Wood polishing at home. Sanding and polishing wood: Methods and necessary tools

Lacquer polishing is done to make surfaces, even wood, look like a mirror. The most popular options and solutions to make wood shine like a mirror include polishing, varnishing and waxing the surface.

Polishing lacquerware is a process with many steps to consider.

The process is not complete without the use of abrasive materials and the polishing material itself, which in this case is called polish. The end of processing leads to the appearance of the following types of surfaces:

• Nitrolacs and shellacs are a way to get a sparkling gloss.
• Water-based, pentaphthalic or polyurethane varnishes make the coatings semi-matt.
• The result of the use of oil-lacquer or only oil compositions is a matte sheen. This is ideal for users who need to figure out how to polish polish.

The product is varnished in several layers, then they are waiting for complete drying.

Waxing

There is nothing difficult in this process. Any master can handle it on their own. By processing the product with wax mastic, the owner gets the opportunity to make the natural and natural texture more clear and bright.

The polishing surface becomes soft and velvety, at least visually. For hard rocks, this method has become especially relevant. For example, it goes well with oak and ash, walnut.

Toning for greater effect is used in conjunction with soft woods. As an example, you can take linden or alder, birch. Wood polish is used in a special way.

During this process, the distances between the villi of the tree must be carefully filled with material. The varnish is applied only after giving the surface the desired level of smoothness.

The very polishing of varnish using wax will look like this:

1. The wood is covered with a thin layer of mastic. How to polish correctly? The main thing is to pre-clean the surface of the pile using grinding. When drying is completed, the base is wiped with a small rag against the fibers. After applying the first layer, literally all the spaces remaining empty must be filled, otherwise the surface will not become smooth.
2. Coatings and products are placed in a warm room for two hours.
3. A soft cloth will help when applying the second coat. While the mastic is applied to the product, the pressure is constantly increased. We get a perfectly smooth and matte surface.
4. A thin coat of shellac-based furniture varnish finishes the piece.

This processing method is not without drawbacks. In particular, resistance to exposure to large amounts of moisture suffers. Small drops are sufficient for the appearance of defects on the surface.

On the video: how to polish furniture with wax and transparent resin.

Lacquering work

Micropores after painting are filled with varnish. A surface with new pile formation is unacceptable. When processing wood, you can use a cotton swab. It is important to pre-wrapping in a cloth made of canvas. It does not leave lint on the surface.

Processing contributes to the appearance of a special protective film on the surface. It is resistant to dust and moisture. Images get more colors, clarity.

The sequence of independent work, including with acrylic, is as follows:

1. Applying the varnish itself in two layers. It is important to ensure that absolutely all surfaces are treated.
2. Removal of the entire varnish coating is carried out with grinding materials. Only cracks and pores should contain a small amount of material.
3. Application of the second layer. It is considered to be a primer made in advance. The paste is used in the same way.
4. After the secondary coating, dust is removed.
5. A small thickness is a requirement for the third layer. It is necessary to leave everything indoors for at least a couple of days. The main thing is that during this period no dust gets inside.
6. Finally, they move on to the top coat for polishing the wood - in one or two layers.

If smudges appear on the surface at this moment, in the future they will remain in the form of spots. This can be avoided if the varnish layer is thin enough.

The main thing is not to destroy the film that was formed during the previous movement. The work must be done quickly and efficiently, without interruptions. It is good if there is an opportunity to use the so-called control specimens to test your skills and technique.

You can use both shellac varnish and regular oil. Polishing pastes are also suitable.

Oil varnish rules

Oil-based varnish takes a long time to dry after the base has been painted. The main recommendation is to use 200 grams of varnish per 1 kg of water.

Liquid varnish during grinding is applied with a thick brush to the surface, previously dried and sanded. The addition of turpentine is acceptable if the solution is too thick. Movements should be uniform, in no case abrupt. If there is something superfluous, it is removed. It is important that no bubbles appear during brush movements.

Polishing technique

Thanks to this technology, the most beautiful textures are obtained. The pattern of the wood is preserved quite well. As a result, the varnished wooden surface is indistinguishable from wood. The process does not cause any problems with self-processing. True, not all materials lend themselves to such processing.

Worst of all, polishing is tolerated by wood that has a large texture.

The work is done in the following order.

1. First of all, the surface is primed in three layers. After the first, a thorough polishing is carried out, cleaning from all contaminants. On the dried surface, two subsequent layers are applied. Varnishing is done using a different technique.
2. A swab performs the so-called polishing. The polish is applied in a very thin layer. Grinders or abrasive materials are used in polishing. It is better to use automatic devices, otherwise the process will take too long. Drying and sanding is repeated after each layer of polish. It is as a result of these actions that gloss is added to the surface. A couple of drops of oil will eliminate the danger of the swab sticking to the surface.
3. The next step is to obtain a polished surface, for which polish is used. Then a small amount of oil is added. It is necessary to rub the surface until there is enough smoothness and gloss. Only a couple of drops should be added per 10 cm2 so that the previous layers do not disappear. The work is done many times. Rags for wiping surfaces are used between stages. It is dipped in a solution of water and polish. In this case, the polished base will look better.

On sale there are a large number of compositions with polymers in the base. Those with special additives work especially well. The main thing is to contact companies that specialize in the production and sale of this type of goods.

In the manufacture of wood products, the question often arises: “How to polish a tree?” using polishing to give a protective coating. Most often, polishing is used in the decoration of furniture and handicrafts. The polished surface preserves the texture of the wood and gives the product a beautiful appearance.

Application of polishing for finishing

For finishing, several methods are used for which, substances are used:

• varnish;
• drying oil;
• wax paste.

When finishing wood products, when varnish is used for polishing, a protective layer is formed, which gives the surface a marketable appearance. The polishing process consists in applying a special composition of polish containing three times less resin than in varnish. The coating formed on the wood has a transparent structure and a glossy tint.

When choosing a finishing and polishing method, the type of wood must be taken into account. For the manufacture of furniture, the most suitable types of wood:

• mahogany;
• birch;
• pears;
• boxwood;
• maple;
• apple trees.

Also widely used, but quite laborious in the processing of the breed:

• oak;
• pines.

Products used to polish wood

For polishing wood in commercial enterprises, a large list of various finishing substances is offered:

1. Shellac varnish - used for furniture finishing.
2. Alkyd varnish - used to coat parquet.
3. Acrylic varnish - used for processing wood products.
4. Polyurethane varnish - used to protect wooden products from precipitation.
5. Nitrolak - used for processing wooden products.

You can make a polish for polishing wood at home using certain substances:

• shellac resin - 60 g;
• ethyl alcohol 90 * - 500 ml.

The manufacturing process is quite simple. Resin is poured into a glass container and poured with alcohol, mixed well, closed with a tight lid and infused until the resin is completely dissolved. Further, the composition is filtered and used for its intended purpose for polishing wooden products.

Polishing technology

The process of polishing wood is carried out in several stages:

1. surface grinding;
2. soil application;
3. polishing;
4. polishing.

Surface grinding

The sanding process is not particularly difficult, but it takes a lot of time to give the tree the desired look. The surface of the wood intended for finishing should not have burrs, chips, cracks and other irregularities. To do this, the tree is processed in 3 stages:

• sandpaper No. 46-60;
• sandpaper No. 80-100;
• sandpaper No. 140-170,

until the surface is smooth and glossy.

Grinding is done with a wooden block wrapped with sandpaper along the wood fibers. After grinding, the surface is wiped with a dry clean rag, moistened with water and wiped with a dry rag again. A pause is maintained until complete drying for 2 hours and processed with sandpaper No. 120-140 until the remaining wood fibers are completely removed. If necessary, the operation is repeated several times until the wood is given a glossy finish.

Ground application

The priming process is carried out using a special swab by applying varnish to a wooden surface. The tampon must be made without fail of linen fabric (does not leave fabric villi).

All workflows are performed in the following sequence:

• the swab is impregnated with varnish and with its help the entire surface of the wood is processed until a homogeneous coating is formed;
• a pause is maintained until the varnish is completely dry, cleaned with fine-grained sandpaper and wiped with a clean, dry rag;
• an additional 2 coats of varnish are applied;
• a composition is being prepared, consisting of 1 hour polish and 1 hour varnish, which covers the entire surface;
• wood is dried for 2 days.

Polishing

The polishing process consists in applying polish to the wood and is performed in the following sequence:

• a small amount of vegetable oil is applied to the linen swab for better gliding over the treated surface;
• with a swab moistened with polish, the entire surface is gently wiped;
• the processing operation is carried out 3 times with pauses after applying each layer until the polish is completely dry;
• the wood is processed with fine-grained sandpaper and wiped with a dry rag (after each time the varnish is applied).

Polishing

In order to polish the wood to an ideal state, work operations are carried out several times until the desired result is achieved.

The following work is being done:

• the tree is processed with fine-grained sandpaper dipped in vegetable oil;
• a small amount of vegetable oil and polish is applied to the swab and the entire surface is treated (the operation is repeated several times).

When carrying out polishing operations, when varnish or varnish is used, it is necessary to follow the entire technological process to create a durable, even, glossy wood finish. If you have certain skills and appropriate substances, you can finish wooden products at home.

The polishing system is designed for finishing turning works, toys, handicrafts, etc.. Because the polishing process adds nothing to the surface of the wood, with the exception of a thin layer of carnauba wax - non-toxic edible substance - polishing wood is a particularly good choice for toys or utensils intended for food storage.

This system consists of three circles of different density, two abrasive pastes and carnauba wax. You can buy a complete set or each item individually. Wood polishing wheels are like metal polishing wheels, but softer and looser so as not to blur the details. The ease of use, combined with the brilliance it produces, makes it a particularly elegant solution to many finishing dilemmas. The wheels have leather flanges and can be mounted on stationary engines, lathes, or multi-tasking machines. Flange hole diameter 8.5mm - can be mounted on a smooth shaft or specialized holders. And, although the system was designed for polishing small items, it can be adapted to large surfaces such as countertops by feeding it with a sander/polisher.

The set for polishing on a lathe consists of:

1. Rigid cotton circle 1 with a diameter of 150mm and a thickness of 20mm. Reinforced leather flange with a diameter of 90mm

2. Cotton circle 2 of medium hardness with a diameter of 150mm and a thickness of 30mm. Leather flange diameter 50mm

3. Soft cotton circle 3 with a diameter of 150mm and a thickness of 20mm. Leather flange diameter 50mm

4. Polishing paste 1 for pre-sanding. Bar 120mm x 40mm x 28mm. Weight 150g

5. Polishing paste 2 for finishing. Bar 120mm x 40mm x 28mm. Weight 150g

6. Carnauba wax for final polishing. Bar f 65mm x 30mm. Weight 70g

All items can be purchased separately.

carnauba wax- Wax of plant origin, produced from the leaves of palm trees in Brazil. This wax is completely digestible - it is absolutely harmless and hypoallergenic. Melting point approximately 80-90°C (it is the most refractory of all natural waxes).

Application:

1. Install disc 1. Apply paste 1 liberally.

2. Set the rotation speed from 800rpm to 1300rpm. The softer the wood, the slower.

3. Polish the product. As needed, renew the paste on the circle. The goal is to achieve an even matte finish.

4. Install disc 2. Apply paste 2 liberally.

5. Repeat polishing as with the first disc

6. For high gloss, install disc 3 and apply wax sparingly (!) Excess wax can make polishing difficult!

Safety instructions:

Be sure to use eye and respiratory protection! When using the polishing system, the threads of cotton and paste can fly off at high speed!
When using the polishing pads for the first time, sand the unwanted piece of wood with uneven edges to remove loose threads.
Hold the workpiece while pressing. Always hold the workpiece IN THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION! Polishing TOGETHER TO THE CIRCLE MAY CAUSE INJURY!

Recommendations:
Surface cleanliness is essential to the successful application of a polishing system. The better sanded, the higher the gloss. The minimum grain is P240, preferably higher. You should also pay attention to the presence of scuffs, defects or other damage. When polished, these defects will be especially visible! If you wish, you can pre-treat with oil. After intermediate grinding is required and polishing can begin.

Good luck in job

You have used the right finishing compounds and applied them correctly. A strong protective film has formed on the surface of the product, and you like the way it looks. What to do next? Perhaps nothing. In some cases, it's time to take the finished project out of the workshop so everyone can see it. However, most of the time the final coat is not good enough for you to be proud of your work. Carefully examining the surface with your eyes and fingertips, you can easily detect dried dust particles, shagreen or roughness. Get rid of these defects with polishing. This operation consists in leveling the coating film and giving it the desired degree of gloss with the help of fine abrasives. You can achieve a perfectly glass-smooth surface using a simple technique similar to sanding the underlying wood surface. We can't let you feel the finished surface with the polished lacquer film, but you can see the difference by comparing photos A and B.

First of all, you need to polish products with surfaces that are located in plain sight, which are often touched. These include table tops and doors. Start honing your skills on them. Polishing is not difficult, and it more than pays for the effort expended.

First, let's list the polishing methods

The first necessary condition for polishing is the coating film, which must be thick enough not to rub through it. To do this, at the previous stage of finishing, it is required to correctly apply several thin layers of varnish. In addition, patience is needed. Allow the film to dry completely before polishing. Remember that insufficiently hard, elastic film cannot be glossed. Depending on the finishing compositions used, film thickness, temperature and humidity, drying of the coating can take up to a month.

If you want to achieve a mirror finish, it is especially important that the surface of the wood under the varnish is perfectly smooth. Fill open wood with a special filler paste or use a wet sanding method.

You will need various abrasives (photo C). All abrasive materials create small risks-scratches on the surface of the film, the size of these scratches affect the reflection of light by the surface (Fig. 1). The finer the abrasive particles, the smaller and finer the scratches and the more shiny the surface will be. Large abrasive particles leave rough scratches, and the surface will have a dull sheen. A well-polished glossy lacquer looks like glass, reflecting light and surrounding objects.

Any other varnish contains some amount of matting additives, mainly in the form of small particles of silica. These additives reflect light in different directions, giving the coating a soft sheen. You can reduce the gloss level of the finish, but you won't be able to make a matte varnish as shiny as a glossy one, so you should determine the desired gloss level in advance and choose the appropriate finishing compound.

Glossy varnish provides more options. Its gloss can be easily reduced down to matte. If you decide that you overdid it, you will be able to return it to its original gloss. Remember that on surfaces that are not too shiny, coating defects become less noticeable, and on glossy surfaces they appear clearly. To obtain a mirror gloss, the coating film must be very hard. Such a film can be obtained using shellac or nitro-lacquer for finishing. Polyurethane, pentaphthalic and water-based varnishes give a softer, more flexible film and generally cannot be polished to a high gloss. The surface will be, at best, semi-matte with a slight silky sheen. Oil varnishes and oil-varnish varnishes almost always remain matte, only slightly increasing the shine.

Grinding and polishing: if done correctly, it is quite simple

Start mastering the polishing technique with the easiest way. Apply a layer of wax paste on the surface finished with oil-lacquer polish. When the coating is completely dry, use a soft non-woven swab to spread a paste of a mixture of soft beeswax and hard carnauba wax over the surface (photo D). Rubbing the paste, you smooth out all traces of dust particles, making the surface smooth and pleasant to the touch.

Photo: A – B: During spray coating, the so-called orange-peeled pebbles often form on surfaces (left). To make such a surface smooth and shiny, you can use polishing (right). C: Polishing pastes can be found in car cosmetics stores, a lambswool roller and sandpaper in a hardware supermarket, and felt block, Abralon discs, abrasive sponges and pads in specialty stores selling everything necessary for professional finishing. D: Minor scratches on a walnut table finished with an oil varnish finish can be buffed with non-woven abrasive pads using Briwax Dark Brown Wax. E: When dry sanding nitro lacquer with fine-grained paper, the top layer of the film turns into white dust. Change the paper frequently to avoid clogging. After finishing sanding, clean the surface with a cloth or compressed air.

The probability of rubbing the coating film through is small, and the product acquires a soft shining sheen. Surfaces finished with shellac, nitro-lacquer or alkyd-oil varnish tend to have more defects than those treated with oil-lacquer polish. Often you can find dust particles, brush marks, bubbles and streaks. If the defects are minor, polishing will be as simple as in the previous case. At the same time, numerous microscopic risks-scratches are created on the surface of the film, giving the coating a soft sheen.

Open pores, bumps and other defects will not disappear anywhere, but on a semi-matte surface they will be less noticeable. You can use mineral spirits, soap, or any other lubricant instead of wax, but it's best to repair defects while applying wax.

More defects - more work

Now let's imagine a thicker coating film with a slightly larger number of defects, among which dried dust particles are more often found, especially on slow-drying oil-lacquer coatings. Most of them are easy to scrape off with a knife blade after the next layer dries. Hold the blade almost vertically with your thumb and forefinger and carefully scrape the surface in a gentle motion towards you.

Be careful not to scratch the film. Dried dust can remove by grinding, but the blade allows you to do it faster and with less effort, especially on flat surfaces. Curvilinear, profiled and carved areas should be sanded. The scraping method also reduces the risk of penetrating film damage, as occurs when sanding at the edges of flat surfaces. The finishing composition applied in liquid form seems to tend to the middle of the surface, forming a thinner layer along the edges, where it can be easily damaged.

Spray finishing can increase film thickness at the edges, but it is almost impossible to achieve a smooth transition with a brush or dip. After scraping off the dust particles, it is required to additionally grind the coating in order to even it out and get rid of other defects. This operation will not take long if the dried layers have been sanded down in succession during the coating process. For leveling the film, waterproof abrasive paper with silicon carbide grains is best, wrapped around a bar with glued felt, felt, cork or rubber (photo E). If dry sanding is desired, stearate-coated paper (usually gray) is the best choice. This paper contains a soap-like substance that prevents the abrasive from clogging. However, it should not be used when an additional coat is to be applied. For sanding water-based varnishes and polyurethane, it is better to use waterproof paper with silicon carbide (usually black).

If you prefer wet sanding, choose a plain waterproof paper without a stearate coating. Lubricants protect the abrasive from clogging with coating particles that stick together into tiny lumps and get stuck between the grains of the abrasive.

These lumps can leave noticeable marks on the coating film. Soap water, white spirit, kerosene, wax or oil can be used as lubricants. Experiment with them to get a feel for their properties. With soapy water, the process is more active, but the paper clogs faster. With oil, sanding slows down, but the paper stays clean for a long time. Speeding up the process may seem like an effective way to save time, but it often results in sanding through the finish (photo F). The likelihood of this exists when using any lubricants. You can remove a large area of ​​the coating, creating a hard-to-repair defect, and not even notice it until the grease dries.

To even out the coating film, sand gently and little by little. Then clean the surface and shine a bright light on it. If shiny areas are visible, the surface is not yet leveled. Continue sanding the entire surface, not just the shiny areas.

Each new layer of the composition on (nitro-varnish or shellac) softens the previous layer and firmly connects to it, forming an almost single layer (Fig. 2). However, each layer of so-called reactive (or polymerizable) compounds dries as a separate layer, which can create problems when sanding and polishing. If you sand the coating unevenly, you can remove part of the top layer and affect the bottom, resulting in irregularly shaped areas with sharply defined light borders. Level the coating film so that it looks and feels good, then apply a layer of wax paste using an abrasive sponge, as in the previous cases.

Figure 1 (top): How polishing changes gloss

Figure 2 (bottom): Two types of coatings: solvent-based and polymerizable

Each new layer of a composition based on organic solvents, such as nitrolac or shellac, is firmly connected to the previous one, so this coating is easily polished. Polymerizing (reactive) compounds like polyurethane form separate layers. Sanding through the top layer results in unsightly streaks.

How to achieve a mirror finish

If you want a surface finished with nitro-lacquer or shellac to shine like a mirror, first level it as described earlier. Then continue polishing, gradually moving to finer abrasives, until the desired result is achieved. You can use abrasive paper with a grit of 800-1500 units, polishing pastes and microabrasives, the grit of which is measured in many thousands of units.

Leveling and polishing pastes, as well as polishing liquids (polishes) for cars, suitable for our tasks, are easy to find on sale, and they do an excellent job with furniture coatings. Most leveling pastes that are orange or pink in color will achieve a matte finish. After using them, move on to white polishing pastes for a glossy finish.

These pastes can be rubbed over the surface by hand or by machine. For their application, a piece of felt or a swab with a short pile is suitable. It is better to polish the coating with a sheep's wool roller (photo G). These rollers are commonly used in hardwood floors and can be found in hardware stores. A special polishing machine will help speed up the processing of large flat surfaces, but you can also use a regular eccentric one. Many models are equipped with an additional sole for polishing (look at the manufacturer's instructions).

Photo 2: F: If the coating film is thin, it is easy to rub it through with sandpaper and expose the wood, as happened with the mirror frame. G: The lambswool roller is comfortable to hold with two hands, applying pressure in the right places. Polishing compositions are sold in auto cosmetics stores, car dealerships.

Wood products have been in demand for many centuries, as they have no equal in terms of environmental friendliness and durability. Wooden furniture is always unique, as it is impossible to meet two trees with the same pattern. To preserve and emphasize the natural appeal of the wooden palette, wood polishing is used. Polishing is a particularly time-consuming and highly artistic activity that requires certain skills, patience and time. Polishing is the smoothing of surface irregularities using various tools and reagents.

Why polish the surface?

The polished surface becomes absolutely smooth, sparkling. With its help, you can emphasize the natural beauty of the tree, highlighting the textured pattern, give the array the desired shade, protect the surface from mechanical damage, water, absorption of odors, detergent chemicals, as well as the development of fungal processes and darkening. Breathe life into old wooden products, rid them of chips, dirt and give them a pristine gloss.

Types of trees most suitable for polishing

The wood of different trees has different properties. For example, from coniferous species, it is difficult to polish pine, as the wood is too sharp, has significant humpbacks, roughness and resin ducts, but cedar and larch have a beautiful texture and are well processed. Among deciduous trees, birch products look much richer after polishing, imitating walnut, mahogany, maple. Aspen is also well processed, and in terms of wear resistance it can compete with oak. To create a light, unusual texture, they take a lime array. Products made of pear, apple, walnut and boxwood tolerate polishing well and become even more refined. It is very difficult to polish oak due to the fact that the tree has a hard wood and a large texture.

Surface types for polishing

The front surfaces of wooden products, which are most susceptible to various kinds of influences, need to be polished. Floors, ceilings, furniture, walls, details of flights of stairs and other interior items. Wood polishing is used both for the primary processing of arrays, and for the restoration of rare items that have various damages or have lost their appearance. The treatment can be applied to surfaces with various initial coatings: lacquered, stained or painted.

wood polishing tool

Before starting work, you need to stock up on the necessary equipment. For rough processing of bulk surfaces or removal of the old coating, it is advisable to mechanize the process. Professionals for this use special grinders, planers.

To polish wood with your own hands, you can use universal tools (grinder, drill) with various nozzles. Consumables are selected depending on the types of polishing.

Stages of work

They are the following:

• Surface preparation - polishing.
• Ground coating.
• Treatment of the product with polish - polishing.
• The final stage is polishing.

Sanding wood flooring

Grinding involves the complete or partial removal of the old lining. If the product is lacquered, then the coating can be removed in several ways: chemical, thermal and mechanical.

chemical method

Old lining can be removed with a special wash. It is applied to the surface for 3-4 hours, dissolves the varnish and then removed with a spatula. The next step is to neutralize the wash itself with warm water with the addition of food vinegar. With this method, before carrying out further operations to update the coating, the product is dried from one to three days in a draft without direct access to sunlight. This is a long process and is used when a delicate effect on the tree is needed.

thermal method

With this method, the top layer is heated with a building hair dryer. Under the action of high temperatures, the coating softens and is removed with a spatula. When overheated, the lining swells, which is a warning, as a fire may occur. Due to the release of harmful substances when heated, this method is only applicable for outdoor work.

mechanical method

The mechanical method involves the removal of the old coating with coarse-fiber nozzles and significantly injures the top layer of the tree. If the varnish or paint leaves in layers, then the old coating is removed with a wood polishing brush with metal bristles, a spatula or a screwdriver. If it is not possible to get rid of the top layer in this way, then special or adapted machines for grinding and polishing are used in the work. When using these tools, eye and respiratory protection against dust is required. To reduce its amount, you can wet the surface with water, but then it needs to be dried before the next stage of work. To do this, use surface grinders, angle grinders, machines and drills with a nozzle for polishing wood.

The drill is used in small areas, the surface grinder - on even and flat surfaces. Larger volumes will require belt sanding. Polishing wood with a grinder is universal, including can be used when processing corners and ends. Grinding is carried out in several stages using different nozzles with a gradual transition from coarse to fine. Cycles are used to clean even small products. It is important that the tool is well sharpened and free from burrs that could damage the surface.

Wood polishing at home can be done with the help of an improvised tool. To do this, fix the sandpaper on a bar of soft wood.

Ground coating

Surface priming is a necessary step in wood polishing. When priming, all the cracks and pores of the wood are filled with the composition, the surface is leveled, the hygroscopicity of the wood is reduced, which saves the polishing composition and makes it easy to apply, and the result is better. Primer mixtures improve the adhesion of materials, so the final coating lasts much longer. Soil compositions protect the tree from rotting, mold and pests, increase its strength and smoothness. Depending on the degree of surface treatment and on what finish coating will be applied, several types of soil mixtures are used. If the surface is poorly sanded, you can buy an alkyd primer that forms a dense protective layer, providing a matte and smooth surface. Due to toxicity, it is best not to use alkyd mixtures indoors. The drying time of the product is from 12 to 16 hours. Acrylic primer has the same properties. It is used before painting with latex, water-based and acrylic paints. This primer composition has advantages, as it dries quickly, is diluted with water, non-toxic. Before applying the parquet varnish, the wood is primed with a polyurethane primer consisting of synthetic resins and a solvent.

Shellac primer is used for processing knots and softwood, as it neutralizes the effect of resins on the finish coat. Various antiseptic compositions are designed to combat diseases and pests, and preserve the tree. Unpainted products are recommended to be treated at least once every 5 years. If you need a composition that penetrates well into the deep layers, then you can use drying oil or alkyd enamel. Drying oil is a good base for applying oil paints. Processing with hot drying oil will protect the tree from moisture. This composition is applied in two layers. Putty protects the wood from cracking at low temperatures. When polishing wood at home, you can prepare putty yourself from PVA glue and sawdust. This composition is used before applying varnish.

Soil mixtures are applied with linen swabs on small products. Rollers are used to process large areas, and aerosol spraying is used for hard-to-reach places. Soil mixtures are applied in two layers, the second layer is primed after the first has dried. After the second layer has dried, the surface is polished with fine sandpaper.

Polishing

Several types of coatings are used for polishing wood. To give the surface a mirror finish, compositions based on shellac and nitro-lacquer are used. Shellac is a naturally occurring resin secreted by insects. You can buy ready-made mixtures based on shellac, or you can make polish yourself by dissolving shellac in denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol. Varnishes of different colors are used to achieve the desired color. A golden-yellow tint is given to the tree by “button” varnish. It is made from the highest quality raw materials. A medium brown color is given to the wood by a standard polish made from orange shellac flakes. Dark polish gives the wood a warm brown-red hue. White, made from discolored raw materials, is processed with arrays of light rocks. The transparency of the polish comes from removing the wax from the shellac. It is used to preserve the natural shade of especially light woods. To radically change the color of the array, colored polishes are used, which contain black, green and red dyes. With the help of green varnish, furniture is “aged”, red gives brightness and juiciness. The color is adjusted by adding alcohol stain drop by drop.

Polish based on nitro-varnish consists of varnish colloxylin, resin and a volatile organic solvent. Such coatings form a strong elastic film on the surface, which, when polished, acquires either a mirror gloss or a matte texture when zinc stearate is added. Each new layer of such a coating is firmly connected to the previous one, creating a monolith.

When polishing, a swab made of a lint-free cloth is moistened with sunflower or machine oil and a polishing mixture. Then, with progressive circular movements without strong pressure, the solution is applied to the surface to be treated. It is important to apply a small amount of the composition so that no drops remain. After the first layer has dried, the second and third are applied. After the last layer has dried, the surface is again polished with a fine-grained material.

Polishing

For final polishing, a wax-based wood polishing paste is used. This type of coating is absolutely safe and environmentally friendly. You can buy this paste at the store, or make your own. To do this, melt ¼ cup of wax with constant stirring. Then, removing from heat, slowly introduce the same amount of turpentine. After cooling, pour the mixture into a closed container. You can get rid of the smell of turpentine by adding essential oils of clove, lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus, juniper, oregano to the composition. Instead of turpentine, you can use olive oil or petroleum jelly. Polish the surface with a cotton cloth. Polishing wood with wax not only protects the surface from dust settling, makes the surface shiny, but also masks shallow scratches and chips. This coating protects wooden products for a long time, but fingerprints remain on it when touched.

To polish a tree with your own hands, you can prepare mixtures of olive oil and lemon juice, water and ammonia or vinegar essence. Such solutions are applied to a wooden surface with a sprayer and rubbed with a soft, lint-free cloth.

Do-it-yourself wood polishing requires skill and patience, but if you follow all the rules, new wooden products will last longer, and old ones will acquire an exquisite gloss and charm.