Furniture finishing, coating, and refinishing

What’s included

• Recommendations based on the type of piece
• Samples of different options

Wood and Furniture Finishes & Coatings Services

Polyurethane (poly)

• Acts as a protective Clear Coat on furniture and wood.
• Comes in different sheens: Satin, Semi-gloss, or Gloss.
• The sheen determines how it will feel. Satin has a natural look and feel. Gloss has a shiny, slick feeling.
• The two types of Polyurethane, Oil-Based and Water-Based, behave very differently.

Oil-Based Poly

• More common than Water-Based.
• Can be used as a top coat over oil-based stains.
• Provides good protection and stabilization but it is not recommended for pieces that will have heavy wear, moisture, or heat.
• Even though it is a clear coat it has a darkening effect on the wood increasing the contrast and figuring. It is not optimal if the goal is to preserve the natural color of the wood.

Water-Based Poly

• One of my favorite coatings to use.
• Provides good protection and is slightly more durable than oil-based.
• Has a very natural feel and very little effect on the appearance of the wood.
• Prefered choice if you want to maintain the natural state of the wood.
• Can be used underneath epoxy to reduce the darkening effect epoxy has when applied.

Lacquer

• Acts as a protective clear coat and is one of my favorite coatings to use.
• Whether brushed on or sprayed, it leaves a smooth durable finish that functions great on heavily used surfaces such as tables, bar tops, or benches.
• It has a slight darkening effect on wood so it will change the appearance of the wood from its natural state.
• Enhances the contrast in the grain and figuring in the wood.
• Very easy to touch-up any scratches or damage as well as refinish.

Oil

• Quick and easy finish for wood.
• Often used on mantels, cutting boards, butcher blocks, and other pieces that come in contact with food or moisture.
• Tung Oil, Mineral Oil, and 2C Oil are the most commonly used oils.
• Oil has a darkening effect on wood and will bring contrast in the figuring of the grain.
• Oiled wood pieces need to have oil reapplied occasionally. Dry spots may appear depending on how often they are used and how much moisture they encounter.
• Reapplying oil is as simple as wiping it on with a cloth until saturated and drying off any excess.

Stain

• Changes the color of wood
• Great way to match a certain color scheme without covering up the wood grain.
• There are different stains for different applications: Penetrating (Oil-Based), Gel, Water-Based, and Tinted Sealers.
• A clear coat, such as lacquer or poly is often applied as a top coat after the stain.

Penetrating Stain

• Most commonly used stain.
• Has a wide variety of colors, many of them based on the natural appearance of common wood species.
• Like the name implies the stain penetrates the wood increasing the contrast of the grain as it absorbs at different rates in different areas of the wood.

Gel & Water-Based Stains

• Have a wider variety of colors that range outside of naturally occurring wood species colors.
• Are often applied with a cloth or brush being wiped on and off to reach the desired effect.
• Can be applied in stages to get the desired transparency of the natural wood grain.

Tinted Sealers

• Are mainly used on wood in outdoor applications like decks and railing.
• Have different transparencies (clear, semi, or solid) which determine how much of the wood grain shows through the tinted sealer.
• As more coats are applied, the stain color becomes more pronounced than the wood grain.

Paint

• Used when the desired look is a solid color with no wood grain or figuring showing through.
• Can be used indoors or outdoors.
• Has the widest range of color options.
• Wood needs to be properly prepared and primed before painting for best adhesion.