Once your wood projects have been fully assembled, the final step is to apply the finish. This step should not be rushed or overlooked as it is the icing on the cake for all of the effort you have applied to your project. In fact, this step should be considered during the planning phase of your chosen wood projects as, on occasion you will have to pre-finish components before assembly as access may not be available once it is complete. The final finish you decide on will depend on two criteria: What you wish the final appearance to be and what conditions will the piece be subjected to.

The process of finishing your piece is quite straight forward:

• Prepare the surface by planing, scraping and sanding until flush,
• Fill any defects in the wood leaving excess filler to allow for any contraction,
• Sand once dry until surface is flush,
• Wipe any dust or other particles away, and
• Apply your finish.

As previously mentioned, you will quite often find a number of small cracks or holes requiring filling. Using a filling knife, apply the filler or putty to your wood projects surface defects, allow it to dry and then sand until flush. The types of fillers that you may use are:

• Shellac Sticks - Come in a massive range of timber colours and is ideal for small crack and knot hole repair,
• Wax Sticks - Again, come in numerous colours and is ideal for hair-line crack repair. Only use wax sticks when a final wax finish is to be utilised,
• Wood Fillers - Massive range of colours, used for split and knot hole defects, and
• Grain Fillers - Less viscous than wood fillers, these are applied using a cloth and are rubbed into the surface.

The choice available for your final finish is almost endless. Natural clear finishes including polish oils and waxes or synthetic clear or coloured finishes including paints, lacquers and stains can all be used and the final choice for your wood projects will come down to the criteria listed earlier and your personal preference. The following is a rough guide to the uses and benefits of some of the finishes you may wish to use.

Natural clear finishes are used on quality timber to enhance the grain, not cover it. Nearly all clear finishes will darken with sunlight exposure so keep that in mind when choosing from the following:

• French polish - Produces a high gloss finish but vulnerable to water and alcohol,
• Button polish - A dark golden brown it is the highest grade french polish,
• Garnet polish - A dark red/brown to produce a mahogany like appearance,
• White polish - Used on pale timber,
• Transparent polish - Used on light timbers when little colour change is required, and
• Coloured polish - Used to change the colour of the timber.

Applying numerous thinned down coats of oil to your wood projects will allow the oil to seep into the wood and enhance the grain of your piece rather than just coating it. Some of the types available are:Linseed oil - If used raw, the oil takes a long time to dry resulting in a less hard finsh than other oils. If boiled, drying time is reduced but it also needs to dry naturally,

• Danish or Teak oil - Added drying compounds give greater penetration and final hardness,
• Tung oil - Fast drying and durable.

Wax finishes are made from either beeswax or carnuba in turpentine. These finishes will give a good shine to your wood projects but need frequent reapplication and provide little long term protection. Wax finishes are often used as a final finish on top of other materials.

Synthetic clear or coloured finishes have become increasingly popular and each type suits a particular purpose. Here is an overall guide to the qualities of each:Stains - Add an overall finish that colours the timber but does not hide the grain. Available in water, spirit or alcohol base,

• Lacquers - Available in gloss, semi-gloss and matt finishes, these create a hard surface either in a clear or coloured finish,
• Paints - Numerous colours and the final thickness or style of application will determine how much of the timbers natural qualities will come through.

Safety considerations when applying the final finish to your wood projects include:Ensure adequate ventilation when applying the finish,

• If applying toxic chemicals, ensure personal protective equipment is used,
• Clean the surrounding area,
• Most finishes are flammable, have an extinguisher or fire blanket on hand,
• Store finishes in a locked area or container away from your residence and children, and
• Do not smoke when applying finishes.

If you are using a woodworking plan to assemble your wood projects then most likely a recommendation for the final finish will be made. If going it alone, you will probably find that a bit of trial and error will eventually see you achieving the results you are after and experience, with a little guidance, will ultimately have you getting perfect results every time.