Great Wood Finishes makes finishing easy. You can achieve beautiful, professional-looking results with Jeff Jewitt's proven methods. Detailed step-by-step instructions lead you through each technique. You'll also discover how to get just the look you want, from Arts & Crafts to colonial cherry to a modern whitewash.

• Over 400 photos illustrate each finishing step
• Time-saving tips and charts on how to avoid or solve common mistakes
• Pro-level advice that even beginners can follow
• Thorough discussion of tools and materials

Introduction

1 Your Tool Kit

Surface-preparation tools
Brushes
Rollers, pads, and foam brushes
Rags and cloths
Spray equipment

2 The Right Stuff

Wood putties and fillers
Stains
Bleaches
Paste wood fillers
Glazes and toners
Finishes
Waxes and polishes

3 Surface Preparation

Using planes and scrapers
Sanding
Checking surface preparation
Correcting defects and blemishes

4 Coloring the Wood

Preparing to stain
Pigment stains
Dye stains
Changing color
Bleaching
Color problems and their solutions

5 Filling Pores

Oil-based fillers
Water-based fillers
Getting the color right

6 Glazing, Toning, and Shading

Glazing basics
Toning and shading

7 Applying Finishes

Glazing basics
Toning and shading
Finish basics
Oil finishes
Varnish
Shellac and lacquer
Water-based finishes
Special situations

8 Rubbing Out

To rub or not to rub
Choosing materials
Thin finish rub-out
Thick finish rub-out
The satin look
The gloss look

9 Cleaning and Repair

Preventative maintenance
Cleaning and appearance maintenance
Fixing gouges and dents
Fixing scrapes and scratches
Rings and water spots

10 Specialty Finishes

Arts and crafts
Liming and pickling
Oil, shellac, and wax
Early American maple
Ebonized finish
Antique pine
Lightly distressed paint
Heavily distressed paint
Whitewash
Decorative filled-pore finish
Blond mahogany
Filled-pore mahogany
Colonial cherry
Pearled ash

Resources

Index