Understanding Wood Finishing: How to Select and Apply the Right Finish (Fox Chapel Publishing) Practical & Comprehensive with Over 300 Color Photos and 40 Reference Tables & Troubleshooting Guides

Prefect images on the step by step of all processes. Images about application errors and possible solutions are of great help.

Amazingly thorough and complete. All my questions addressed.

This seems like an excellent book on finishing wood, but being a relative newcomer to this topic, I felt like this book lacked enough detail on precisely when you should use each technique or each combination of techniques that he covers. I also would like to have seen more detailed, step-by-step instructions to guide absolute beginners in making logical finish choices, as well as which finish combinations work best in example situations, and how to apply those finishes best. After reading the book three times, I feel like my understanding of those sorts of details is still lacking. In other words, I don't think I have enough understanding to make the correct choices for each finishing situation. I feel like I would be mostly guessing what I should use. That's why I took one star away.For example, there is a table outlining the potential benefits of each finish type which seems to show that shellac has excellent attributes in nearly every desirable category except for complete wood protection, It is also non-toxic and has no dangerous fumes. For an indoor object which is mostly decorative and rarely handled, it sounds like shellac would be the best finish for me to use, particularly with my perpetual sinus problems. Yet, he seems to go into more detail about using every finish except shellac in this book. In fact, I'm still not clear on whether shellac would be best used in the tinting process or the protection process, much less how to include it in a finishing project.Here is another example of what I mean by lack of detail for beginners. In several parts of the book, he seems to say that tinting the wood is a separate step from applying a protective finish, but I didn't see examples of which tinting methods work best with each protection method. In fact, a couple of passages of the book seem to say that you do a sealing pass before tinting or the final protective finish. In the rest of the book, this sealing process is omitted. I must admit, this confused me even more. I would like to have seen beginner-level instructions for choosing and then applying each of the combinations as well as a single, definitive list depicting the chronological order. I don't know whether I'm supposed to seal, then tint, then protect the finish or tint first, then seal, then protect. Perhaps I'm only supposed to seal in very specific situations. Maybe protecting the finish is the same thing as sealing. I'm just not sure.Overall, I feel like my theoretical knowledge base of general information about wood finishing has expanded greatly. But from a purely-practical beginners viewpoint, I still don't know what I'm supposed to do. I wish there were more detailed step-by-step instructions with photos showing the precise steps and sequence for applying each finish combination on a scrap piece of wood for beginners. Basically, I'm talking about sample projects similar to those found in other tutorial-type works where the "how and why" are clearly demonstrated. Giving a link to matching tutorial videos online would be even better.I still feel like this is a great book to have, but it may not be enough for absolute beginners.

Just received this book yesterday and have not had time to read with compehension the entire work. However, two immediate impressions. Or, comments. 1) not sure why, perhaps I haven't read it well enough yet, but there is very, very little focus, or information on making and using scrapers as part of the finishing process! I am just now learning about this very useful technique and would have found much more detailed information about this entire process very useful. Simply not there. It is mentioned in numerous places, but nothing about how-to. 2) The author spends a huge amount of material denigrating, justifying, and expressing a focused "de-bunking" of 'myths' surrounding oil-based finishes. Seems to have a very negative view of that procedure. I found much of this at least questionable as I've been using the process almost exclusively for 30 years with no failures that I am aware of. His research is admirable, and undeniably detailed and painstakingly documented, so it may just be a preference or style-based objection. Also, to acknowledge the information, and opinion he offers, none of my projects are 'outdoor' or subjected to harsh environmental conditions. Only indoor, protected. But have served well, with no complaints. Personally, I prefer the soft, delicate sheen and natural warmth, the possible polish available with oil-based, waxed, finishes, to any painted surfaces. Unless it's a severe-use, or outdoor surface, such as table-tops.That said, the book is a miracle of extraordinary research, detailed reportage and documentation. There are hundreds of charts and photographic details. The data regarding a large range of wood species, and conditions, and suggested finishing processes for each is helpul. I would see the book as a "pick and choose" compendium of finishing procedures, something like you might use an encyclopedia. Pick and choose what you need. Not all, by any means, of the inormation will be used by all readers/woodworkers. The book should address a very wide range of reader/woodworker skills and opinions. The book is already in my reference/manuals cubby in my shop Am sure will be referring to it many times in future.

I'm new to the trade. This book on wood finishing has taught me a ton of stuff. For example, I now know that a stain does not protect the wood like a finish (like a clear polyurethane) does...stain is different then a finish. I also learned that I will stay away from lacquer because of it's fumes. I've learned what wood conditioning is, and that if you want the ends of the board to come out the same as the face when it comes to staining (the ends of the boards naturally absorbs more stain then the face) to sand the ends.I have also learned neat stuff like stains have 4 qualities: colorant (pigment or dye), amount of colorant to liquid ratio, binder (oil, varnish, lacquer or water base), and thickness. I have a much better understanding of the different kinds of finishes, that water based doesn't last as long as oil based.In the book the author states there is different between a varnish and polyurethane and lacquer. From what other people in the trade have been telling me lately varnish is not a really different finish then say polyurethane. Varnish is now used as a general term to mean any kind of finish.The book has extremely useful charts. My favorite chart is what makes a stain such as binder, solvent/thinner and so on. It covers other things like advanced coloring techniques, finishing the finish, an entire chapter that covers how to finish different woods, and how to repair damaged wood.Overall an excellent book that has given me the confidence to 1/2 way know what I am doing when it comes to wood finishing. Experience and experimenting will teach me even more.

Very, very good book!

excelente para amateurs como yo. realmente marca una diferencia.lo recomiendo ampliamente, todavia no lo acabo de leer, en cuanto lo haga actualizo.

木工初心者です。塗装本を探していましたが、和本には良いものがなかったので、洋書を探してみました。この本について、Amazon.com のレビューが91件掲載されており、そのうち、評価5が80件、評価4が11件と、高い評価（悪い評価がなかった）であったので、購入しました。ほぼ全てのページに見やすいきれいな図表／写真が掲載されており、本文も読みやすい英語で書かれています。よく遭遇するトラブルについて、其の原因／対処法がテーブル形式でまとめてあり、便利です。樹種別の注意点も記述され、特に初心者が多用するパイン材に関する情報が役立ちます。著者によれば、初心者／中級者（内容の一部は上級者）向けに書いた、とのことです。この本は少し高価ですが、木工初心者ならば、買っておいても損の無い一冊と思います。ちなみに、この本はAmazon USA から購入した方が安く手に入ります。私の場合は、Amazon USAでは品切れだったので、Amazon.jpから購入しました。

Excelente producto, vienen tipos de acabados, problemas y soluciones de los mismos, como aplicarlos y que tipos de productos hay en el mercado.

If I had have know this book was by an American I would probably not have bought it. And that would have been a mistake as it is an excellent book. Very technical and instructive. I have given it 4 stars because being American it deals with American brands which are not available in the UK. That aside if you really want to understand wood finishing then I highly recommend this book. I have learned a lot from it and continue to do so.