Wood Refinishing – Give Wood a New Lease On Life
Have an aging home? Is the wood fading and losing its luster? It doesn’t need to remain that way. Give your doors and interior trim a new shine by using these wood refinishing techniques.
Wood refinishing is not that difficult. Do-it-yourselfers frequently take it on. But with all the options for paint strippers, stains, varnishes, and other finishes that even a small hardware store offers, it’s easy to become confused.
Wood finishes last for years and provide natural wooden beauty and refined class. However, this beauty gradually fades over time. Colors lose their potency, stains recede, and the wood begins to show its age. Refinishing the wood reverses that.
Wood refinishing starts with stripping paint, in order to expose the wood for the new finish. It can then be sanded to smooth out the surface and create a better look. A stain gives the wood color and brings out the natural elegance of the wood. A finish, usually clear, protects the wood from the elements. These steps make any piece of wood look better. With a little effort, refinishing the wood in your home can make it much more fresh and appealing.
The following articles will help to take the confusion out of wood refinishing. We will be adding new articles to this page, so we invite you to bookmark this page.
A truly modern wood finish is acrylic urethane. I first used this type of clear finish 10 or more years ago. At that time most painters were apprehensive about using something new, especially when finishing stained wood. Since ...
Many people distress cabinets and make them look older by using wax. The wax distressing method comes about when beeswax or even candle wax is applied, and later when the top coat is removed, a distressed look is the result. ...
In order to choose the best wood stain for the job, consider the look you are going for and what conditions the wood will be under. Certain looks work better with certain stains. In addition, some conditions like exterior wood and ...
Most people think of preparation as the steps leading up to the actual refinishing process. It needs to include more. Far too often, homeowners who want to save by doing it themselves fail to consider ...
Once you are convinced that refinishing is better than replacing, you may want a few cabinet refinishing tips for how to go about it so your works look professional. All of the following tips will help you achieve ...
Once the stain is dry and you are satisfied that everything looks fine, you need to apply a clear protective wood finish to ensure your hard efforts are enjoyed for a long time. Selecting a clear wood finish to ...
If you have old interior varnish that has turned white and peeling a real quick easy method for restoring is to mix equal parts of raw linseed oil and turpentine,’raw linseed oil and 10% denatured alcohol. Dip a 1-0 ...
By D.Cummings
Everyone has thought a time or two about refinishing something in their home. From the wood cabinets in the kitchen to a bar the look can be much better just by sanding it all down and putting on a clear wood ...
Not all wood finishes are compatible with each other. This is something that you must pay attention to. If you don’t, you can undo all your hard work. Many cabinet manufactures use lacquer or catalyzed varnish as a ...
Conditioning softwoods before staining will help you get a nice even look. Many pre-stain conditioners are available but you could also use sanding sealer or shellac to prepare wood for staining. This short video ...
This video answers the question “What is the difference between a Conversion Varnish and a Lacquer”. These coatings are technical and this video’s purpose is to give a general summary comparison. There are ...
A custom wood door is defined by its uniqueness and these doors are certainly that. When I originally looked at these custom entry doors I envisioned a lot of work in order for a new finish to be applied. After talking with the ...
By Steve Anthony
This video shows several types of wood and briefly discusses their characteristics. Wood species shown include Burch, Poplar, Maple, Pine, Oak, Cherry and Mahogany. *After viewing please consider offering your own insights ...
This video show various wood distressing techniques and the tools used. Includes making worm holes, cracks, chaining and hewning. These techniques can be used on any wood surface to give it an “old world” look. Use on ...
This video shows the steps needed to take a worn varnished front door through the preparation and refinishing processes and have a ‘like new’ wood door. Includes; Wood Preparation and Sanding Applying ...
Oak is a beautiful hardwood with attractive grain patterns, an eye-pleasing color and a reputation for durability. The wood is highly sought after for cabinets, doors, flooring and furniture. The appeal and popularity of oak ...
Oak is a beautiful hardwood with attractive grain patterns, an eye-pleasing color and a reputation for durability. The wood is highly sought after for cabinets, doors, flooring and furniture. The appeal and popularity of oak ...
By Steve Anthony
This video shows the effect of conditioning wood before staining. Demonstrates conditioning on a piece of Pine before staining. With softwoods, such as Pine, using a pre-stain conditioner will help prevent a ...
By Steve Anthony
This video includes tips and techniques used to apply wood stains. A dark wiping wood stain is applied to Burch plywood. *After viewing please consider offering your own insights and opinions, this would be a big help ...
By Scarlett Lovitt
(Houston, Texas)
In many homes where the doors, cupboards, and other fittings are made from wood, wear and tear can cause great deterioration and spoil the overall look. Without going to the great expense of buying ...
Bathroom vanities get a lot of use over the years and can eventually start to show signs of wear and tear, such as peeling or cracked paint. As a bathroom vanity is a vocal point in a bathroom’s ...
Owning a set of customized, expensive wood cabinets can be very fulfilling – until a dent or scratch happens. This similar situation happened to me whereby I accidentally ‘bruised’ my kitchen ...
By Scarlett
(Houston,Texas)
You have been living in the same house for a number of years, and your kitchen and bathroom cabinets are starting to show it. Even when you give them a good scrubbing, they never look ...
By Mark Donovan
This video discusses the basic steps used to apply wood stain. Includes a discussion of the differences between hard and soft wood, use of a pre-stain conditioner, application techniques and using an oil base wiping stain. ...
An hvlp paint sprayer will provide the results you want, whether spraying cabinets or putting the final touches on a piece of furniture. This type of paint sprayer can provide smooth “factory finish” results. Airless and ...
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