Wood is the best material to work and one can easily create different designs. Commencing from small décor items to huge pieces of furniture to entire house, wooden items look amazing. But without good finish, it’s not going to last. Follow below mentioned steps to get the perfect wood work finish every time.
Preparation
Before you sand the project, you need to inspect the piece for any glue or other adhesive materials that can affect the finish. Glue and other adhesives shows up blemish even if it is stained. Rub mineral spirits over bare wood prior to sanding to spot glue. Of course, if you don’t have used any glue, skip this step.
Sanding
The next step us to use a powerful belt sander or roll up the sleeves or use a bit of elbow grease, sanding is a crucial process. Sand in three steps: medium grit, heavy grit and light grit. Sand diagonally against the grain with heavy duty sandpapers and then follow up with the finish sanding using fine grit and with wood grain.
Wood putty
Apply wood putty to cover any holes, dings, scrapes or dents that is visible after the first sanding process. For large holes, dents, dings, and scrapes fill in the hoe partially before the first step and then fill with hand sanding.
Hand Sanding
The next step takes little bit of effort but it is well worth trying and it really pays in a long run. Hand sand the wood with aluminum oxide sandpaper of 220-180 grit. Wrap the paper around the sanding sponge and sand the wood for a smooth finish. Vacuum or dust the wood once the sanding is done. Go for a sponge filled with clean water and wipe the wood, so that it gets wet. Dry it and let it dry on overnight basis. Sand it once more very lightly with 400 grit sandpaper and that is called as fur.
Staining
Color the wood with stain and it is a great method for not only making the wood looks at its best, but it also protects the condition of the wood. Staining is a simple process. Flood the stain onto the wood and wipe with a dry cloth. The longer the stain, the darker would be the color. If you are planning for smooth glass finish, use pore filler for smooth finish.
Sealers
In some cases, a special wood sealer can also be used to protect the wood from excessive moisture before the first coat of finish like a counter-top. In majority of the cases, you just need to apply good coat of finish and allow it to dry.
Top coat
Apply as much of top coats as required to get the smooth finish. You should allow the top coats to dry for at least 24 hours before applying for a second coat. Buff the final coat with towel or wool cloth to get superior finish on any wood working project.