Creating
the Perfect Wood Finish
with Joe L'Erario
Softcover
215 x 280mm
127pp
Published by Popular Woodworking Books, Ohio USA
R.R.P.$39.90
ISBN 1-55870-744-1
Extract from back cover of book:
Joe L'Erario has some astonishing ideas about finishing: It doesn't have to be dangerous, grueling and dusty scut-work. It can be safe, simple and pleasurable scut-work - with a great-looking piece of furniture as the reward. In this new book, L'Erario shares his 25 years of experience finishing fine furniture while ducking the hard work that most people unnecessarily pour into the endeavour.
Here's a small sample of some of the great advice inside Creating the Perfect Wood finish with Joe L'Erario:
- Remove layers of gunky finish with trusted chemicals and (yup) hamster bedding
- Avoid stripping and revive a damaged finish in an afternoon instead
- Make a magic wood-darkening formula using old 78 records. Farewell Spike Jones!
- Add a hundred years of wear to new unfinished furniture using common household items and a lifetime of pen-up frustrations
- Get wise to the tricks that make the job easier: Drain cleaner not only eats at stubborn hair clogs - it also ages wood beautifully. Who knew?
Photos: Colour
Contents
Introduction
Chapter
One - Uncovering the Past
Cleaning and Restoring Old Finishes
-
The Shellac Attack
- Restoring a Lacquer Finish
- Padding Out
- Amalgamator
Removing
Old Finishes
- Clear-finish and Paint Stripping Techniques
- Stripping
a Clear Finish
- Removing Paint with Heat
- Using Peelable Paint Remover
Chapter
Two - Smooth and Easy Does It
- Sanding
- Sanding Swirls
- Sanding
Through Veneers
- Cleaning versus Sanding an Old Finish
Chapter
Three - The Wonderful World of Color
- The Lacquer Finish
- Using Lye
on Wood
- Using Ammonia on Wood
- Adding Colored Wood Filler to Wood Grain
-
Coloring Wood with Black Shellac
- Using Tinted Polyurethane
Chapter
Four - The Big Finish
- Sealers and Clear Coats
- Clear Finishes
-
Grain Filling
- Touching Up
- Rubbing and Polishing a Finish
Project One - Restoring an Antique Desk
Project two - Creating a Weathered Bench
Questions and Answers
Afterword
Suppliers
Index