Essential Wood Finishing: From Prep to Topcoat – The Journey to a Perfect Finish

By James Thompson – May 9, 2025

Good day to you, fellow wood enthusiasts! James Thompson here, coming to you from "The Sanctuary" (that's what I call my workshop, though Martha refers to it as "the reason our cars live outside"). Pull up a seat while I share some hard-earned wisdom about what many woodworkers consider the most nerve-wracking part of any project: the finish.

I can still remember the first piece I ever finished – a small pine shelf for my mother's knick-knacks. I slapped on some stain from a can I found in our garage, waited impatiently for it to dry, and proudly presented it to her. Two days later, it was sticky to the touch and had the distinct aroma of what I now know was rancid linseed oil. Mom displayed that shelf for twenty years despite its flaws. Mothers are like that – seeing the intention behind our imperfect efforts.

Fifty-three years later, I've learned a thing or two about coaxing the beauty out of wood through proper finishing. Let me tell you, there's something almost magical about applying that first coat of oil and watching the grain come alive beneath your hands – it's like the wood is finally revealing its true character to you after all your work.

Understanding Why We Finish Wood

Before we dive into sandpaper grits and shellac flakes, let's talk about why we finish wood in the first place. It's not just about making it pretty, though that's certainly part of it.

Protection: Wood is organic, which means it responds to its environment – expanding, contracting, staining, and wearing away over time. A finish creates a barrier between the wood and the world.
Beauty Enhancement: A proper finish doesn't just add shine; it enhances the natural figure, depth, and color of the wood beneath.
Tactile Quality: There's something deeply satisfying about running your hand over a perfectly smooth, well-finished surface. It's what separates a fine piece of furniture from a functional one.
Longevity: A well-finished piece can last generations. I've got pieces my grandfather made in my home that still look beautiful because he understood the importance of a quality finish.

James Workshop Wisdom: When choosing a finish, always consider how the piece will be used. A dining table needs different protection than a decorative wall hanging. I learned this the hard way when I finished my daughter Sarah's childhood desk with a beautiful but delicate shellac finish. The first time she spilled nail polish remover on it, well... let's just say I got to teach her about refinishing earlier than expected.

The Foundation of All Good Finishes: Proper Preparation

Martha has a saying about my workshop habits: "James spends more time preparing to work than actually working." She's not wrong, especially when it comes to finishing. A rushed preparation stage will haunt you through every subsequent step.

Getting Your Wood Ready for Finishing

Complete All Construction First: Never try to finish parts and then assemble. This leads to glue not sticking, finish getting damaged during assembly, and areas that can't be reached later. I once tried to finish the inside of a blanket chest before assembly – spending hours getting it perfect – only to scratch it all up putting the thing together. Learn from my mistakes, folks.
Surface Preparation Is Everything: The smoother your wood is before finishing, the smoother your finished product will be. No finish in the world will hide poor surface preparation.

What Martha Says: "I can always tell when James is in the sanding phase of a project. He comes to dinner with that far-away look, and I know his mind is still in the workshop counting grit numbers."

The Methodical Approach to Sanding

Start with the Right Grit: If your wood has machine marks, start with 80 or 100 grit. For hand-planed surfaces, you might start as fine as 150 or 180. The worse the surface, the coarser you begin.
Progress Through the Grits: Never skip more than one grit size. My typical progression is 100, 120, 150, 180, and 220 for most projects. For show pieces or those with oil finishes, I might go to 320 or 400.
Sand with the Grain: Always, always sand with the grain, especially on your final passes. Cross-grain scratches will show up dramatically under finish, often when it's too late to fix them.
Use Consistent Pressure: Let the sandpaper do the work. Pressing too hard causes uneven sanding and can create low spots that appear later.

James Workshop Wisdom: I keep a bright light positioned at a low angle to my work when sanding. This creates shadows that highlight any inconsistencies in the surface. What looks smooth under direct light often reveals flaws when lit from the side.

The Secret of Sanding Between Coats

One mistake I see even experienced woodworkers make is neglecting to sand between coats of finish. Each coat of finish raises the grain slightly and creates tiny imperfections that need to be smoothed out.

320–400 grit for oil-based polyurethane
400–600 grit for water-based finishes
320 grit for oil finishes (before additional coats)
000 or 0000 steel wool for shellac

The Family Test: When I first taught my son Michael to apply finish, he complained about the tedium of sanding between coats. I had him finish two identical boxes – one with between-coat sanding and one without. Then I invited his girlfriend (now wife) to pick which one she preferred without telling her the difference. Twenty years later, he still sands between coats religiously.

Raising the Grain Deliberately

After your final sanding (usually 220 grit), wipe the entire surface with a damp (not wet) cloth.
Let it dry completely – this raises the grain.
Lightly sand with your final grit again.
Apply your water-based finish.

Dealing with Dents, Dings, and Defects

For Small Dents in Hardwoods: Place a drop of water on the dent and let it soak in. The wood fibers will often swell back to position. You may need to repeat this process.
For Actual Gouges: You'll need a filler that matches your wood. I prefer using sawdust from the same board mixed with glue for an exact match.
Knots and Natural Defects: Decide if they're character or flaws. Not every knot needs filling – sometimes they tell the story of the tree. If stability is a concern, I stabilize them with thin CA glue (superglue).

James Workshop Wisdom: When fixing defects, remember that stain will highlight your repairs, not hide them. Always test your repair methods on scrap wood cut from the same piece before applying to your project.

Coloring Wood: To Stain or Not to Stain

I have a somewhat controversial opinion in the woodworking world: I prefer not to stain most woods. Instead, I choose the right species for the color I want and let the natural beauty shine. That said, there are legitimate reasons to stain, and if you're going to do it, let's do it right.

When Staining Makes Sense

Matching Existing Pieces: When your new bookshelf needs to match the 100-year-old family heirloom cabinet.
Working with Less Expensive Woods: When your budget calls for poplar but your design inspiration calls for walnut.
Creating a Specific Look: Some styles, like Arts and Crafts furniture, traditionally use stained oak to achieve their distinctive appearance.

Types of Stains and Their Applications

Oil-Based Penetrating Stains: These penetrate into the wood fibers and typically provide more working time. They're my go-to for large surfaces where I need time to maintain consistency.
Water-Based Stains: Dry faster and have less odor, but can raise the grain more aggressively.
Gel Stains: Surface treatment, excellent for blotch-prone woods like pine and cherry.
Dye Stains: Dye the fibers directly for vibrant, custom colors.

James Workshop Wisdom: Always test stains on scraps of the actual wood you're using. Different parts of the same tree can accept stain differently.

The Blotch Control Method

Sand the wood through your normal progression.
Apply a 1-pound cut of dewaxed shellac (1 oz flakes per cup alcohol).
Let dry and sand lightly with 320 grit.
Apply your stain.

From My Grandfather's Bench: “Staining is like seasoning a fine meal – a little can enhance, but too much can overwhelm.”

The Wide World of Wood Finishes

Penetrating Oil Finishes

Includes boiled linseed oil, tung oil, Danish oil. Penetrate fibers, enhance grain, soft luster.

Apply with cloth/brush, let soak 5–15 min.
Wipe off ALL excess with lint-free cloth.
Let dry 24 h between coats; 3–5 coats total.

Wisdom: Oils cure in ~30 days—you can use gently after a week.

Film Finishes

Polyurethane

Durable, water/oil versions. Best for tables, floors.

Apply thin coats, sand 320–400 grit between coats.
3–4 coats for maximum protection.

Shellac

Amber glow, easily repaired, not water-resistant.

Apply thin coats; dries quickly.
Sand 320–400 grit or steel wool between coats.

Lacquer

Hard, clear, spray-applied. Builds into itself for glass finish.

Spray in ventilated booth.
Light coats; practice for perfect finish.

From My Grandfather: He reserved lacquer for his finest pieces in a small spray booth.

Water-Based Finishes Low odor, fast dry, clear look.

Use synthetic brushes.
Thin coats; maintain a wet edge.
Sand lightly after first coat raises grain.

Wisdom: Cloudy wet look clears as it dries.

Specialty Finishes for Special Projects

Milk Paint

Rustic, historical look.
Apply powder mix; seal with wax or oil.
Distress for aged charm.

Wood Wax

Minimal protection, soft luster.
Apply thin, let haze, buff to shine.

Wisdom: Buff with brown paper bag for superior sheen.

Application Methods: Brushes, Rags, Sprayers, and More

Brushes

Natural bristle for oil-based; synthetic for water-based.
Clean diligently—good brushes last decades.

Rags and Pads

Lint-free cloths (old t-shirts work). Fold into pad for even application.
Dispose oily rags safely to prevent spontaneous combustion.

Spray Application

Provides the smoothest finish; needs booth & respirator.
Practice on scrap for distance & speed.

French Polishing

Shellac applied with a pad (tampon) in circular then straight strokes.
Months of practice yield a mirror-like finish.

The Art of the Perfect Topcoat

Finish in dust-free environment; pause ventilation 30 min before final coat.
Use strong, low-angle light to spot imperfections.
Never rush the final coat; attention matters.
Rub out cured finish with abrasives and paste wax for silky feel.

Wisdom: Rottenstone + wax = tactile surface you have to feel to believe.

Maintaining Your Finished Piece

Avoid direct sunlight (UV breaks down finishes).
Keep humidity stable to prevent wood movement.
Use coasters & pads to prevent rings.
Clean with slightly damp cloth, then dry.
Refresh oil finishes yearly; waxes biannually.

The Family Test: Our dining table has survived countless spills and art projects thanks to waxing every six months.

Refinishing: When Good Finishes Go Bad

Not every blemish needs a full strip—knock out scratches with polishing or spot repairs. Full strip if finish flakes, crazes, or deep wear.

Surface damage: touch up or polish.
Finish failure: strip and start fresh.
Desire new color/type: full refinish required.

Wisdom: Identify old finish first—alcohol for shellac, lacquer thinner for lacquer, otherwise varnish/poly.

Environmental & Safety Considerations

Ventilate—especially with solvent-based.
Wear respirator masks appropriate to finish.
Store flammables away from ignition.
Dispose solvents per local regs—never down the drain.

What Martha Says: "He installed that big exhaust fan after I told him he still smelled like varnish post-shower."

Finishing for Different Wood Types

Oak (Red & White)

Open grain—fills pores, takes stain beautifully.

Maple

Tight grain—blotch prone; use pre-conditioner or shellac washcoat.

Cherry

Darkens with age; gel stains & oil finish shine.

Walnut

Natural color exquisite; simple oil or Danish oil plus wax is enough.

Pine

Highly blotch prone; seal with shellac or use milk paint/historic finishes.

The Joy of a Perfect Finish

There's nothing like that tactile, warm feel of well-finished wood—my clients’ five-year-old once pressed her cheek to a table and said, "It feels warm, Daddy." That's the magic.

Learning from Finishing Failures

Sticky Rocking Chair: Poly on a humid day stuck to linen gown.
Blotchy Bookcase: Maple blotched badly when I skipped conditioner.
Finish That Never Dried: Mixed oil poly over uncured Danish oil—tacky for weeks.

Final Thoughts: Finishing Is a Journey

Finishing blends technical skill, artistry, and patience. Every piece you finish is part of your own story—embrace the process.

"Finishing isn't the last step in making something – it's the first step in preserving it for generations."

Now, if you'll excuse me, my maple sideboard awaits its second coat, and Sawdust wants to go for a walk.

James Workshop Wisdom: The best finish enhances wood’s natural beauty while providing just enough protection. Everything else is detail.

- James Thompson

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