Master Woodworker Robert Johnson

I have spent many years finishing wood. My favorite and easiest method is using lacquer sanding sealer.

A good sanding sealer (lacquer based) can be brushed on or sprayed and it will dry in minutes compared to hours with polyurethane.

After about ½ hour to an hour lacquer sanding sealer can be sanded with 150 to 320 grit sand paper depending on how heavy the application.

If a heavy coat is sprayed on, be careful to blow air on the piece to set it as you are spraying. This will avoid runs.

You might let it dry for about 2 hours and hit it with a light coat of 320 sandpaper.  One more lighter thinner coat (add more lacquer thinner) and you’ve got a nice finish in a short time.

Master Woodworker Bob Johnson

Hi, I’m Bob Johnson, one of the owners of BK Woodworking and I’d like to use this space to answer your questions about one of my favorite topics: wood.

I thought I’d start off by telling you a bit about the types of wood that are available to us here in the United States.

As you might guess, not all wood has the same hardness and durability. Here’s a rundown of some of the more common types and their quality.

You can make furniture out of just about any but the softest types of wood but some woods are better than others.

Woods are often classified as hardwoods or softwoods.

Hardwoods

Hardwoods are rare and often expensive but wonderful for furniture. If you have an old piece of beaten up furniture constructed out of hardwood, there’s a good chance it’s worth restoring.

Some hardwoods include

• Mahogany
• Walnut
• Oak
• Maple
• Cherry
• Rosewood
• Teak

Softwoods

Softwoods are often used in the construction trade and in hidden parts of furniture. Entire pieces of furniture are also made out of some softwoods, but like their name implies, they aren’t as hard as hardwoods like mahogany or walnut. Some softwoods include

• Pine
• Hemlock
• Fir
• Redwood
• Spruce
• Cedar

Manufactured Woods

Many modern woods are manufactured from by wooden sheeting. They can be thick or thin.

Some of these types of wood include:

• Fiber Board
• Chipboard
• Plywood

What type of wood is best for your project?   Well,  contact us about your project and I’ll  give you an answer.

I look forward to hearing from you.