How to Stain and Paint Furniture

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Ranked #321 in DIY, #6,276 overall

Finishing Your Own Furniture - Practical and Fun

You can express yourself, match your decor perfectly, and save a little money by spending your effort.

Choose a rich stain, a subdued paint hue, two tones, or decorative finishes - all it takes is your imagination and a little know how, which you can find here.

For all of the great reasons to choose unfinished furniture instead of factory-finished furniture, check out Unfinished Furniture on Squidoo!

Use Waterbased/Waterborne Stains and Paints 

Using waterbased or waterborne finishes has several benefits including
*less exposure to harmful solvents,
*faster drying time, and
*easier clean up.

To learn more about why waterbased paints and stains are the better, greener, safer choice, see What Everyone Ought to Know About Waterbased Finishes on Squidoo.

Beautifully finished kitchen table using General Finishes Water Based Stains & Topcoats

New Finishing DVD by Charles Neil 

Check out this new instructional DVD - perfect for anyone just learning how to finish or for anyone who wants to hone their skills


Finishing A to Z - Beyond the Books - 10 Disc Set

13 Hours of Instruction

Learn:
Building to Finish - Sanding & Smoothing
Preparing to Color - Repairing Defects
Coloring Wood - Dyes & Stains
Controlling Color
Advanced Coloring Techniques
Spray Guns & Turbines
Spray Techniques
Spraying Top Coats
Hand Applied Finishes
Special Finishing Techniques


See the Introduction Video below.


Click here to purchase - Finishing A to Z

WOODWORKING - Introducing Finishing from A to Z

Introducing "Finishing from A to Z: Beyond the Book" DVD Series (over 20 hours of instruction) Happy Woodworking and Be Safe! woodworking, woodworking, woodworking, woodworking, woodworking, woodworking, woodworking

Runtime: 3:57
10932 views
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Finishing Techniques and Help by Charles Neil 

In the Workshop

Charles Neil, a highly respected woodworker, shares his finishing techniques and tips. Click here to learn more about him and his workshop - Woodworking with Charles Neil

WOODWORKING - Stains & Dyes

Runtime: 7:26
19815 views
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WOODWORKING - Cutting Board Finishes

Runtime: 8:58
6363 views
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WOODWORKING - Ebonizing - Water Base & 2-Stage Turbines

Runtime: 4:31
4592 views
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Creating the Look of Distressed and Antiqued Furniture 

One of the most popular looks today is that of distressed or antiqued furniture.

Creating that look can take a little bit of practice, but it can also be super fun.

Distressing is a technique of giving the appearance of generations of use or what some of us might call "character."

Collect old hardware, screws, nails - anything you can use to leave an imprint. Then pound away. If it's been a long week and you need a lift, this is great therapy. Get rid of all that stress and finish a piece of furniture at the same time!

Antiquing is another form of distressing that is used to give the appearance of an old piece of furniture that has been well taken care of over the years. However, the corners and other recesses show the remains of an "old" finish while more exposed surfaces, like doors and sides, seem to have been "worn away" by time and use.

Besides applying stains and topcoats, this process involves selective sanding of the "base stain" and wiping in of a "top stain." Practice on a piece of scrap wood to get a hands-on feel for how the stains will look on the particular wood you've chosen.

Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to achieve the look illustrated above plus many others - Using waterborne stains and paints to create faux finishes

New Exterior Varnish for Outdoor Furniture 

Anxious to protect your outdoor furniture before the harsh winter?

General Finishes EXTERIOR 450 varnish will give your outdoor furniture and wooden doors a super-tough and beautiful finish.

My favorite feature of this new varnish -
its built-in mildewcide that retards mold and mildew growth.

To learn more, visit General Finishes' Waterbased Finishes page or view their recent press release.

Faux Painting Techniques and Furniture Finishing Resources 

Books & Videos

Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Finishing (Complete Illustrated Guide) by Jeff Jewitt

Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Finishing (Complete Illustrated Guide) by Jeff Jewitt

Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Finishing more...1 point

Honey, I want new cabinets!

Honey, I want new cabinets!

This video is a do it yourselfers guide to paintin more...0 points

created by chrisadams

More Furniture Finishing Resources 

Beautifully-photographed guides to finishing your new unfinished furniture or your flea market finds!
With these books and your imagination - you're well on your way to beautiful, unique furniture!

2 more products: See all

created by chrisadams

Even More Wood Finishing Guides 

3 more products: See all

created by chrisadams

Using Waterborne Finishes to Finish Furniture 

Learn the benefits of using waterborne finishes to stain and paint furniture plus the tools needed for the job.

General Finishes Waterborne Finishes

Benefits of Water based finishes plus the tools needed to finish furniture The Finish Line - Part 1 http://www.generalfinishes.com

Runtime: 6:06
2320 views
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Applying Waterborne Stains and Paints to Furniture 

Learn how to apply a two-tone finish to furniture with water based finishes.

General Finishes Waterborne Finishes Part 2

Applying waterbased stains and topcoats to furniture plus tips for maintenance and care. http://www.generalfinishes.com

Runtime: 8:41
5145 views
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Decorative Finishes 

Create the fun look of sponging or the sophisticated look of marble and leather with these faux finishing techniques.

General Finishes Waterborne Finishes Part 3

Learn how to create specialty faux decorative finishes, such as faux marble, leather, and antique graining. http://www.generalfinishes.com

Runtime: 9:55
5940 views
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Got Questions? 

Need some guidance on finishing your own furniture? Ask here. If I don't know, I'll help you find out!

raytax wrote...

I agree, great lens....Im particularly interested in giving wood the antique finishing and the article from Charles Neil was a good tip sheet......nice info

If you want more info on woodworking saw and builds come over and see me /www.woodworkingsaw.net">woodworking saw blog

ReplyPosted January 10, 2009

Lensmaster

Cool lens! I'm going to start painting a bunch of furniture, my kitchen and bathroom cabinets, and my floors soon.

ReplyPosted March 15, 2008

gods_grace_notes wrote...

Hi Christine! I LOVE this lens...furniture finishing is a passion I also enjoy. Thanks for all the great info; I look forward to hearing more from you! Connie ...aka Squid Angel

Welcome to Connie's Craft-a-Holics Club

ReplyPosted August 13, 2007