Replies

1. 
   john_c2 | Aug 27, 2020 05:39pm | #1

   Some do. It messes some people up, a lot. The best process seems to be a thin or wash coat before assembly, assembly, then the rest of the finish.

   I don't bother. It doesn't add anything to the project as Dar as I'm concerned. It's solving a nonexistent problem.

2. 
   sawdustjeff | Aug 27, 2020 07:02pm | #2

   Two 'existent' problems where prefinishing can help: 1) glue squeeze out, mostly in tight corners where you can't get it out will prevent the finish from soaking in, leaving light spots; and 2) those same tight inside corners can sometimes be hard to get finish into after the assembly. Prefinising can provide a more even finish across those transitions.

3. 
   Beasley7 | Aug 27, 2020 07:03pm | #3

   It can be done, but for most woodworkers the risk doesn't outweigh the benefit. Here are the biggest risks as I see them.
   1.)Glue doesn't stick to finish very well.
   2.)Bumps and dings are much harder to fix after finish is applied.
   3.)It can be harder to get the finish uniformly applied to individual pieces.
   4.)Glue squeeze out is hard to fix without damaging the finish.
   In the end it is your project, with your name on it so it's your call. I personally like to finish as a final step.

4. 
   _mj_ | Aug 27, 2020 07:12pm | #4

   I'm with Jeff. I'll pre-finish interior surfaces when things are tight and getting in to finish later will be difficult. The other upside is that I can go in with a damp rag to get rid of squeeze out while the glue is wet as opposed to trying to get it while rubbery or with a tool after it is dry. Masking joinery areas before pre-finishing is a must.

5. 
   geedubbee | Aug 27, 2020 11:36pm | #5

   Most of my pieces involve some pre-finishing prior to assembly.

6. 
   Badger1805 | Aug 28, 2020 06:28am | #6

   It's also easier to finish preassembled horizontal surfaces than vertical ones, such as in casework.

7. 
   stantheman | Aug 28, 2020 08:40am | #7

   I'll stain pre-assembly, topcoat after.

8. 
   johngruss | Aug 28, 2020 09:01am | #8

   Thanks for the replies. I am getting ready to assemble an arts and craft coffee table. There are 4 vertical slotted slates on each end and that is making we wonder if I should finish them prior to assembly. My main concern is sanding pieces between coats where there is a change in plane and not sanding cross grain. By the way the table is turning out great at least the pieces look good. Certainly tape and keep finish off tenons and out of mortises.

9. 
   Badger1805 | Aug 28, 2020 09:15am | #9

   I've now built seven Arts & Crafts projects (tables, desk, bed and console), all but one having the typical array of slats that are mortise and tenon joined into the rails, and I've prefinished each time. I can't imagine trying to achieve a good finish on the numerous slats after glue up. Also, I didn't find it necessary to mask the tenons or mortises, it's easy enough to keep the finish off the tenons and out of the mortises.The area around the mortise that the shoulder of the tenon abuts doesn't add any strength at all (end grain to face grain) and doesn't need to be glued, so prefinishing around the mortise is not an issue.

10. 
    geedubbee | Aug 28, 2020 10:45am | #10

    " I am getting ready to assemble an arts and craft coffee table. There are 4 vertical slotted slates on each end"

    Yep, that is a perfect example of a good place to pre-finish. Any small, tight, dead-end-enclosed or numerous (like the slats in Mission Style pieces) are good candidates.

11. 
    mdorsam | Aug 28, 2020 07:28pm | #11

    Good Comments, all...
    In my experience, pre-finishing runs the risk of getting finish on what will be glue surfaces. Similar to the advice above, I pre-finish small pieces, or pieces that will be tough to get to, once assembled - for these pieces I blue-tape all glue surfaces, and go so far as to place blue-tape over mortises, so that finish does not get into them, prior to the tenon being inserted.
    Depending on the number of finish coats, pre-finishing can add considerable time to the build process; as you are effectively running two complete finishing cycles.

12. 
    sawdustjeff | Aug 28, 2020 07:46pm | #12

    I think it would be helpful for us to distinguish between stain finishing and top coating. While a stain my inhibit glue adhesion a small amount, I'm much less concerned about that than I would be with top coating. In my comments above, I was speaking specifically about stain. I very rarely top coat pieces before assembly, though it's been known to happen.