To determine the best finish for a project, you must take into account three things: appearance, application and durability. Asking yourself the following questions will help you sort through the choices.

• How will the item be used? Will it be subjected to a lot of moisture, solvents, food, scrapes and dents?
• What is your skill level, and how big is your work area? Does it stay clean, and is it heated and dry?
• What do you want the wood to look like? Do you want an "in-the-wood" natural look or a thicker film finish that accentuates depth?
• Will you be filling the pores to attain a highly polished finish?
• Will you be rubbing out the finish to achieve a particular sheen?
• Do you want the finish to alter the colour of the wood? Is yellowing an issue? Do you want to minimize colour changes as the wood ages?
• Safety and health: Are you sensitive to some solvents or concerned about flammability or the environmental impact of certain finishes?
• Toxicity of the finish: Will it be used near areas of food preparation?

[edit] All About Shellac

To the average person, shellac probably invokes many negative perceptions. Poor water and heat resistance, difficult to apply, poor drying and low durability are all criticisms that I hear when I mention shellac to my clients or other woodworkers.
Applying Shellac | Varieties Of Shellac | Repairing Shellac | Different Applications | Using Shellac | Other Shellac Uses | Mixing Shellac

[edit] All About Repairing Damaged Finishes

Different wood finishes vary greatly in how well they protect furniture and in how long they last, but they are all subject to the forces of light, moisture, air and general wear and tear.
Dull And Dirty Finishes | Scratches And Scrapes | Gouges And Dents | Water And Heat Marks

[edit] Bleaching Timber

Bleaching removes the natural colour from most timbers, and can eliminate undesirable colour variations in natural timber. It can also aid in the removal of unwanted ink and stain blemishes left in timber after paint stripping. Read More

[edit] Finishes Comparison Chart

Evaporative finishes dry as their solvents disperse into the air. They will always redissolve into the solvent originally used to thin them, making them easier to repair but also a little less durable. Read More

[edit] Why Use Sealers

Finishers call on sealers to perform two basic functions in the finishing process: to solve problems, such as a contaminated surface, and to speed things up by providing a flat base for subsequent topcoats. Read More

[edit] What Is Varnish

My ideal furniture finish would penetrate deep into the wood, dry quickly, provide good abrasion and stain resistance, rub out easily and look great. Also, I want the option to apply this finish with a rag or a brush or a spray gun. Unfortunately, no finish has all of these properties, but oil-based varnish comes pretty close. Read More

[edit] All About Respirators