Furniture Finishing Tips

Congratulations on your purchase of unfinished Furniture from Four Sisters Furniture!

Plan to finish any unfinished furniture as soon as possible to prevent warping and cracking. Hopefully the following will provide you with the information needed for a successfully finished project.

Preparation for Painting and Staining
First, make sure that you have all the supplies needed to complete your project.

• Paint, stain, cheese cloth, foam brush for wiping on stain, lint free rag for wiping off stain
• Top coat, foam brush for applying the top coat
• 150 /220 /400 grit sand paper and /or sanding pads for sanding in between coats

Second, unfinished furniture is usually ready to start finishing, but may require some sanding to properly prepare the piece. Look at and feel the pieces for rough spots, dents, or soil from handling. The stain may not penetrate if it is soiled and not sanded properly. Wipe entire surface with tack cloth to remove any dust.

Staining Instructions
Make sure your work area is well ventilated with enough room to lay out all drawers, doors, shelves, etc., while drying. Stir the stain thoroughly. Apply stain in an inconspicuous place to make sure it is the right color.
Take one section at a time and don’t get too far ahead of yourself.  Using a foam brush or cheese cloth, apply the stain, going with the grain. Use an absorbent cloth to remove excess stain,  also going with the grain. You may run into an area that requires sanding because it is not taking the stain correctly, due to glue or soiling, now is the time to do it before stain dries. Using 150 grit sandpaper carefully sand the area and re-apply stain (one trick I have learned while finishing). If a darker shade is desired, repeat the steps above.

Painting Instructions
When painting pine remember that the knots may bleed through the paint. There are some products that will help prevent this but, it depends on how much sap is in the knot. Using a primer like Kilz or something similar will help to some extent. We carry a very high quality acrylic paint called Milk Paint that is very easy to work with. The biggest advantage to using this paint is that it sands very easily when you are antiquing and is very durable. Two to three coats of paint are usually needed, drying thoroughly between coats. Apply topcoat over paint for added durability or to increase the sheen.

Glazing and Antiquing
When glazing I recommend that you apply a top coat before you sand or distress the edges. This is to keep the stain or glaze from sticking to the paint as much, making it easier to wipe off. Make sure it is completely dry and then sand the desired edges all the way through to the bare wood using 150 grit sand paper, being very careful not to leave scratches in main areas. I like using a lacquer sanding pad to go over everything after I’ve worn the edges and corners. When using a glaze, apply liberally over an entire section, and wipe off quickly, blending all inside corners and areas. (Remember, do small sections at a time, not getting too far ahead of yourself).  Let dry 3 to 4 hours. Apply two top coats for extra durability and sheen.

Applying the Topcoat
Stir topcoat well. Do not shake because it will create air bubbles. Make sure your piece is dust free. Apply topcoat with foam brush using long straight strokes. Do not over brush. The topcoat is self-leveling. Three coats are recommended unless you are going over milk paint, then only two are necessary. Lightly sand with fine grit sanding pad or 400 grit sandpaper between coats.. Drying thoroughly between coats. It can affect the whole project if you don’t let it dry thoroughly. Do not sand after final coat.