Finishing 101

Surface prep is literally the foundation to a good finish. Start by removing glue spots, move onto the initial sanding, and then address any nicks, dings, or voids in the surface.

Although color change is its primary function, stain can also intensify or diminish the grain of the wood, depending on the type of wood and the type of stain you use. Therefore, it is important to understand how different types of stains work.

Strictly speaking, any finish that forms a film on wood can be used as a sealer. Some coatings are so good at this task by themselves that they are called "self-sealing" finishes. Other finishes are not, and they benefit from special sealers.

Another common method of adding color to wood after it has been sealed is with glaze. You can use glaze to highlight carvings or flutes, create sunbursts and cameos, turn a painted surface into antique white, add age to wood, or even create patterns like fake wood grain and marble.

Here's a rundown of the various common finishes and some of the best application strategies for each.

You can rub out all types of film forming finishes, including shellac, lacquer, oil based varnish and polyurethane, waterbased coatings and catalyzed or conversion coatings. There are three strong reasons for doing so.