Finish Selection Tools

[Peter Aeschliman]

Hi there.

So... finishing is an area of my woodworking skills that I have basically ignored. I tend to use the same finish over and over because it's tried and true, and I haven't done much in terms of self education.

What I'm saying is that I'd consider myself a newbie when it comes to finishing. My question for you guys is whether you're aware of some kind of a questionnaire, decision tree, flow chart, etc that helps guide people through selecting the right finish...

I don't have a specific project in mind at this point. I guess I will be using my HVLP turbine sprayer to paint my kitchen cabinet doors white this weekend, but that's not specifically why I'm asking this.

Thanks for your help!

Peter

[Scott Holmes]

1. What look and feel do you want for the project? Gloss? Satin? In-the-wood?

2. Indoor or outdoor?

3. What hazards will it be exposed to while in use?

3a. What cleaners will be used to care for it? e.g Mirror frame and water-borne finish will be a problem; ammonia and water-borne finishes are not friends!

4. How easy is it to repair or remove the finish if needed?

5. How much maintenance do you want? Oil and/or wax finishes require constant care.

[Prashun Patel]

I read Bob Flexner's "Understanding Wood Finishing". It is an amazing read. Highly recommend!

There's no RIGHT finish for any project. There are usually 2-3 ways to do it.

Equally important to the choice of finish is surface prep, coloring, and grain filling. All complete topics in their own right....

[Peter Aeschliman]

Thanks guys.

J. Scott- I don't have one specific project in mind- I was just asking the general question of how to think through the finishing options without having to understand all of the options to begin with.

Shawn, you're probably right- ultimately I just need to spend some time educating myself...

[Scott Holmes]

My list is general questions to answer. When you have the answers, then you will know what you want from the finish; then, selecting the finsh will be much easier.

e.g. jewlery box or bathroom cabinet.

1. satin finish for both, OK
2. Both are indoor
3. Hazards for clock none; for bathroom cabinets - wetness, humid, hair spray, windex, tile cleaner, finger nail polish and remover, hairdryer heat. etc...
4. If it is damaged - clock what will damage it? Bathroom cabinets see above for what could go wrong...especially if you use the the wrong finish.
5. Clock - do you want to rewax or re-oil it every 6 months or every year? (My answer, no thank you)
bathroom cabinets how often would you want to rewax or re-oil them (My answer NEVER)

So now that we have some examples -

Clock - just about anything will be fine

Bathroom cabinets - Let's see wax and oil would be out IMHO.
Water-borne finish would be out, Windex, Tilex & nail polish remover will destoy it.
All Exterior finishes would be ruled out; they are too soft and they are LESS waterproof and LESS vaporproof than interior varnishes...
So bathroom cabinets would get a quality non-poly varnish.