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Wood finishing is a mystery to many woodworkers. But I think this video above will help communicate the essentials to the craft of applying a nice, smooth, clear protective finish on a piece of furniture.

What Are The Basics of Getting a Fantastic Wood Finish?

  1. Apply several light coats rather than thick, heavy coats
  2. Let each coat dry thoroughly
  3. Scuff before applying the next coat and
  4. Polish the final coat after it cures for a couple of weeks

So the video above walks you through those 4 steps on a solid American walnut wood desk top. The video is actually the second part in a series on how I finished my custom built standing height desk. Since the ash base is dyed black and glazed with a gray stain for a unique look, I put that in a separate tutorial. More about how I finished that in “Part 1” >

The solid walnut top, above, is a slightly different story. I finished it with just a hand-rubbed tung oil varnish, applying 8 coats to protect the top surface while giving the walnut a gorgeous, natural warm glow, too.

In this video, you’ll follow along as I work through each step from prepping the raw panel all the way to polishing the final coat.

Watch the Video to Get a Few Pointers On:

  • dealing with a cupped solid wood panel
  • wet-sanding an oil finish to highlight the grain
  • using a sanding sponge
  • scuffing with synthetic finishing pads
  • polishing the last coat for a beautiful shine

Products Used:

  • Old Masters Tung Oil Varnish
  • Howard Restor-A-Shine Polishing Compound
  • Synthetic finishing pads
  • 220-grit sanding sponge
  • Scott Shop Towels

Quick Gallery of Images of The Walnut Top:

Vice President of Operations – Woodworkers Source
We’re a family-owned lumber & woodworking supply retailer with 3 delightful stores in Arizona, and 35 friendly employees.
Mark oversees the company and creates tutorials on wood finishing and woodworking tips for hardwood lumber.

Woodworkers Source is a division of MacBeath Hardwood Co.


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