How to Choose the Right Wood Finish?

If you want to change the color of raw wood, use a wood stain. Wood stains also make inexpensive wood, such as pine, look more expensive (like cherry, oak, or mahogany)

If you want a weatherproof finish such as for outdoor wood furniture, use wood stains made with sealers.

Give thick finishes to the furniture in high-moisture or high-traffic areas. Examples of such furniture include your garden furniture or living room furniture. To get a thicker finish, go for wood varnish, polyurethane, lacquer, water-based finishes, shellac or paint. These can be applied in several layers on the wood surface. Oil finishes cannot build up layers and leave the wood surface more natural-looking.

To bring out the beauty and the grain in wood, use oil finishes. They work more efficiently on hardwoods such as red oak, maple, cherry, and walnut.

Use linseed oil finish only on interior projects and for restoring wood furniture with an existing linseed finish. You will find both- regular and boiled linseed oil. Use boiled linseed oil if you want shorter drying time.

If you are finishing a wooden craft that has not been finished previously, you can use either danish or teak oils. Danish oil has comparatively low luster than teak oil.

For non-toxic wood finish, like for butcher blocks or wooden toys, use mineral oil.

For articles that are more exposed to moisture, use tung oil finish.

For slightly glossy or flat appearance, use wax finish.

Whatever finish you choose, remember wooden finishes protect your wooden crafts and furniture apart from making them look good. So, give a finish that is appropriate to the wood surface and make them stay with you for a lifetime.

Article Source: Articlesbase

About the Author

DeepaRC is a textile and interior decor professional who has a vast experience in these fields. Apart from textile and home decor, she takes interest in varied subjects like health, writing and management skills. The readers are recommended to read more about wooden handicrafts and decor at Wooden Handicrafts, the B2b marketplace for wooden handicrafts