| Wonder what converts joined pieces of wood into an | | | | effect. |
| exquisite piece of heirloom quality furniture? A lot goes | | | | Paste Wood Fillers: |
| into finishing a wooden furniture piece after it has been | | | | Open-pore woods, such as walnut, oak and |
| put into shape. The smooth finish with the bright shine | | | | mahogany, require the use of a paste filler if a |
| is achieved after much effort and lots of procedures. | | | | super-smooth finish is desired. These fillers are |
| Here is how a wooden furniture piece is finished to | | | | available in neutral shades and different colors. The |
| perfection. Here is how the Amish Furniture gets its | | | | paste filler is brushed onto the clean and dust-free |
| handcrafted heirloom quality. | | | | piece with a short, stiff-bristled brush. It is allowed to |
| Sanding: | | | | set until it loses its shine for about 20 to 30 minutes. |
| All unfinished furniture is sanded as smooth as possible | | | | The excess filler is removed with a rough-textured |
| before any finish is applied. This is the most important | | | | cloth and the piece is allowed to dry for at least 24 |
| step and, to a great degree, determines just how | | | | hours before proceeding further. |
| perfect the finished project will be. Sanding is done | | | | Finishing: |
| with progressively finer grits of sandpaper, starting with | | | | There are many new, improved varnishes or clear |
| medium or fine grades, and finishing with very fine. | | | | coatings available for furniture finishing. Some are very |
| Rubbing is done with the grain to avoid scratches that | | | | pale for use on light colored furniture. Others offer |
| may show through the finish. There are many different | | | | resistance to foods and alcohol. Linseed oil finish is |
| types of sandpaper available, but generally, open coat | | | | time-consuming to apply, but gives the wood a |
| aluminum oxide paper is preferred for furniture, since it | | | | beautiful, mellow lustre. Although it is not highly |
| cuts faster and lasts longer. After sanding is | | | | water-resistant, this finish will withstand hot dishes. Also, |
| completed, all dust is thoroughly removed. This is | | | | it is less likely to show scratches than would a varnish |
| mostly done with a tack rag dipped into varnish that | | | | finish. Often, this finish is applied directly to raw wood, |
| has been diluted with an equal amount of turpentine or | | | | but it tends to darken the wood in most cases. Every |
| mineral spirits and wrung until almost dry. | | | | possible trace of dust is removed before applying the |
| Bleaching: | | | | first coat of varnish with a good quality natural-bristle |
| This procedure is necessary only if it is desired to | | | | brush. The first coat of varnish is thinned with |
| lighten the wood's natural color, or to remove | | | | turpentine, mixing gently with a clean stick so that air |
| undesirable stains. Commercial wood bleach is used | | | | bubbles are not formed. Successive coats are then |
| wearing rubber gloves and eye protection. The bleach | | | | applied as the varnish comes from the can. The |
| is applied with a brush or sponge and allowed to dry | | | | varnish is allowed to dry completely for atleast 48 |
| overnight. Then it is sanded lightly with very fine | | | | hours. Then it is lightly sanded with the finest grade of |
| sandpaper to remove raised grain. All dust is then | | | | sandpaper or steel wool available. |
| wiped from the wood. | | | | Enameling: |
| Staining: | | | | Enamel is also a good finish choice for inexpensive |
| Stains are used to color the wood to emphasize its | | | | unpainted. Because enamels are available in a wide |
| grain, to make one type of wood look like another, to | | | | range of glosses -- from elegant eggshell to the |
| create uniform color in a piece which is made up of | | | | dramatic wet look -- and in a rainbow of colors, almost |
| more than one kind of wood, or to tint patched areas | | | | any effect you want is possible. There are two types |
| to match the rest of the piece. Most stains are used | | | | of enamel -- oil-based and latex (water-thinned). |
| only over bare, smoothly sanded, clean, dry wood. Of | | | | Usually, the oil-based type produces the best results on |
| the many types of stain available, the two most | | | | furniture. This type is available in both regular brush-on |
| popular are penetrating resin stain and pigmented oil or | | | | and spray formulas. Spray enamel is especially good |
| wiping stains. Both these types of stains are available | | | | for small projects and intricately patterned surfaces. |
| in a wide range of colors. Shades of the same type | | | | So after all these finishing procedures you get your |
| can be mixed to produce even more color variation. | | | | Amish handcrafted furniture. All these and more |
| When an oil stain is used, a thin sealer coat is applied | | | | efforts on the part of the artisans give you great |
| to the bare wood first. This gives a more uniform color | | | | looking furniture that lasts for generations. |