HOW-TO
Wood Preparation Do's & Don'ts
Even skilled woodworkers can learn from these fundamental wood finishing reminders.
HOW-TO
Wood Preparation Do's & Don'ts
Even skilled woodworkers can learn from these fundamental wood finishing reminders.
Wood Preparation Do's and Don'ts
Do...
Make sure your wood project and wood preparation products are at room temperature before starting.
Like the air in your work area, both the wood surface and any wood preparation product you are using should be above 65° F. Let them sit at room temperature overnight before starting your wood project.
Keep the temperature above 65° F during the entire recommended drying time listed on the label.
During the entire recommended drying time listed on the label. If the temperature drops, the evaporation process will slow and the wood preparation product will remain tacky for a longer length of time.
Always sand in the same direction the grain ‘runs’ down a board.
Sanding against the grain leaves scratches that will become painfully obvious when they later absorb either stain or finish.
Pre-treat the end grain.
Apply extra Minwax® Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner to the end grain of any board to prevent it from absorbing more stain than the flat sides of the board.
Don't...
Work in strong, direct sunlight.
The heat from the sun can cause moisture in the wood to create bubbles in your stain or finish.
Work beneath heating or air conditioning vents.
Heating or air conditioning vents can blow dust directly into your wet finish.
Use a belt sander on anything other than a floor.
A belt sander can quickly leave deep gouges and scratches in the wood.
Skip the wood conditioner.
Never skip the Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner on projects you are going to stain. It improves the appearance of any stained wood.