Understanding Wood Finishing
How to Select and Apply the
Right Finish
by Bob Flexner
Softcover
210 x 275mm
308pp
Published by Fox Chapel Publishing Co. Inc., East Petersburg PA USA
R.R.P.$39.90
ISBN 0-7621-0680-8
As reviewed in The Australian Woodworker Issue 124
Though little known here, Bob Flexner has been writing about finishes in both professional and hobbyist publications in the US for almost two decades. His articles are highly respected and for good reason. Not content with being a professional woodworker struggling to understand finishes and their behaviour, he has spent a lot of time with industrial chemists and even joined the (American) national association of paint and finish chemists.
Understanding Wood Finishing by Bob Flexner is a very comprehensive treatise on finishes, their properties and uses. The text is well-written in layperson's language, but the book does cover a lot of technical material. Colour diagrams and photographs appear regularly to illustrate the information provided in the text. There are also many sidebars (boxed text) covering issues such as myths, tips, safety and related products.
The book covers the following subjects - reasons for finishing wood, surface preparation, application tools, stains, oil finishes, waxes, filling the pores, film finishes, shellac, lacquer, varnish, two-part finishes, water-based finishes, choosing a finish, advanced colouring techniques, finishing the finish, finishing different woods (American species only), maintenance, repair, removal and exterior finishes.
Because so many finishing topics are interrelated, Understanding Wood Finishing hasn't been laid out in a manner that makes it easy to use just as a reference book. You need to take the plunge and read it from front to back, probably in short sections so that you can fully digest the information. However once you’ve read the book, it will probably become your favourite book on finishing.
Understanding Wood Finishing is highly recommended for anyone who wants to improve their finishing ability.
Photos & Illustrations: Colour
Contents
Introduction
Safety
Chapter
1: Why Finish Wood, Anyway?
Sanitation
Stabilization
Decoration
Chapter
2: Preparing the Wood Surface
Selecting the Lumber
Sanding and Smoothing
Sandpaper
Dewhiskering
Glue Splotches
Dents, Gouges, and Holes
Wood Putties
Chapter
3: Tools for Applying Finishes
Making a Rubbing Pad
Rags
Brushes
Using Brushes
Common Brushing Problems
Spray Guns and Equipment
How
a Typical Spray Gun Works
Spray Booths
Common Spraying Problems
Aerosol
Spray Finishing
Compressors
Common Spray-Gun Problems
Chapter
4: Staining Wood
Understanding Stains
What Makes a Stain
A Guide
to Stains
Chemical Stains
Bleaching Wood
Ebonizing Wood
Using
Aniline Dyes
Matching Color
Dyes and Fade Resistance
Applying Stain
Washcoating Before Applying Stain
Washcoats
Staining End Grain
Common
Staining Problems, Causes, and Solutions
Chapter
5: Oil Finishes
Our Ancestors and Linseed Oil
Applying Oil and Oil/Varnish
Finishes
Oil Finishes and Penetration
Understanding Oil
The Food-Safe
Myth
Understanding Varnish
Which Is Which?
Bleeding Oil Finishes
How
to Tell Which Finish You Have
Maintenance and Repair
Guide to "Oil" Finishes
Chapter
6: Wax Finishes.
Using Wax as a Finish
How to Make Your Own Paste Wax
Applying Paste Wax
Compatibility with Other Finishes
Chapter
7: Filling the Pores
Filling Pores with the Finish
Filling Pores with
Paste Wood Filler
Finish vs. Paste Wood Filler
Oil-Based vs. Water-Based
Common Problems Using Oil-Based Paste Wood Filler
Using Oil- Based Paste
Wood Filler
Using Water-Based Paste Wood Filler
Chapter
8: Introduction to Film Finishes
What's in a Name?
Making Sense of
Finishes
How Finishes Cure
Solids Content and Mil Thickness
Controlling
Sheen with Flatting Agent
Finishing Materials: How They Cure
Comparing
Evaporative, Reactive, and Coalescing Finishes
Classifying Finishes
Sealers
and Sealing Wood
Solvents and Thinners
Finish Compatibility
The Future
of Film Finishes
Chapter
9: Shellac
Pros 8 Cons
What Is Shellac?
Categories of Shellac
Alcohol
Shellac in Modern Use
Brushing and Spraying Shellac
French Polishing
Common Problems Applying Shellac
Padding Lacquer
Chapter
10: Lacquer
Nitrocellulose Lacquer Variations
Pros & Cons
Advantages
of Lacquer
Lacquer Thinner
Comparing the Solvents in Lacquer Thinner
Crackle
Lacquer
Common Problems Applying Lacquer
Fish Eye and Silicone
Spraying
Lacquer
Lacquer's Problems
Chapter
11: Varnish
The Mix of Oil and Resin
Pros & Cons
Characteristics
of Varnish
Applying Varnish
Identifying Varnish Types
Wiping Varnish
Brushing Varnish
Turpentine and Petroleum- Distillate Solvents
Common
Problems Applying Varnish
Gel Varnish
The Future of Varnish
Chapter
12: Two-Part Finishes
KCMA Testing Standards
Catalyzed Finishes
Pros
& Cons
Two-part Polyurethane
Crosslinking Water Base
Epoxy Resin
Chapter
13: Water-Based Finishes
What Is Water-Based Finish?
Pros & Cons
Characteristics
of Water Base
Common Problems Applying Water Base
Brushing and Spraying
Water-Based Finishes
Glycol Ether
Is Water Base for You?
Chapter
14: Choosing a Finish
Appearance
Protection
Durability
Ease
of Application
Safety
Disposing of Solvent Waste
Reversibility
Rubbing
Qualities
Comparing Finishes
Guide to Choosing a Finish
How to Choose
Chapter
15: Advanced Coloring Techniques
Factory Finishing
Glazing
Antiquing
Wood
Toning
Pickling
Step Panel
Common Glazing and Toning Problems
Chapter
16: Finishing the Finish
Cutting Through
Additional Factors in Rubbing
a Finish
Synthetic Steel Wool
Rubbing with Steel Wool
Comparison of
Rubbing Lubricants
Leveling and Rubbing
Machine Rubbing
Chapter
17: Finishing Different Woods
Pine
Oak
Walnut
Mahogany
Hard
Maple
Cherry
Ash, Elm, and Chestnut
Aromatic Red Cedar
Soft Maple,
Gum, and Poplar
Birch ç Oily Woods
Chapter
18: Caring for the Finish
Causes of Finish Deterioration
Applying
Liquid Furniture Polish
Preventing Finish Deterioration
Deterioration
Causes and Preventions
How to Choose
Furniture Polish Overview
Types
of Furniture-Care Products
Caring for Antique Furniture
Chapter
19: Repairing Finishes
Removing Foreign Material
Repairing Superficial
Damage
Repairing Color Damage in the Finish
Touching Up the Color
Filling
with a Burn-In Stick
Filling with Epoxy
Repairing Deep Scratches and Gouges
Chapter
20: Exterior Finishes
Wood Degradation
Slowing Degradation
Finishing
Exterior Doors
Staining Wood Decks
UV Protection
How to Choose
Chapter
21: Removing Finishes
Stripping Solvents and Chemicals
Quick Stripper
Identification
Using Oxalic Acid
Stripper Safety
Breaking the Code
An Overview of Strippers
Professional Stripping
Common Problems Using
Strippers
Deterioration of Finishes and Antiques Roadshow
Using Strippers
Which Stripper to Use
Afterword
Sources
of Supply
Index