1. Wood will have flaws like scratches and dents.

Whether marks have come from the

machines at the mills, or it has become scratched or gouged during handling, or from
wear and tear. Before applying any stain, finishing, or paint, you need to sand down the
wood to allow you apply to new materials and prevent the flaws from being highlighted.
[1]

o If the flaws in the wood aren't sanded away, the finish that is applied will only
highlight and expose any marks or scratches.
o Start with sandpaper that has a grit of about 120. In most cases, this will remove
any of the flaws without causing worse problems.
o Always sand with the grain of the wood. Don’t sand against the grain.
2.

Repeat the sanding process with a progressively finer grain. You want to sand down
the wood until you've reached anywhere between 180 and 220-grit.

o Repeated rounds of sanding will remove the coarse-grit scratches from the
previous passes.
3.

Inspect the wood to determine whether or not you're satisfied with the surface. You
can use a high-intensity light, or wet the wood with paint thinner to magnify any
remaining blemishes.

o If you see blemishes you may need to sand the wood again. However, too much
sanding in an area that has a blemish may only make it worse.
o Be careful to try and get as smooth of a surface as possible. Some areas may just
have quirks that can't be completely removed.
4.
 4

Wipe down your wood and remove any dust. After you've sanded the wood go over it
with a rag to wipe it down and remove any excess material. While you can use any cloth
to do this, a tack cloth will pick up the most dust.

o If you don't wipe down the wood before you apply your stain, you can cause
uneven parts and blemishes.

Part 2

Staining the Wood

1.

Test the color before proceeding with a stain. Apply a small bit of stain to an
innocuous part of the wood, such as the underside, or on an extra piece of the same wood.
If you are satisfied with the color of the stain you can begin staining the wood. [2]

o Leaving excess stains on the wood won’t affect the color very much, but can
leave blotches and an uneven surface.
o When preparing the stain, always stir the can, never shake it.
2.

2
 Apply the stain using a rag or a brush. Apply the stain evenly making sure you don’t
leave puddles or uneven clumps. Brushes work better than rags and will help you apply
the stain more evenly. [3]

o When you dip the rag or brush in the stain make sure not to let it drip anywhere
you don’t want it to go.
o Blend the stain into the wood thoroughly and make sure you are applying it
evenly. Go over your brush strokes several times to spread the stain out and create
a smooth area.
3.

Start by applying the stain in a small area, like a leg or a drawer front, so you can
get familiar with the drying time. If a stain dries too quickly, it can be re-liquefied by
applying more stain, but this will make the stain darker. Wipe off the excess stain right
away.

o Once you know how long it will take the stain to dry you can begin staining the
rest of the piece.
o If the stain isn’t dark enough, you may want to apply several coats.
4.

Continue applying the stain, brushing on a wet coat and then wiping away the
excess before it dries. Wait until the first coat has dried completely before adding
another coat. Always complete one surface at a time.

o Don't double up the application of your stain on any areas that have been
completed because this will cause a color change.

Part 3
Finishing the Wood

1.

Pick a finish for your wood. Water-based finishes are less harmful, non-flammable, and
more environmentally friendly than other types of finishes. A clear polyurethane finish
will give your wood a nice protected coat.

o Choose a clear finish that has a level of gloss you want for your wood. If you get
a glossy finish, your wood will have more of a sheen or glow than a finish with
less gloss.
o Water-heavy finishes will sometimes swell wood fibers unevenly. Apply these
finishes lightly, using several coats.
o You can also carefully sand off any bristles that appear after the first finish coat.
Apply at least two more coats for a thorough, even finish over the first coat,
which might be more heavily sanded than usual for a finish coat.
2.

Apply a finish to protect the wood from water damage, dirt, or stains. Just like you
did with the stain, use a natural bristle brush to apply the stain, going with the grain of the
wood, not against it. [4]

o Stir the stain in the can before applying it. Don’t shake the can. Shaking can
create air bubbles which will get transferred to your wood.
o Water-based polyurethane is the best finish for bare wood, as it highlights the
features of the wood itself, such as the grain and the natural color.
o Oil-based polyurethane will increase durability more in combination with a stain.
o Wiping varnish (oil-based polyurethane thinned 50% with paint thinner) is the
best application for stained, decorative pieces. It is easy to apply flawlessly, but
will not help a piece withstand wear and tear.
3.

Paint the finish onto your wood using a natural bristle brush. You can also use a
foam brush that is about 2 inches (5.08 cm) wide. Allow the first coat to cure overnight.

o You will want to apply several coats of finish to your wood. But allow the first
coat to completely dry so that you can lightly sand it down and smooth it out
before adding more coats.
4.

Sand the finish down once it has dried. Sand the first coat using 280-grit sandpaper, or
a finer sandpaper if you don’t need to do much evening out.

o Remove the dust with a tack rag or a vacuum and then apply the second coat.
5.

Apply the second coat just like paint. When there are bubbles, remove the bubbles by
brushing back over the area to smooth it down. When possible, move with the grain of
the wood.

o On flat surfaces, brush side to side, and front to back.

o Apply the finish as thinly as possible, and line the brush strokes up in rows so that
the finish covers the wood evenly.
6.

Sand each subsequent coat. Just as you did with the first coat, you want to lightly sand
each subsequent coat once it's cured to remove any dust nibs.

o Again, remove any dust with a tack rag or vacuum.

7.

Repeat the application process two or three times. Once you have a few layers of
finish down you can add your final coat of finish. Do not sand the last coat.

o You don’t have to sand down the final coat as sanding will remove the nice shine
and finished look.
o Once it’s dry wipe it down with a soft rag to remove any particles.
The process of coating the melamine polish is as below:-
 Sanding: As in French polish, in this polish too, the surface is sanded first with rough polish
paper and then with smooth polish paper .

 Sealer coat: Melamine sealers are available in the market. This sealer coat is to be
sprayed/brushed first. With the application of sealer, the absorption of melamine in the timber is
reduced and the surface-adherence is increased. Sealer coat takes about 12 hours to dry.

Sanding with water paper: On drying the sealer coat, the surface is sanded with smooth water
paper . Unlike normal brown sand paper, water paper is black in colour and is, in fact, a cloth
with emery particles stuck on this. This paper is dipped in water and is used while adequate
water is present during the emery action. This sanding removes the excess sealer layers and also,
makes the surface further smooth.

Filling with melamine fillers: Special filler pastes of various stains are available in the market
and only these fillers should be used for melamine polishing. By selecting proper filler, it should
be filled in the small or large holes. After the filler dries, about 4 to 6 hours, light sanding with
water paper is done. After this, the surface is allowed to air for about 12 hours.

1st coat of melamine: Melamine polish is normally sprayed by a spray gun. Melamine polish
comes in a two pack system. The large tin contains the melamine and the small bottle contains
the hardener. A proper amount of hardener should be added to the melamine before spraying.
Compressed air is supplied to the spray gun by a compressor. Spraying the polish is a skilled job
and should be done by a trained worker. The worker should use a mask since toxic fumes are
generated while spraying. In fact even after spraying, the toxic fumes generate in the first hour
and unless the area is later well ventilated, the smell lingers even for a month.
Re-sanding with water paper: After the first coat is dried, that is after about 24 hours, the
surface is sanded thoroughly with smooth water paper. It is then allowed to air for about 12
hours.

Final coat of melamine polish: The final coat is then given by spraying melamine as in the first
coat.

There could be some variations in the process explained above. Some polish-men give a coat of
French polish instead of giving a sealer coat. But the recommended procedure is explained
above. The variations should be avoided as far as possible.

PU----- Asian, Burger, Pidilite

Melamine polish-------- Pidilite, Asian, Sheenlac, Burger.