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Articles by Bob Flexner
Gel Varnish | Popular Woodworking
Thickness. Gel varnish is thick in the can, but it spreads easily because of its thixotropic quality. Most woodworkers do their finishing with one of two wipe-on/wipe-off finishes: oil/varnish blend or wiping varnish. Oil/varnish blend is a thinned mixture of boiled linseed oil or tung oil with alkyd or polyurethane varnish. You can buy it commercially (often labeled “Danish oil”) or you can make your own – for example, one part oil, one part varnish and one part mineral spirits.
French Polishing Myths
https://media.popularwoodworking.com/app/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworkinghttps://media.popularwoodworking.com/app/uploads/2021/06/21102758/1112-fof-3-11_making_a_pad.jpg200px200px We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. Make a pad.
Revive or Restore a Finish?
https://media.popularwoodworking.com/app/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworkinghttps://media.popularwoodworking.com/app/uploads/2020/04/16131246/01pwm1308flexner.jpg200px200px We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. Crazed finish. Reviving a finish is a great solution in many situations where it has deteriorated.
Finishing the 5 Types of Woods
https://media.popularwoodworking.com/app/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworkinghttps://media.popularwoodworking.com/app/uploads/2020/01/05105006/0904-ff-3_opener-clipped-1.jpg200px200px We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. A fan of woods. Pictured are a number of woods woodworkers choose among for projects.
Understanding Wood Finishing
Here are four things you need to know. Finishing is not hard to understand. As I’ve pointed out in previous articles, it’s made confusing by manufacturers who don’t understand their own products, so they make up names and claims they think will help sell their wares. The manufacturers who are most guilty of this are the ones who target do-it-yourselfers and small shops – you. Finishing will never make sense until you get past this mislabeling.
Furniture Restoration Guide
https://media.popularwoodworking.com/app/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworkinghttps://media.popularwoodworking.com/app/uploads/2020/01/30135550/restorationmain.jpg200px200px Learn how to repair typical damage Thirty-five years ago, I traded $125 worth of work for the mid-19th-century Empire chest-of-drawers pictured here.
Sticky Finish Mystery
When using a linseed sealer coat, you have to wipe off the excess and let it dry completely. An old friend had called me with a problem. He had coated a newly installed oak floor in a remodeled upstairs bedroom with oil-based polyurethane and it wouldn’t dry. It had been five days already and the finish was still very tacky. What was the problem he wanted to know? I wanted to know, too. So I began asking questions because it would be extremely unusual for the problem to be a bad batch of the finish.
Applying Wiping Varnish
An excellent finish for first timers (and beyond). Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the November 2010 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine. Wiping varnish might be the most popular hand-applied finish used by woodworkers. It’s popular because it’s just as easy to apply as oil finishes but much more moisture, scratch, heat and solvent resistant.
The 7 Myths of Polyurethane
Oft-repeated ‘rules’ that are, quite simply, wrong. All levels of finishing are burdened with myths, but the types of finishes used by amateurs and sold in home centers and woodworking stores suffer the most. Myths about polyurethane are a good example of the problem. More Mythbusting: Bob Flexner looks at common sanding myths and mistakes. Even More Mythbusting: Avoid common mistakes and misconceptions with French polishing. Oil-based polyurethane is simply a type of varnish.
Shellac: A Challenging Finish
This traditional finish can be tricky to apply. Editor’s note: The staff at Popular Woodworking received the news of Bob Flexner’s passing in December 2024 with heavy hearts. Bob was renowned for his expertise in wood finishing, and his contributions have significantly transformed our approach to woodworking.
Twenty Questions on Finishing
Did I mention there would be a quiz? Here are 20 questions, together with the answers, based on my articles from Popular Woodworking. If you have been reading regularly, you should do well. For more in-depth explanations, go to the finishing section of the site, where you’ll find many of the articles, and you can find explanations in my book, “Understanding Wood Finishing.” True or False? 1■The crucial element causing finish deterioration and color fading is light. True.
Shellac: A Challenging Finish
https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworking//www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/1104-ff-3-1_various_shellacs-1.jpg200px200px This traditional finish can be tricky to apply. If you have read much in the woodworking press, you’ve surely encountered many articles, including mine, in which the writer uses and recommends shellac as a finish. This may persuade you to try shellac.
Optimize a Spray Gun
A simple test reveals ideal pressure for atomization. Spray guns can run off a compressor or a turbine. With turbines the air pressure is established by the number of “stages,” usually two, three or four. Each stage corresponds to about 2 pounds per square inch (PSI). This seems ineffectively low, but it’s made up for by a huge volume of air, giving rise to the name – High-Volume Low-Pressure (HVLP).
Problems in Wood Finishing
https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworking//www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/5_exposed-decking.jpg200px200px Once an inaccuracy gets started, it becomes almost impossible to correct. “Alie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on,” said Winston Churchill (or others, if you believe different attributes).
The Confusion Surrounding Wipe-on Finishes
Posted February 13, 2024 The Confusion Surrounding Wipe-on Finishes2024-02-132024-02-13https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworking//www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/01pwm1302flexner-1.jpg200px200px We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. Finish test. Oils and oil/varnish blends dry soft and wrinkled. Wiping varnish dries hard and smooth.
Flexner on Finishing: Refinishing Furniture
Posted January 10, 2024 Flexner on Finishing: Refinishing Furniture2024-01-102024-01-10https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworking//www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/1108-3-1_five_strippers-1.jpg200px200px We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. Stripper types. There are five categories of strippers.
How to Choose a Finish
https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworking//www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/the-master-varnishes-a-wooden-board-2023-11-27-05-33-13-utc.jpg200px200px Your decision is simplified by the process of elimination. At some point as you progress in woodworking, you begin to realize that there are many finishes to choose among; you probably ask yourself if you are using the best finish for your project.
Understanding Lacquer Thinner
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Drawers Date Furniture
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Staining Wood 101
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How To Repair Water-Damaged Wood
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Alternative Paint Strippers
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Sealers & Washcoats
Sealers & Washcoats2023-07-192023-07-19https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworking//www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/03pwm1212flexner-1.jpg200px200px By registering, I acknowledge and agree to Active Interest Media's (AIM) Terms of Service and to AIM's use of my contact information to communicate with me about AIM, its brands or its third-party partners' products, services, events and research opportunities.
Finishing in One Day (Or Less)
Finishing in One Day (Or Less)2023-06-092023-06-09https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworking//www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/01pwm1206flexner-1-e1686325562466.jpg200px200px By registering, I acknowledge and agree to Active Interest Media's (AIM) Terms of Service and to AIM's use of my contact information to communicate with me about AIM, its brands or its third-party partners' products, services, events and research...
Rules for Sanding Wood
Rules for Sanding Wood2023-05-052023-05-04https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworking//www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/0710-ff-3-6_block_sanding-1.jpg200px200px By registering, I acknowledge and agree to Active Interest Media's (AIM) Terms of Service and to AIM's use of my contact information to communicate with me about AIM, its brands or its third-party partners' products, services, events and research opportunities.
Wipe, Don’t Brush Stain
Wipe, Don’t Brush Stain2023-04-272023-04-26https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworking//www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/0908-3-ff-1-applying.jpg200px200px By registering, I acknowledge and agree to Active Interest Media's (AIM) Terms of Service and to AIM's use of my contact information to communicate with me about AIM, its brands or its third-party partners' products, services, events and research opportunities.
Rules to Finish By
Rules to Finish By2023-02-222023-02-21https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworking//www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/0608-ff-3-2_tools-clipped-1.jpg200px200px They explain so much. It’s often possible to sum up a lot of situations with a rule, a principle that applies in almost all cases.
Wiping Varnish – What is it? | Popular Woodworking
Wiping Varnish – What is it?2023-01-102023-01-05https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworking//www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/1111_flexner_2_1_3_identify.jpg200px200px Wiping varnish is simply any brand of oil-based alkyd (regular) varnish or oil-based polyurethane varnish in any sheen (gloss or satin) thinned about half with mineral spirits (paint thinner).
Test to Find a Durable Finish
Posted October 20, 2022 Test to Find a Durable Finish2022-10-202022-10-19https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworking//www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/3-flexner_1_scratch.jpg200px200px We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations.
Five Common Finishing Problems
Bleeding, blushing, blotching, orange peel and fish eye. The basics of wood finishing are really quite simple: You use one of three tools – a rag, brush or spray gun – to transfer a liquid stain or finish from a can to the wood. Finishing becomes more complex when problems occur. Here are five common problems, together with how to avoid them – andhow to deal with them when they happen. Bleeding Bleeding refers to an oil finish oozing out of pores after being applied and wiped off.
Troubleshooting Finish Application Problems
Troubleshooting Finish Application Problems2022-09-162022-09-07https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworkinghttps://cdn.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/Blushing-113x113.jpg200px200px Solutions to a baker’s dozen of common finishing difficulties. It’s easy enough to provide instructions for applying finishes. But in the real world, things go wrong; problems occur that you have to deal with.
Finishing Odds & Ends
Four short (but crucial) finishing subjects. What follows are four concise – but important – finishing topics about which you’ve likely wondered. 1 – Metamerism Most of us have experienced a situation where we finish a project in our shop or garage to the exact color we want, only to discover that the color isn’t right when we move the project into the house (or to a client’s location). The explanation is the phenomenon of “metamerism.” The lighting is different in the two locations.
Fine Sanding Myths
Why are you working harder than you need to? Sanding is boring. It’s boring to watch, it’s boring to do, and I find it boring to write about. But myths are fun to write about, and there are some big ones suggesting that sanding to a very fine-grit sandpaper produces better finish results. So here goes on sanding. Basic Rules for Sanding Unless you are solely planing or scraping, sanding is necessary to remove flaws in the wood and mill marks left by machining.
9 Useful Finishing Tips
9 Useful Finishing Tips2022-07-132022-07-13https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworkinghttps://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/01pwm1115flexner.jpg200px200px Here are some finishing tips I hope you find of value. They are arranged in roughly the order of the typical finishing steps. Sand Oil Finishes Wet It’s not at all necessary to sand wood to very fine grits with oil finishes to get very smooth results.
Grain Raising | Popular Woodworking
Grain Raising2022-06-282022-06-27https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworkinghttps://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/1_picture-of-magnified-wood-grain.jpg200px200px A better understanding of what causes grain raising will help you manage it. Grain raising, including its causes and how to handle it, is not well understood by woodworkers.
Choosing a Finish for Color
Different finishes look different on different species. There are many reasons to choose one finish over another. Usually the most important is for protection and durability – how well a finish protects the wood from moisture and how resistant the finish is to being damaged by coarse objects, heat and solvents. Other significant factors include drying time (you don’t want a fast-drying finish if you’re brushing) and odor (some finishes have a less irritating aroma than others). There’s also color.
Home-center Finishing
Home-center Finishing2022-05-112022-05-12https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworkinghttps://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/0711-ff-3-1_opener.jpg200px200px You can achieve a great finish from commonly available products. We all love home centers for the good stuff they carry and for their low prices. But home centers cater to the lowest common denominator consumer – that is, they carry only the stuff that has a big market.
Linseed Oil vs Tung Oil
Comparing Linseed Oil & Tung Oil2022-05-042022-05-04https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworkinghttps://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/vs.jpg200px200px The two commonly available pure oil finishes that can be used on furniture and woodwork with decent results because they cure – that is, turn from a liquid to a soft solid – are linseed oil and tung oil. There are important differences between these two oils.
Wood Finishing Basics
Understand the fundamentals of finishing your woodworking projects. A wood finish is a clear, transparent coating applied to wood to protect it from moisture and to make it look richer and deeper. This differs from paint, which is a wood finish loaded with enough pigment to hide the wood. And it differs from a stain, which is a wood finish and a colorant (pigment or dye) with a lot of thinner added so the excess stain is easy to wipe off. The remainder just colors the wood; it doesn’t hide the wood.
10 Finishing Tips & Tricks
We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. Solutions for common situations, from softening edges to stripping. Here are 10 tips and tricks you might use to both speed your finishing and get better results. I’ve arranged them in the rough order of typical finishing steps. Soften Sharp Edges Soften edges. Film-building finishes can peel away from sharp edges as shown here.
Can You Stain Cherry Without Blotching?
We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. Cherry blotches. All clear finishes cause blotching in cherry. The finish on this cupboard is boiled linseed oil topped with lacquer. The linseed oil darkens as it ages, so the color of the cherry will deepen more quickly than with other finishes. The lacquer provides better protection and shine.
Explaining Polymerized Oil
We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. Three “polymerized” oils. The three oils that have some claim to being polymerized are too different to be thought of as a category. Simple in theory, not in the real world. A reader of my blog asked me to explain what polymerized oil is. So here goes.
5 Common Spraying Problems
Posted October 6, 2021 5 Common Spraying Problems2021-10-062021-10-08https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/popwood_logos-01.pngPopular Woodworking Magazinehttps://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/1_orange-peel-1.jpg200px200px We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. 1. On the left I sprayed a very thick lacquer with too little air pressure, which caused severe orange peel.
Cabinet-grade Finishing
We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. Color putty. A fast and efficient way to fill the small nail holes often found on cabinet frames is to press some widely available “Color Putty” into the holes with one finger and wipe it level with another. This is done between coats of finish, and there’s no need to sand. Not everything has to have a furniture-grade finish.
Fish Eye & Silicone
We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. Polishes. Most aerosol furniture polishes and some non-aerosols contain silicone along with petroleum distillates. These polishes are popular because they add shine, depth and scratch resistance for weeks at a time. The truth behind craters and ridges. If your finishing career has been limited to finishing projects you have made, you may never have experienced fish eye.
Slow Drying Finish Solutions
We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. Too cold. If your varnish brush is picking up some of the stain color as shown here, the most likely cause is cool temperatures in your shop. I let this oil stain dry 24 hours in a shop at about 55°, clearly not long enough at this temperature. Why stains and finishes sometimes dry slowly. A friend called with a problem.
Colonial Apprenticeship
We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. Trade label. This W. Buttre trade card, circa 1813, shows chairmaking apprentices at work. Courtesy, The Winterthur Library: Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera. A brief history of a not-so-romantic woodworking education system.
5 Tricks for a Silky-smooth Finish
We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. Vacuum. The best method of removing sanding dust is with a vacuum. Brushing spreads the dust into the air, and you’ll need to wait until it settles before beginning to finish. Tack cloths don’t get into recesses well, and they leave a residue that hinders the bonding of water-based finishes. Achieve great results with the least amount of work.
French Polishing Myths
We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. Make a pad. To make a pad for French polishing, wrap a folded cotton or wool cloth inside a non-stretching (not a T-shirt) cotton or linen cloth that is thin and tightly woven without sewn ridges. Here, I’m using a cotton cloth from a fabric store. Linen and more.
Regluing Doweled Chairs
We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. The chair I’m regluing is factory-made, glued with animal hide glue and finished with shellac. The dowels are spiral-grooved and the nails used in the stretchers are wire, not “square.” So the chair is probably from the 1920s or early 1930s. Once you have cleaned all the joints and replaced dowels as explained in the article, apply glue and clamp the chair together.
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