Hello,
I am building a toy box out of birch plywood, with some ash as the hardwood trim. I plan on staining it, but not sure what to do after that. I was thinking of polyurethane, but I am wondering if there might be another choice of finish? I noticed that the birch is a little fuzzy if you want to call it that. How can I handle that so i dont get a fuzzy finish? I have heard a lot about sanding sealer, but not sure of how or when to use it. Do you use it before or after staining? As a new woodworker, i guess i need a finish that will be easy to apply, look good when done, and not require too many hours to apply.
Any info would be appreciated! Thanks
Replies
I would give the plywood a light sanding with 220 grit paper prior to staining. Be sure and clean all the dust off before staining.
Urethane is an easy to apply finish especially for the novice. Prior to applying it be sure and let your stain dry well. A few days is not too much.
Once you have your first coat of urethane on, let it sit a minimum of a day. Then lightly sand this first coat with 220 paper and clean all the dust off prior to applying the second coat.
You'll find that the first coat has encompassed the fuzziness and will be smoothed out nicely when you sand it.
From here apply another coat or two as required Be sure to sand in between each coat to ensure the next coat has some "tooth" to grab onto.
Forget about sanding sealers. They are not required. If I need to seal something I would use blonde shellac.
Do yourself a BIG favor and go to the library and pull a finishing book or two. The names Jewitt and Flexnor are a couple of authors you should look for. Reading will help take the guesswork out of your work.
Have fun
Peter
Thanks Peter, I will definitely get a book from the library. I will let you know how it turns out.
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