1.
Choose a finish that will meet your expectations for the product you are
finishing. Are you matching existing furniture or do you want a “natural”
finish? Is the piece to be functional, decorative or both? The answers
to these questions may affect the type of finish you choose.
2.
Use products of the same brand to ensure compatibility of products.
3.
ALWAYS
follow the stain manufacturer’s instructions. Alder is a porous
wood and looks best when following the finishing instructions for
softwoods.
4.
We recommend using a wood conditioner under oil base stains.
5.
Work in a well ventilated and well lit area.
1.
Assembly Instructions may contain special finishing information
for that item
. Read both the Assembly Instructions and these Finishing
Hints completely before beginning.
2.
Sand the entire piece, using #220 grit sandpaper. Sand with the grain
of the wood on flat surfaces and opposite the grain on turnings. Some
parts are plywood. Be careful not to sand through the veneer. End gra
in
(table top ends, seat edges, grooves on turnings, etc.) accepts more
stain. Extra sanding in these areas with a #320 grit sandpaper will reduce
stain absorption, creating a more evenly stained piece.
3.
When sanding is completed, wipe the surface of your furniture with a cloth or tack rag. Make sure
the item is free of dust before proceeding.
4.
For most products, we recommend preparing and staining the wood prior to assembly. Due to the
assembly procedures for chairs, rockers and stools, we recommend assembling these items prior
to finishing.
5.
If you do choose to finish chairs, rockers or stools prior to assembly, it is
imperative
that you protect
the ends of dowels and spindles, and the mortise holes where the wood is joined, from finishing
products. Use masking tape around the ends, being careful to cover only the section that will be
inserted (remove the tape after the finish has dried and before the furniture is assembled). Wood
glue
will not bond
if finishing products are present. If you do get finishing product in these areas,
it must be removed to ensure proper bonding.
6.
If glue is used in assembly of your furniture, remove any excess glue spots or drips before finish-
ing. Wood surfaces with glue
WILL NOT
accept stains, and will leave a light spot. To remove glue,
wipe off as much as possible while wet, then lightly sand the surface until the remaining glue is
removed.
These are general hints. Refer to the instruction sheet for detailed information
on gluing your specific product. Your unit may not need glue.
1.
We
strongly
recommend that you first lay out all the parts and familiarize yourself with how they fit
together before assembling with glue. Glue will set up quickly and can cause damage to the parts
if you try to reposition any that have been assembled incorrectly.
2.
Glue usually takes several hours to cure (or harden) but it will sometimes set up, or grab, in several
seconds. Therefore, once you begin final assembly, be sure to proceed quickly and diligently.
Rubber gloves
Rags
Paper towels
Q-tips
Tack cloth
Drop cloth
Paint brushes
(bristle and foam)
#220 & #320
sandpaper
Mineral spirits
Masking Tape
