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Early Access Video: No-Fuss Finishing (Patreon)

Published:
2019-09-07 11:00:02
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

Friends: 

You know what's been missing from the Woodwork for Humans videos? 

Finish!!

We've done a LOT of good stuff, but it's all just sitting around waiting to get dinged or stained because it's got no protection. Our projects are naked! We better get that fixed. 

Here's a fast intro to my 3 favorite finishes. They all look great and they're very user-friendly.  I bet this will be a review for many of my Patrons, but I have my own methods for making finishing as quick and painless as possible. I hope there are some good tricks in here for everyone. 

Have a great weekend!

--Rex

Files

Previews only

Fast and durable finishes for wood.

More video and exclusive content: http://www.patreon.com/rexkrueger Get the FREE Tip Sheet: Finishing Supplies in This Video (affiliate) ||

Comments

Robert Bullock

Great job explaining the little details. Looking forward to trying each of the 3 finishes. I appreciate the warning about the potential fire hazard. Keep up the great work!

Shanni Marmen

I've seen many people do the thinned poly technique and didn't know why. Thanks for explaining. Now i just need to learn how to do the same. Experimentation here I go. Do you use wood conditioner when staining?

THE VICTORIAN WORKSHOP

Good post on finishing rex. Your a brave man doing it in the kitchen. I would be dead lol .as all ways good content. Regards from over the pond

THE VICTORIAN WORKSHOP

Good post on finishing rex. Your a brave man doing it in the kitchen. I would be dead lol .as all ways good content. Regards from over the pond

Adrian Abshire

Great video Rex! We have finally decided to use real hard wood for the faces of the cabinets I’m making and this video is very timely! You are worth the price of admission! Now if you could help me figure out the best type of wood to use on the faces! :-)

Mark Petersen

Rex, this was very helpful to me. Well done. There are too many options in finishing for a novice like me. You cleared that up. For instance, I wondered whether you could put another finish on top of boiled linseed oil. Now I know.

Rex Krueger
>>26583389

I often do use wood conditioner, especially with pine. I really try to avoid stain (even though sometimes you need it). Most North American woods get better with age all by themselves.

Rex Krueger
>>26583776

Eh, I put down a cloth. I wipe up my spills. Ever since my woodwork started bringing in money, my wide has gotten WAY more understanding.

Rex Krueger
>>26584635

You're welcome to send me a picture, but it's hard to go wrong with the classics: cherry, walnut, or oak. They cannot be beat.

Ahmet Çınar

Thank you very much for the video... I would like to add what I do with the finishing. As once an experienced wood worker told me, the good part of the oil finishes is that, the wood can suck the oil up to 5 mm and this always gives a better protection for wood against small creatures that want to eat your wood. (I use Tung oil usually) In the first layer, I apply oil that is mixed with thinner, so the oil is sucked much deeper in wood. Then the next day I apply just the oil. And if it is a hard wood like beech, there is no need for other finishes. And also before applying the oil, it is good to sand the piece with something like 600grit sand paper. It really makes a difference when applying the oil. And there is also the japan burning wood technique (shou sugi ban) which helps the wood that are exposed to outside weather conditions. I used that technique few times when I did wooden pots and it also gives an interesting, darker look to pine wood... I use blowtorch for burning the wood.

Ahmet Çınar

Also, a woodworker that makes music instruments explained me that, the oil finishes, if layered few times until the wood can not suck any oil anymore (the first layer with thinner), the oil protects the wood from moving, bending etc. Because the wood always breathes and take the moisture in the air in and out. And the oil protection controls that and keep the wood more solid.

A1BASE
>>26590075

600 grit is a bit high for an oil finish. Much above 320 and you're burnishing the fibres of the wood rather than abrading them, according to everything I've read. This has the effect of closing some of the pores and reduces the porosity to your finish. If you really what an oil finish that has at least some sheen to it the way to go is to sand to about 220 then use several coats of penetrating oil. After that, use a high-build oil with wet and dry sand paper to work your way up to 1000 grit. I use specialist guitar finishing oils for this.

William Allen

"research the products you are using" : right there, the #1 advice! I've never tried paste wax, I'll have to try it. Did you know that linseed oil, lac and shellac all polymerize (harden plastically) in UV? A few hours in the sun will harden them up remarkably. linseed oil takes the longest to cure, like a year, lac is faster, but still takes maybe a day in the sun, shellac takes maybe a couple hours. You ever notice how hard the finish on pre-1940's furniture is? Ya, UV cured shellac or lac. (or pine varnish or spruce varnish). Modern Poly finishes harden chemically. Really great video, love it how simple and straight forward it is, two thumbs up! And a Grin.

WhatMeWorry

Excellent video Rex. I don't use BLO but I do use shellac and clear lacquer for almost everything. If I were making a kitchen table I would use poly. If anyone wants to take a deep dive into finishing I recommend a book by Bob Flexner "Understanding Wood Finishes". Be preparded to have some of your beliefs debunked though.

Ahmet Çınar
>>26590075

You are also right, It may matter from wood to wood. I wrote due to my experience. For instance with soft wood like white pine, I didn't have good results before. But after sanding with 600grit and oil with thinner, and sanding lightly and then oil and then light sanding again, the surface becomes shiny clear and slippery. I did the same as well with hard beech wood and it worked wonderful.

Rex Krueger
>>26597603

Hilariously, I bought that book at around the same time you were writing this comment! I also recommend Jeff Jewitt's books.

Rex Krueger
>>26596811

Man, that's a great tip about UV light. My parents have some old chairs finished with shellac and they're WAY harder than any shellac finish I ever did. Now I know why!

Rex Krueger
>>26590075

All VERY good tips. There are so many ways to finish. I feel like I'm always learning something new.

Matthew Leigh

Thanks for this, I found it very useful. Have you tried hardwax oil? I've used it for one piece and I was very happy with how it turned out.

Matthew Leigh

What finish would you recommend for the seat of a workshop stool?

Todd Fox

Awesome video. Very informative. Now we need a follow up on stripping finishes for when the wife gets one of those Facebook finds that she wants you to re-do.

Rex Krueger
>>26636643

I would probably go with poly, but shellac is almost as good for a seat. And, although I didn't talk about it here, don't forget paint, which is very durable and can make things more fun.

Matthew Leigh
>>26636643

I posted the panel I made for the seat in Community, where you'll see why I decided against paint :)

Ahmet Çınar
>>26590075

Dear A1BASE, by chance I saw this video of Pask Makes. For the hand plane that he made, he use 800 grit sand paper before oiling... He is a very qualify wood worker, so sanding with 600-800grit sand papers before oiling is not wrong, it is another option... When you apply low grit sand paper, the oil takes long time to dry, but for me it worths as the surface becomes more smoother https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2L5SeghqxY

A1BASE
>>26643974

Give her the orbital sander and tell her to go to town. 😉