I am currently making an entertainment center and would like to know what would be the best way to finish a big piece. I do not have a spray gun and have only ever used a wipe on stain and a wipe/brushed on poly. Could please offer any tips that you might have regarding finishing a project of this size? The entertainment center is made from cabinet grade birch plywood.
Thanks
Replies
Wipe on works well. I've done corner cupboards.
Hand finishing a large project can be a real challenge and you'll need to really plan your work. I've had pretty good results when I break the job down into logical sections. For example, I may do the inside first, then move to sections of the outside. Doors, drawers and shelves are done separately. You'll have to pay close attention to the stain you've applied so it doesn't "get away" from you before you start wiping off the excess. Blending between the sections will probably take some extra work so it looks as even as possible.
If you haven't done it already, experiment with some scrap birch. Birch is beautiful, but can blotch pretty badly. It's always better to mess up on some scrap than your finished piece. Make sure your experiments include both the plywood and some solid wood. They don't take stain the same way.
If the appearance is really crucial, think about having it professionally finished. It can be costly, but you (or your customer, friend, or relative) will have to look at it for a long time - lol.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled