How to Pop the Curl in Cherry

In my article “Prevent Blotching in Cherry,” I covered  the right ways and the wrong ways to produce a finish free of dark, ugly blotches. However, there are times when you want some blotching, to accentuate the figure in curly cherry.

What’s the best way to pop that curl? The method shown in this video is almost guaranteed to work every time.

Begin by sanding only to P150. Seal endgrain areas with a thin washcoat of shellac, then flood the wood with oil. Let it cure for a week, then brush or spray on several coats of lacquer. Once the lacquer is fully cured, rub out the finish using very fine wet-or-dry sandpaper followed by polishing compounds. Don’t look for those products at a hardware store or home center, though. You’re much more likely to find them at an auto-supply store.