Wood finishing is fun and easy

Count the Tree Rings

Tree rings can actually tell you how old a tree is because the trees produce a new ring each year. A new ring forms in between the most recent ring and the bark of the tree. This causes the tree to grow wider with one ring marking each year.

Notice the dark parts of the circle and the lighter parts. These represent the seasons of growth. The lighter parts of the rings are when the tree was growing in the spring. The dark spots of the circles tell you when the tree was growing in the late summer and the fall seasons. By looking at the color of the rings, you can read what season it was created.

Learn the terminology the scientists use. Dendrochronology is what scientists call using trees to measure time. When you begin counting the tree rings, you are actually measuring time using a tree.

Start counting the rings from the middle of the tree. Don't start from one side and work your way to the other side or you will be counting each ring twice. Start at the middle and choose an end to work towards. Count each ring only once; this will tell you how many rings the tree has.

Check the thickness or thinness of the ring. Reading a tree ring this way can tell you what the climate was like each year the tree was growing. The better and more ideal the tree's growing conditions were in a particular year, the fatter the ring will be. If the tree didn't get enough water one year, you can expect to see a very thin ring.

Combine all of these things to read about the tree's life. If the tree has a light, thin ring just two rings in from the bark, you can tell that two years ago in the spring there wasn't enough water for the tree. If you see that five rings in, there is a dark thick ring, you can safely say that five years ago in the late summer or early fall, the tree had plenty of rainfall and ideal conditions for growing.

We'll take you through the wood finishing process including preparing the wood, choosing the proper applicator, and applying traditional and one-step finishes.

Whether you're planning to build or refinish furniture or bookshelves for your room, make gift items for your family, friends or a local charity, or take up woodworking as a profession, you'll find woodworking to be a rewarding experience. It's a practical skill that you'll take with you throughout life. After all, even novice woodworkers can save money by building or refinishing their own furniture, or by doing their own renovations - making woodworking a particularly important skill during challenging economic times. And, whether you're a novice or a regular in the workshop, you can succeed in creating a professional-looking project which is both beautiful and functional by taking a common sense approach to woodworking. An important part of this approach is developing fundamental wood finishing skills.

Today, the secret of a fine wood finish is no secret at all. Beautiful results can be obtained easily if you prepare the wood surface to accept a finish, "troubleshoot" before application to minimize problems during the finishing process, and use high-quality wood finishing products. Always read the label directions and cautions.

Before starting almost any wood finishing project, you should have these items on hand: heavy plastic drop cloths and newspapers, rags, brushes or other applicators, #120 and #220 sandpaper, paper towels, cotton swabs, mineral spirits and sealed metal containers, such as empty paint cans (for cleaning brushes, and, with the addition of water, for disposing of rags and waste soaked with oil finishes). Rubber gloves are recommended for keeping your hands clean. Old clothes are recommended because they are usually expendable and generally lint-free.

For best results and your own safety, remember to follow carefully all label directions and cautions.

Stains may be applied with clean rags, cheese cloth, brushes, and other applicators. For best results when using a brush, we recommend the use of a high quality brush. Why?

Use natural bristle brushes only if working with oil-based products. They are not recommended for use with water-based products since the water makes the fibers swell, resulting in an uneven draw on the product. Both polyester bristles (medium to high-quality brushes) and nylon bristles (low to medium-quality brushes) can be used for either oil or water-based finishes. However, nylon bristles are not recommended for shellac or two-part epoxy finishes. Finally, disposable foam poly brushes are best suited for applying stain to small projects and hard-to-reach areas, like those between chair spindles, since they provide better control. Foam poly brushes are not recommended for fine finish work, shellac or lacquer.

Remove all sanding dust, using a vacuum, dry paint brush or cloth, before finishing. End-grains (areas where the wood has been cut against the grain), such as the front side of a table, tend to soak up more stain than surfaces cut with the grain.

Color is determined by four factors: The color of the stain selected; the nature of the wood and how porous it is; how long the stain is left on, from a few seconds to a maximum of 15 minutes; and the extent of wiping when removing excess stain. Choose from the many wood tone colors, using a dealer's sample board or manufacturer's color cards. But remember: Different species of wood absorb stain differently. Test the color on a hidden section of the wood you are using.

You can mix Minwax® stains together to create custom tones. It's easy to lighten any tone of  Minwax^® Wood Finish™  by adding Minwax® Wood Finish™ Natural. Before mixing wood tones, look at the predominant color of the wood you are matching. Is it reddish, grayish, blondish or yellowish? Use a stain with that hue as your base and add lesser amounts of a secondary stain until you reach the desired tint or tone. Try not to mix more than three wood tones at a time. That way it's easier to control and replicate the outcome. Be sure to mix enough to complete the entire project.

You can also use stains to give inexpensive wood expensive-looking results. But you must use wood with a similar grain. For example, if you want to stain an inexpensive wood to achieve a cherry appearance, you must use a wood like maple, which has a tight-grained pattern similar to cherry. Likewise, poplar is often used as a substitute for white oak.

Step One - Applying the Stain

For the traditional two-step finish, you first stain the wood and then add a clear protective finish. The two-step finishing system permits independent control over each step - the depth of color, and the level of protection. This system is used to obtain rich, professional- looking finishes on small and large projects as well as on antiques. The first step is to apply  Minwax^® Wood Finish™  stain, which penetrates deep into wood fibers, the color becoming part of the wood and not just a surface film. Since Minwax® Wood Finish™ does not raise the grain of the wood, there's no need to sand in between coats.

TIP: They say that the best medicine is prevention. To help prevent wood swelling and warping due to changes in temperature and moisture, finish all exposed surfaces of the wood item with stain and finish. This includes areas not easily visible, like the insides of cabinets and drawers and the undersides of tables.

The second step in the process is to apply a hard protective finish. This protects, preserves, and enhances the natural beauty of the wood. To select the best finish for your project, consider: Is the project meant for interior or exterior use? Is superior durability demanded? Is it going to be subjected to moisture? Now review the different types of protective finishes that are available to determine which best meets the specific performance needs of your project.

For furniture and other wood surfaces subject to heavy use, it is preferable to use  Minwax^® Fast-Drying Polyurethane. Its slightly warm tone adds a rich appearance to the wood. Polyurethanes give beautiful, long-lasting protection to any finished or unfinished wood. If using a brush to apply Minwax® Fast-Drying Polyurethane, make sure you brush in the direction of the grain. This will ensure that you won't have cross grain strokes when finished.

We recommend using Minwax^® Polycrylic^® Protective Finish over pastel wood stains. Polycrylic® is also convenient to use indoors due to its easy water cleanup and low-odor formula.

If you intend to apply a clear protective finish over previously stained wood, it is critical that you allow the stain to dry the recommended amount of time before applying the first coat of clear finish. Applying the protective finish before the stain has completely dried may result in chipping, peeling, or bleeding of color.  Minwax^® Wood Finish™  directions recommend you wait eight hours before applying a clear finish; for Minwax® water-based stains wait at least 3 hours.

When using  Minwax^® Fast-Drying Polyurethane, "tip-off" each section. Hold the brush at a 45-degree angle and lightly run the bristles over the length of the finish to remove all evidence of brush strokes and break any bubbles that may have occurred.

When applying additional coats of a protective finish, the bottom coat must be dry before recoating. It is also important to sand between coats to improve coat-to-coat adhesion, and to remove all sanding dust before recoating. Failure to follow these steps may result in adhesion problems.

If you have product left over, wipe the can rim so that the product doesn't dry out and so that rust doesn't form on the can. This will also help you seal the can properly. After sealing, store cans away from heat.

Clean brushes soiled with oil-based finishes using mineral spirits; soap and water are all that is needed for brushes used with water-based products.

Until recently, wood finishing required two steps: the application of a stain plus a clear protective finish. Today, stain-and-protective- finish-in-one products, like  Minwax^® Polyshades, are convenient because they simplify the finishing process and cut finishing time in half. They're ideal for use on smaller pieces, like decorative items that don't experience high wear and tear. However, keep in mind that you don't get the same depth of color and durable protection that you do when using separate stain and finish products.

Safe Disposal of Rags & Waste
Please be mindful of the safe way to dispose of used rags and other waste. Rags, steel wool and other waste soaked with oil finishes may spontaneously catch fire if improperly discarded. Place rags, steel wool and waste immediately after use in a water-filled metal container. Tightly seal and then dispose of in accordance with local regulations. Be sure to keep the container out of reach of children.