For shellac finish users, good news: Shellac flakes have become more plentiful. Even those familiar with shellac may not know that it starts out as a crusty protective coating secreted on tree ...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. As a professional woodworker of over five decades, I have learned a few tricks to make my time in the shop more efficient and more enjoyable.

My buddy Chuck called me the other day and asked me to help out with a project. His wife, Kate, had lost her mother earlier in the year. When her mom’s estate was divided up, Kate got her mom’s Singer ...

Q: We just stripped six layers of paint off the front door of our 1820s house. I think the door is made of chestnut. We don’t want to repaint it, and we don’t like polyurethane. What’s the best ...

My old cottage has bead board in the upstairs bedrooms that has been varnished. It looks very nice, but some of the varnish has bubbled. How can I get rid of that bubbling? A. First, check to see if ...

Touch-up. When removing glue squeeze-out, sand with the grain using P220-grit sandpaper. Keep the block flat against the work to avoid rounding over an edge. Shield adjacent surfaces with a wide ...

Next time you’re working on a project that needs a durable wood finish, don’t grab the polyurethane. Follow [Victor Ola’s] advice and raid your grandparent’s record cabinet for some old 78 records.

In any case, being a natural material, wood is porous and adapts to the temperature and humidity conditions of the environment in which it is inserted, being able to absorb everything that enters, ...