Introduction: Matt Finish Wood - WerkplaatsIDC

By joachimvdv.be
About: 22 | Howest Kortrijk | Student: Industrial Product Design | Bachelor's degree: Digital Design and Development (Devine)

Hello there,

We are Anton & Joachim, 2 students Industrial Productdesign and we make this workshop especially for you!

In this process you learn how you can finish wood with different products and methods. Each step will cover a different method of finishing wood. Each time we start with the same block of white-wood.

Step 1: Sanding

What do you need?

  • Sandpaper
  • Safety glasses
  • Dust mask
  • Optional: belt sander

How?

This is a step you need to do every time you want to finish wood. Always sand it before you add a finishing product. Sanding on the beltsander is good enough if you ad a substitute.

If you don't add a different finish you can go through the grid's of sandpaper to get a nice smooth finish. Just make sure you start with rough sandpaper and you can choose how smooth you end.

Make sure you clean off al the dust before you proceed!

Step 2: Wood Dye

This is the process of giving your wood desired color of your needs. The color can verify between different colors.

What do you need?

  • Wood dye (in the color you want)
  • Stick
  • Flat screwdriver
  • Cloth (cotton)
  • Polyurethane varnish

  • Paint brush

How?

Open the can of wood dye and stir until you have one smooth mass.

Dip the cotton cloth in the dye and rub it on the wood, make sure you add enough dye (it penetrates the wood). Get it all over the wooden part nice and smooth.

Let it dry for 24 hours.

After this you grab the can of Polyurethane varnish (you have to add this because wood dye comes of easily). Open it up stir it and add it nice and smooth with the paint brush on the dyed wood.

Let it dry and your dyed wood is done!

Step 3: Natural Oil

This process is the most natural, you keep your wood alive, it's not closed down completely. This is the thing you need for cutting boards, because natural oil is not intoxicating!

What do you need?

  • Can of natural oil (can give a darker surface) with oil the wood stays alive it keeps breathing.
  • Paint brush
  • Flat screwdriver
  • Stick

How?

Open the can of oil using the screwdriver. Stir it up with the stick, stick the brush in it and give it a nice coat of oil. Most oils are protective and don't come of so there is no additional step needed. Always let it dry for a good amount of time (look at the can, it can variate from oil to oil).

Step 4: Dyed Varnish

This is the process of dying the wood and giving it a nice smooth finished layer. This is a varnish that makes the wood look like dark oak.

What do you need?

  • Dyed varnish
  • Paint brush
  • Stick
  • Flat screwdriver

How?

Open the can stir it up, put the paint brush in and start rubbing the wood in. A thin layer is enough, it's a varnish so it doesn't sink in the wood as much as a wood dye does. Make sure everything is nice and clean and let it dry!

Congratulations you made cheap white-wood look like expensive dark oak!

Step 5: Clear Varnish

This is the same method as the previous step except that this is clear, so if you like the color of the wood this is the way to go!

What do you need?

  • Varnish
  • Paint brush
  • Stick
  • Flat screwdriver

How?

Open the can stir it up, put the paint brush in and start rubbing the wood in. A thin layer is enough, it's a varnish so it doesn't sink in the wood as much as a wood dye does. Make sure everything is nice and clean and let it dry!

This is a protective coat on the wood, it doesn't let the wood breath as much as oil does but it's protected against water and other bad things!

Step 6: Polyurethane Varnish

This is comparable to varnish but it's based of polyurethane so it really closes in the wood. You can say the wood has a thin plastic layer on it and doesn't let anything in.

What do you need?

  • Polyurethane varnish
  • Paint brush
  • Stick
  • Flat screwdriver

How?

Open the can, stir it up and start varnishing. It's simple but make sure the polyurethane is nicely spread out, you can sand it off if your not happy and redo it but make sure it's nicely spread out so it has a nice flat surface.

Step 7: That's It!

So these are the basic methods off finishing wood, you can see that the possibilities are endless and it's really up to you to chose the right stain for your wooden project!

Step 8: One Last Tip!

Be sure all your jars are properly sealed. Turn them upside down for a moment this ensures that any small air holes are closed so the content remains longer.