|
PREFACE
WOOD finishing today is a commercial art. With
the greater appreciation of interior decoration by the great
middle classes has come the realization that interior wood
trim constitutes the frame of the picture, so to speak.
Consequently the selection of color and texture of the finish
for wood trim is being done with the same care that is exercised
by the artist who chooses a frame for his painting.
The tendency to consider the wood finishing in
homes and public buildings simply as one element of a decorative
scheme, along with the several others, such as walls, floor,
furniture, drapes, rugs and accessories, is a wholesome
development which is making interiors truly beautiful.
The wood finisher, whether he be house painter
and decorator, furniture worker or arts and crafts artisan,
is confronted with an array of finishes calculated to confuse
even the most experienced unless his working methods are
based upon a sound knowledge of the most modern stains,
fillers, varnishes and other materials. Then there has been
a steady change in the kinds and grades of woods used for
buildings, cabinets and furniture, calling for complete
knowledge of the characteristics of present day woods.
And to make the wood finisher's task even more
difficult the specifications by architects and customers
change constantly to keep pace with styles in furniture
and decorations of standard, period and novel designs. The
wish is always for something new and different.
So the wood finisher must keep up with the procession
in pursuit of style and vogue.
The matter of cost of producing finishes is usually
the controlling factor, especially when surfaces to be finished
are very large or are many times repeated, as when made
up of hundreds of rooms in large office, hotel or similar
structures. Then the cost of an extra coat or an extra sanding
of the surface, for instance, may mean the difference between
profit or loss on the job.
In this book the author has aimed to discard
the old and obsolete materials and methods which are too
costly in labor to be practical in this day of high wage
scales. Only such materials and methods have been cited
as are equal to present day demands for both practical and
artistic finishes.
WOOD FINISHING IN GENERAL. ........... 4
PREPARATION OF NEW AND OLD SURFACES. . 8
STAINS IN GENERAL .................... 15
FACTORY PREPARED STAINS. ............. 16
WATER STAINS ........................ 18
STAIN BRUSHING AND PROCEDURE ....23
PREPARING WOOD TO TAKE STAIN EVENLY.....25
THE MIXING AND USE OF WOOD FILLERS. . 31
VARNISH AND SHELLAC ................. 39
VARNISHING, RUBBING, POLISHING ........46
VARNISH DEFECTS AND THEIR CAUSES ..... 64
LACQUERS ....... 79
WAX FINISHES AND OIL-RUBBED FINISHES...84
SCHEDULES OF WORKING OPERATIONS. .... 88
WOOD & DESCRIPTIONS OF CHARACTERISTICS .......100
BRUSH GRAINING ......................131
DECORATIVE WOOD FINISHES BY GLAZING AND HIGHLIGHTING
...................133
XXVIII. REPAIRING DAMAGED FINISHES ..........137
CHAPTER I
WOOD FINISHING IN GENERAL
THE wood finisher's ideal must necessarily be
simply that of making the most of what he has to work
with, producing the maximum of beauty and serviceability
under the circumstances. For no two jobs are alike in
all respects and he is seldom consulted in the selection
of the wood before erection.
In undertaking a job of interior wood finishing
there are four factors which must be considered: the kind
of wood, the color decorative plan for the room, the durability
of the finish expected^ and the cost or investment of
money to be made.
The kind of wood to be finished determines broadly
the character of the finish to be employed. We may say
that in common practice woods are finished as indicated
by these groups:
Stain Natural
Mahogany Gumwood
Hickory Redwood
Chestnut Cedar
OakMahogany
Ash Walnut, American Holly Walnut, American Walnut,
Circassian Bass ,
Paint or Enamel Pine, white Pine, yellow Pine,
Oregon Fir Spruce
Butternut Oak, white, red Cottonwood Rosewood
Cherry Cypress Cherry Rosewood Gumwood Birch, select Chestnut
Birch Gumwood Ebony Redwood Cypress Satinwood Fir, select
Cedar Redwood
In addition to the kind of wood, the grade has
much to do with the selection of the finish. The cheaper
grades, and even the better grades which have not been
selected for grain, figure and color by the mill, often
leave one with no choice of finish except as between paint
and enamel.
Trim lumber which is not selected is apt to show
great differences in color, contrast and size of the grain
and figure. To finish such surfaces in natural or stained
color to have anything like a uniform color tone is quite
impractical, because of the cost of bleaching, touching-up
and blending off-colored boards. So it pays to have the
trim lumber carefully selected and matched at the mill.
The increased cost there is less than to have the wood
finisher do the matching.
The color scheme or decorative plan for a room
must be considered by the wood finisher if he is to make
the most .of his opportunity. It is his function to enhance
by his finishing methods the natural color shadings and
grain figure of the wood, to subdue too much contrast
and harshness of coarse grain and figure of some woods,
to carry out the color scheme by coloring the trim wood
to become part of the background of the room, to make
it match or harmonize with the furniture,to so finish
it that the surface will be enduring,and finally, the
finish must protect both the color and the wood from moisture
and gases which discolor, crack and warp the wood.
Wood trim ought never to be finished with color
or grain figure so strong as to call attention to itself.
It is really part of the background, with the walls, ceiling
and floor,the background for the furnishings of the room
and not the focal point of interest in the picture. The
display of strong, fantastic grain figure in either cheap
or expensive woods, except for special novelty finishes,
is evidence of poor taste as a rule. The beauty of the
natural grain and of the color of wood or stain ought
not to be obscured by finishes which lack transparency
but woods finished to subdue strong contrasts of grain
color and to reveal only simple, graceful contours of
figure are pleasing to behold,and as one lives with them
day after day they sustain interest and grow in appreciation
of all who love the beauty of harmony and simplicity.
Durability of Finish.
The use to which the wood is put absolutely determines
what constitutes a serviceable, durable finish. Wood
trim which is never touched by human hands, never rubbed
with elbows, never sat upon, scuffed with feet or ground
by heels is often durably finished by no more treatment
than stain, filler and wax or oil coats. Under other
conditions of service stain, shellac and wax are quite
enough. But when it comes to floors nothing short of
stain, filler, shellac and three coats of varnish, waxed
to finish, can be considered really durable and economically
finished, and this in spite of common practice to the
contrary which puts on only two coats of varnish. The
durability of finish must include not only the preservation
of color but also the preservation of the wood from
damage by moisture.
In the matter of cost the wood finisher is in
position to and does give customers just what they pay
for. By cutting down the number of finishing operations
and coats he cuts down the cost. In the excitement of
price competition, however, he ought not to lose sight
of the technical limitations, of the fact that a certain
number of operations are necessary to produce clear
colors, brilliancy and durability. Then the protective
coatings of varnish, wax, paint or enamel on top of
the color and surfacing coats cannot protect the color
from fading or abrasion and the wood from moisture unless
adequate in number and quality of material.
To express this thought in another way, we may
say that a schedule of working operations which reads,
stain, fill and wax, cannot possibly be as durable on
some surfaces as one which reads, " stain, fill, shellac,
varnish and wax." But the first schedule is much cheaper
and may be adequate for a surface which is well protected
and which is not subject to wear by abrasion, washing,
etc. It all comes down to a question of what is the
minimum number of coats and operations for the purpose
of decoration and of durability for the particular kind
of wood trim at hand.
Nature has woven into the fibre of each kind
of wood a richness and variety of coloring which are
ever pleasing to the eye. And in the exquisite grain
and figure of woods she has traced patterns far beyond
the ability and the dreams of the artist. Each wood
has its own peculiar grain texture and figure. The best
finishing is that which preserves to view these natural
beauties and enhances them with color. There are but
few woods which lack beauty of structure when the finisher
knows how to make the most of them.
A stain or natural finish which hides any of
the natural beauty evident in the wood before finishing
is not the best kind of finish, but we must sometimes
sacrifice something to gain durability by using varnish
coatings which are not completely transparent. And,
of course, on cheaper grades of work the price will
not permit the use of the high class finishing methods
which make the most of the grain and color. In very
cheap work we even must go to the point of mixing stain
to partly obscure the imperfections of poor wood, knots,
resinous streaks, etc.
Considering the close relation between furniture
finishes and wood trim finishes in buildings it is well
to note that just as automobile painting represents
the highest art in metal painting, so also does furniture
finishing represent the highest art in wood finishing.
Consequently any methods, tools and materials about
which the house finisher can learn from the furniture
finisher are often well worth study when within the
limitations of cost. The furniture finisher can do many
things which the house finisher cannot because his surfaces
are smaller, his woods finer and his cost not so limited,
but there is much in common between these two craftsmen.
As a matter of fact the demand for natural and stained
house trim came as a result of furniture finishes and
a desire to harmonize the two elements of decoration
in a room.
Furniture manufacturers have spared no time or
expense in creating and reproducing fine finishes on
wood. They have sent their expert finishers all over
the world to study first hand the authentic period furniture
and interior room designs of- the so-called golden periods
of decoration which are rich in the artistic works of
master craftsmen. These experts have reproduced color,
texture and finish of furniture and interior wood trim
in ancient baronial halls, castles, cathedrals and other
structures built during the rich historic periods of
design and decoration.
So, good furniture of modern manufacture offers
a remarkably fine field for study for the finisher whose
work is that of finishing wood trim of buildings.
CHAPTER II
PREPARATION OF NEW AND OLD SURFACES
GETTING a surface ready for finishing is work
which should be done with the utmost care when the finish
is to be the finest possible and even for ordinary jobs.
Unfortunately the price received for many jobs of finishing:
is so low that it is quite impossible to do more than
the most rapid cleaning and sandpapering,so that is where
the responsibility must be placed for many muddy, cloudy
natural and stained finishes.
New Surfaces.
Wood to be finished in natural or stained color
is especially deserving of most thorough work in preparing
it for the finishing process. It should first be dusted
off with a duster brush or a broom in the case of floors.
Then all spots of plaster, dirt or grease ought to be
removed. Usually such spots will come off with a washing
over with benzine, using a putty knife to scrape off
as much as possible. If the wood is oak, walnut or other
open-grain variety, be particular to remove dirt, lime
and grease from the pores of the wood. When such spots
are not properly cleaned, stain does not take hold and
penetrate and the finish is thus spotty in appearance.
New surfaces which are to be finished with paint
and enamel ought to be cleaned well, but there is no
need to be so particular about light stains. All loose
particles on the surface should, however, be removed.
New surfaces which show dark stains from rust
or other substances should be bleached out in such spots
before being finished in natural or stained colors.
The bleaching methods will be found later on in this
chapter.
New surfaces after cleaning should next be sandpapered
if the finish is to be natural or stain colors. This
is not necessary for paint or enamel finishes. If water
stain is to be used many finishers prefer to brush or
sponge on a water coating before sandpapering. The water
stain will raise the grain of the wood, making little
wood fibres stick up all over. If the surface is wet
in this way before staining, the water stain does not
raise the grain so much and the second sandpapering
is very light.
If the water wetting is nqt done before staining
with water stain the sandpapering operation on some
woods must be done so heavily that some of the stain
color will be cut off the wood. This sandpapering operation
on new wood before or after wetting should be done with
No. 0 and No. 00 paper, depending upon the roughness
of the wood. Sometimes it is well to go over the wood
first with a No. 1 paper and finish up with a finer
grade.
The cleaning necessary after sandpapering should
be well done with a duster brush on ordinary jobs. On
fine furniture and cabinets more effort should be spent
to remove every particle of dust. In furniture factories
the dust from sanding is blown out of the pores with
compressed air.
Woods to be finished in natural color as light
as possible, maple, birch, etc., are often bleached
before any finishing coats of filler, varnish or shellac
are put on. The bleaching raises the grain of the wood
and a thorough job of sandpapering must be done after
that process. The bleaching methods will be found later
in this chapter.
New surfaces to be finished in natural or stain
colors and which show cracks and holes should be filled
to remedy these defects. Plaster of Paris soaked in
water is preferred by many finishers for this filling
because it will absorb stain and also will take on the
coloring given by filler. Other putty does not absorb
color. On stained finishes as a rule the putty is put
into the cracks and holes after the stain is dry.
After putty is dry it should be sandpapered down
smooth and clean. Then the surface should be cleaned
up around the repairs.
Old Surfaces.
Preparing an old painted surface for repainting
or for an enamel finish simply calls for sandpapering
to remove dirt, grease and roughness, assuming that
the old paint is firmly attached to the surface. If
it shows any tendency to crack and scale or alligator
it should be removed entirely from the surface with
sandpaper or liquid paint remover.
Old enamel surfaces which are to be refinished
call for sandpapering just enough to cut the old gloss
and clean up the surface. Defects such as holes, bruises
and cracks should, of course, be filled with good putty.
Old varnish to be refinished with varnish, paint
or enamel should be rubbed down clean and smooth with
No. 1 sandpaper just enough to remove the gloss, dirt
and grease, assuming that the old varnish has not crazed
or alligatored. If it shows indications of an infirm
hold on the wood, better take off all of the varnish
with liquid or paste varnish remover. After sandpapering
to remove high gloss some finishers prefer to wash down
a varnished surface with benzole or with warm water
and soda to make it absolutely safe to paint or enamel.
The soda bites into the varnish a little.
Old varnished surfaces which are to be refinished
with stain call for stripping off all of the varnish,
using liquid or paste varnish remover. A thorough job
must be done. If any of the varnish is allowed to remain
on the surface, even in a very thin coat, it will prevent
new stain from penetrating into the wood. A penetrating
stain is then needed to do an even coloring of the wood.
After stripping off the varnish a most thorough washing
should be done to remove any wax left on the surface
by the remover. Wash up with benzole, preferably. Benzine,
naphtha or turpentine will also do this clean-up work.
On low-priced work, restaining is sometimes done
without removing the old varnish. The old varnish is
rubbed down with No. 1 sandpaper to remove the gloss
and clean up any dirt or grease on it. Then it is washed
down with benzole brushed on to cut the old varnish
a little,or is washed down with hot water in which soda
has been dissolved to do the cutting of the old varnish.
The stain used for such work is a oil stain which must
be brushed on very deftly with as few strokes of the
brush as possible to avoid raising or lifting the old
varnish. Brush this stain only in one direction. For
very cheap work a good brush hand can coat the surface
with shellac to which a little pigment has been added
to make a stain. These processes simply color the wood
and supply a gloss. They do not pretend to enhance the
beauty of the wood. In this sort of work it is sometimes
necessary to touch-up bare, worn-through spots with
a coat of thin oil stain before staining the whole surface,
this is to make the worn places match the whole surface
in color.
Old stained or natural varnished surfaces from
which the old finish has been stripped off with varnish
remover are often too dark in color to produce a nice
finish with the new stain. Then it is necessary to bleach
out the old color before restaining. The bleaching methods
are presented later in this chapter.
Putty Mixing and Use.
Plaster of Paris Putty is used by some finishers
on new wood to be finished in the natural color or stained.
This putty will absorb stain and the color given by
fillers. The plaster of Paris putty is made by simply
submerging a handful of dry plaster of Paris in water.
As long as it remains below the surface of the water
it will not set, A small amount should be lifted with
the putty knife and kneaded with the fingers.
Press it into place and clean off the surface
around it. Be sure to fill the cracks and holes full
and level with the surrounding surface.
Cabinet Makers' Putty is made of fine wood sawdust
from the kind of wood to be filled. The dry sawdust
is mixed with a glue made from 1 ounce of good quality
glue and 16 ounces of water. A little water color or
dry pigment tinting color is added if needed to make
the putty match the surface. When this putty is well
made and used it is practically impossible to detect
the fillings, even in fine woods like mahogany and walnut
The wood finisher has occasion to use bleaching
solutions for the purpose of removing stains from woods
to be finished or refinished, such as rust stains, water
and weather stains. He also needs a bleaching solution
occasionally to bleach large surfaces of maple, birch,
oak, walnut and other woods which are to be finished
in as light a color as possible, for instance, oak,
which is to be finished with one of the popular light
gray, two-tone finishes with white filler, and walnut
or gum, which are to be finished with the very light
brown French walnut color. Then again when old stained
and varnished surfaces are stripped off, removing all
the old finish possible the wood is sometimes found
to be too dark to take the new stain of light color
and make a nice job. Then bleaching is resorted to.
The bleaching processes use water solutions and
they raise the grain of the wood. So after the bleaching
and neutralizing washes, the surface is permitted to
dry and is then sandpapered to cut off the raised wood
fibres. Sometimes a very thin coat of white shellac
is brushed on to make the wood fibres stiff so they
can be clipped off easily with the sandpaper.
After bleaching the surface may contain a bit
of the chemicals and it is well therefore to wash up
immediately with clean water, using a sponge. Then a
coat of ordinary table vinegar without dilution will
neutralize any alkaline traces left on the surface and
make it safe for finishing coats. The surface should
be allowed to dry at least twelve hours before the finishing
coats are put on.
There are many chemical solutions used for bleaching.
Some are most effective on one wood while others succeed
best for other woods. The oxalic acid solutions are
probably used most by wood finishers in the house building
industry.
Before using any bleaching solution it is best
to thoroughly clean and scrub a surface, using hot water
to which soap and a little sal soda have been added.
Use a wad of No. 2 or No. 3 steel wool for the scrubbing,
then wash up well with clean water, using a sponge for
the purpose.
Oxalic Acid Bleach. Oxalic acid can be secured
from any drug store and from paint store stocks in dry
crystal form. Usually a saturated solution is made by
dissolving as much of the acid crystals in a gallon
of water as the water will take up. Hot water is best
and the solution is more effective when put on to the
surface to be bleached while it is very hot. Use a old
flat wall brush to apply the solution and let it dry
on the surface. For bleaching weather stains and also
dark sap streaks in wood, 8 ounces of oxalic acid in
two quarts of water is about right. If the first application
of bleach does not remove the discolorations or make
the whole surface as light as you want it, apply the
same solution hot a second time or repeat several times.
When sap streaks or whole surfaces to be bleached
are greasy, wipe them off by rubbing with denatured
alcohol and let dry before the bleaching solution is
put on.
Chlorine Bleach makes an effective bleach, especially
if followed by a solution of hydrogen peroxide .
Use this bleaching solution hot and brush on
with an old flat wall brush; let dry; wash up with clear
water.
Hydrogen Peroxide Bleach. This chemical is a
positive acting bleach when freshly made. It is a little
expensive when large quantities are needed for large
areas of surface. For small stains on patches and spots
it is entirely practical. Brush on and allow to dry.
Wash up with clear water.
|
