slower.