Pitfalls of Finishing Pine

Cross-grain scratches, bleeding pitch, and blotchy staining can mar your finish if you don't use proper techniques

Photo by: Mark Schofield

It is ironic that the wood many first-time finishers tackle is one of the more challenging woods to finish: a piece of unfinished pine. Pine may be easy to cut and shape, but it needs special care when being sanded, stained, and clear-coated. Below you'll see the problems that can result. To find out how to avoid these problems and achieve a beautiful finish on pine, buy Finishing & Refinishing Furniture,

SANDING PROBLEM: Cross-Grain Scratches Because pine is such a soft wood, care must be taken to always sand with the grain and avoid cross-grain scratches.

SEALING PROBLEM: Bleeding Pitch If pine knots are not sealed with shellac, the pitch in them can bleed through a clear coat such as this lacquer.

STAINING PROBLEM: Uneven Staining The right-hand side of this board has a more even tone because it was given a thin coat of shellac. The washcoat controls the amount of stain that the wide bands of spring wood can absorb.