The term “water white” when used in the context of a finish means a finish that is totally devoid of amber coloring in liquid form. The finish looks like water in the can. In practice, the term is used to describe a type of lacquer, and sometimes a conversion varnish....
All spray guns will spray paint. A spray gun is merely a delivery device—like a brush. There are a few things you should be aware of, however, especially if you intend to spray latex paint with a spray gun you use normally to spray clear finishes. To get a reasonable...
“Off-the-gun” finish is a widely used phrase among finishers. It means the finish hasn’t been rubbed out. It’s the simplest kind of sprayed finish—spray it on and leave it as is. I’ve seen the phrase used to mean a poor finish, but this is not a correct usage. An...
I’ve said this many times, but it deserves repeating because so much confusion still exists. Primers and sealers perform entirely different functions. Primers are necessary for paint because paint won’t bond well to rough, porous wood. Paint contains a high percentage...
There are an increasing number of so-called “green” paint strippers on the market with problems you need to be aware of. These strippers are easy to identify by their packaging, which is always in plastic containers. Traditional methylene-chloride and...
The accompanying picture shows what you don’t want to happen when you’re sanding a finish. The little brownish lumps, called “corns,” are finish that has been melted by the heat created during sanding, and they are large enough to leave much deeper scratches in the...
After 40 some odd years of finishing, it takes a lot to impress me. Aqua-Coat Grain Filler managed to do just that. I was amazed reading Bill Boxer’s article last month on the pianos and a gloss black finish. I had to chuckle and thought, “Yep, been there, done that”...
In wood finishing the term “pickling” is generally used to mean adding a white coloring to the wood. (“Liming” is sometimes used to mean the same thing.) There are two broad methods of pickling. One is to wipe on and wipe off a white stain. The other involves sealing...
If you have a spray gun, you can use it to create an entirely different look on the wood than you get wiping or brushing the stain and wiping off the excess. Simply spray the stain and leave it; don’t wipe off the excess. The key here is whether or not you wipe off...
Finishing is the process of transferring liquid out of its container and onto a project using a brush, rag or spray gun. Sounds simple, but doing so flawlessly can be easier said than done, as many of us discover. Fortunately, fixing our errors isn’t overly...
