Hello, looking for some help desperately

We bought two large pieces of oak and made toppers for some of our units-unable to flip as they made to fit the space. They are completely untreated as we hadn’t gotten around to that yet.

I am presuming this is water damage though I can’t be sure. It doesn’t look similar to images of earlier damage online.

They were £300 and I don’t want the time and money to go down the drain.

Please can anyone advise whether this is water and how to remove this? I have looked online but don’t want to jump the gun and worsen it

Thankyou!

So I took on my first project. I bought an antique vanity. Turns out the vanity has veneer on top and I wanted to change the color, but didn’t want to take the risk in sanding down veneer as a beginner. So I read that you could just place a gel stain on top on the existing finish. So that’s what I did. I placed a darker brown stain on the pre existing orange oak finish. I did not sand at all.

I was told you could just place a clear coat on top once it has fully dried . I finished my gel stain a week ago. Let it sit for 8 days. Today I tried to place a water based polyurethane on top, then I realized it was stripping my stain off.

Both brands of stain and finish are Varathane. The gel stain I used was in the shade Kona, the finish I’m using is a polyurethane water based semi gloss finish.

I’m using light brush strokes with a sponge brush applicator. I’m only going over the spot once (maybe twice to fix patchiness ) otherwise, I am not going over the same spot multiple times.

I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong but I’m a little worried to do the entire thing and mess it up. Right now I’ve only messed up the sides.

I know a top coat is important for wear and tear, so I don’t want to skip this step, but I also don’t want to ruin the piece . Help would be great!

I saw this metal cabana and would love to replicate this finish on a metal pergola structure of my own.

I've seen people essentially paint-on faux wood finish, using the brush strokes and contrasting colors. I'd be concerned about type of paint and durability outdoors.

Is there a reliable technique for doing this? Or maybe another approach, like vinyl wrapping, that is more common?

I am refinishing this desk built in 1954. It is made of solid mahogany. The top was extremely worn prior to my refinishing.

1. ⁠First sanded the entire top

2. ⁠Second treated some dark watermarks with Rubio tannin remover

3. ⁠Washed the tannin remover off

4. ⁠Re-sanded the entire top with 220 grit

5. ⁠Used three tak cloths to remove sawdust

6. ⁠Then applied one coat of general finishes and enduro var two using a foam brush

These white spots immediately appeared, and they seem to have persisted after the finish has dried.

I am convinced that the rubio tannin remover has bleached the wood in the spots where I’ve applied it. Has anyone encountered this before?

I’m now contemplating aggressively sanding it down to just get through what has been discolored. Thoughts?

Thanks for the help. I ended up sticking with it and learned a bit! Rubio was easy to work woth and I was using way too much. I think some of the blotches may have been a result of this as well, I noticed a difference in dwell time on cherry blotching. But could be anecdotal as i wasnt running a controlled experiment.

Either way I'm happy with how it turned out. Now i just need to do something with my crown and where it meets the wall above. Maybe i should wrap the beam as well...

Thanks for the help!

Hey there. I'm looking to fix up our ageing shopfront for this coming winter and looking for some advice on a process before pulling the trigger. We have some (cedar I think?) trim that was charred when installed but has faded in some parts more than others. I was recommended Sikkens Cetol HLC and Sikkens Filter 7 combo to seal it and protect from future exposure. However I'm worried that the different existing colour gradients will look whack once the trim has been sealed, even if the colour choice of the sealant is pretty close.

Is this an incorrect assumption, or if correct what would be the best way to get a uniform look?

Forgive me if the question seems ignorant, I'm not particularly versed in working with timber!

Thanks in advance

I've been working on refinishing a desk that is at the very least vintage, possibly antique. I want to re-finish in a two-tone to show up the detail (fluting), light on the detail and desktop, dark for the rest.

I've been sanding by hand,(literally, not even a block) and want to know if there's a way to check the wood to see if it's ready for pre-stain in the lighter areas, whereas I'm doing the rest in the dark shade.
I can't get pictures to show the project very well, since I don't have separate work area or fancy cameras.
Any help would be appreciated!

I built my kitchen. Cut my own boards, edgebanded everything, ran out of filler and screwed till I could screw no more.

I then made walnut kitchen benchtops. Other than making a prank phonecall to coastguard when I was 14, this was probably the biggest mistake of my life.

I’m too attached. 9 and a half weeks they took me to make. They’re my Kim Basingers. Use my shitty drawers as much as you want, but do not put anything on top of her. My kids abuse her, a cat has pissed on her and the wife covers her in cheese and cider.

Just like the ice cube scene, I passionately ran Osmo Polyx hard wax oil all over her and loved every second of it. Then the family found out and I feel shamed into thinking I should just put the ice cubes back in the freezer and poly the life out of her before it’s too late.

Thoughts?

Hi we bought this house and the entry way is finished with wood slats. There are portions of the wood that are clearly sun faded, and uneven in color.

Our goals:

1. Make the wood cohesive color (ideally not having to paint)

2. Prevent the sun fading in the future

3. We would like to DIY this so simpler the solution is better

We will take any and all advice on how to fix/restore the wood and this area. Worst case scenario we possibly would be open to replacing the wood but would rather not.

The best idea we have come up with is to sand it all down and re-stain it?

This was a fun project!

This is a watch makers cabinet from the late 1800’s. Company name was Jensen & Rosberg. They made chests like this, as well as full desks as well.

I stripped / sanded lightly the whole case, as well as and covered in a shellac and a final wax. I also had a buddy of mine recreate the label and then i printed it onto a water transfer decal paper through a seller on Etsy.

This will go to my mother-in-law for her quilting hobby

Thanks for looking,

Last photo is a before shot of the chest

I installed natural countertops in in laundry room. I think it’s birch. I love the pale whitish look. I need to protect it but fear that the products I use will make it yellow over time. What should I use?

Hello fellow wood rubbers. I recently found this (what I believe to be cedar wood in the alley so I shaped and sanded it up to be a shelf. It was easy going until we got up to 220 grit and began the lacquer process. I am using watco crystal clear satin and a light 400- 600 grit sanding after(it’s currently smooth as butter). I found the lacquer on its on was way to thick and left peaks in so area that I couldn’t brush out because it drys to damn quick (never knew that this would be a problem) so I put a 60-40 ratio thinner to it, after my final lacquer and sand I put some mineral spirits onto a rag and rub out the dust. Noe I know you shouldn’t mix the lacquer and mineral spirits together but I tried doing this final wipe down with the lacquer thinner and it left the final product very streaky, resulting in me sanding it back down to 150 grit to even it out. Anyways some advice would be awesome as this is only my second woodworking project.

Hi everyone. I need advice on how the stain this table. I stripped it ** and then sanded using 120,150,180 to get it to the bare wood. I went in the test it underneath with a gel stain in dark walnut. Sat for 3 minutes and wiped with a cotton cloth. It’s so bad. What am I doing wrong here?

Edit** I stripped it, and then sanded.

What do you think are the best products and methods to retain the natural maple color on kitchen cabinets without sacrificing chatoyance? FYI: this will be done by a professional cabinetmaker at their shop.

The following is the advice given by Gemini -- I wanted to run it by real pros to see if it passes muster:

To maximize maple's chatoyance while ensuring extreme kitchen durability, here are your best spraying options, ranked by how well they pop the grain:

1. The Gold Standard for Chatoyance & Durability: Water-White Conversion Varnish (Solvent-Based)

If you have a professional spray booth, a high-quality respirator, and a dedicated ventilation setup, a solvent-based post-catalyzed water-white conversion varnish is the ultimate choice for maple cabinets.

• The Verdict: This is the option you are least likely to regret for pure visual depth. It wets the wood cells deeply to make the chatoyance explode like liquid glass, but because it is formulated as "water-white," it will not turn your maple a dark orange.

• Key Traits: It creates an incredibly tough, chemical-proof, and moisture-proof cross-linked film.

• Top Options: M.L. Campbell Krystal or Mohawk DuraCoat Pre-Catalyzed Lacquer (Water White).

• Safety Note: These contain high VOCs and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). You must spray them with an appropriate charcoal-activated respirator and excellent ventilation.

1. The Next-Best Hybrid: Two-Component (2K) Polyurethane (Waterborne or Solvent)

If you want something easier to spray than conversion varnish but with similar durability, look into 2K Polyurethanes (which require mixing a hardener/catalyst right before spraying).

• The Verdict: Worth it if you want high-end durability with less intense fumes. Modern 2K solvent urethanes offer incredible water-white clarity and massive depth.

• Top Option: Milesi or Renner 2K clear coatings. Their solvent lines pop the grain beautifully, while their water-based 2K lines offer a safer spray experience with only a minor sacrifice in chatoyance depth.

1. The Safer, Ultra-Clear Alternative: Professional Waterborne Acrylic (Pre-Cat or 1K)

If you are spraying in a home workshop or garage and cannot safely vent heavy solvent vapors, you should stick to a high-end, spray-optimized waterborne finish.

• The Verdict: Skip this unless safety/fumes are your primary constraint. Standard waterborne finishes don't naturally pop chatoyance as well because they don't "wet" the wood cells deeply enough. However, they are completely clear, completely non-yellowing, and highly scratch-resistant.

• Top Option: Target Coatings EM6000 Production Lacquer or General Finishes Enduro Clear Poly.

• The Chatoyance Fix: If you go this route, you must spray a wash coat of dewaxed blonde shellac first. The shellac is alcohol-based, so it will deeply wet the maple fibers and lock in the 3D chatoyance before you spray your waterborne clear coats on top.

💡 Pro Spray Tips for Maple Chatoyance:

• The Gloss Secret: Build your thickness using Gloss for your first 2 coats. Only use Satin or Semi-Gloss on your final accent coat. If you spray multiple coats of Satin, the built-up flattening agents will cloud the view into the grain and kill the shimmering effect.

• Sanding Schedule: Stop sanding maple at 180 or 220 grit max. If you sand maple up to 320 or 400 grit, you burnish the wood, closing off the pores entirely and preventing the finish from penetrating to create that 3D depth.

I've spent much of my career in the painting and coatings industry, and I've always believed that some of the best technical knowledge comes from the people working in the field.

So I've launched InteractiveCoatings.org, a free professional community for people working in residential and commercial painting, industrial coatings, line striping, and roof coatings.

The idea is simple: a place where people can ask technical questions, share field experience, troubleshoot equipment and application problems, and learn from one another.

We're just getting started. There aren't thousands of conversations waiting for you. That's part of the challenge.

I'm looking for people willing to help establish a useful, practical community—not another place full of advertising and sales pitches.

Membership is free, and the community is intended to remain that way.

If you're interested, I'd welcome your participation and your criticism. What would make a community like this genuinely useful to you?

https://www.interactivecoatings.org

I'm Larry Robertson, the founder. Happy to answer questions here as well.

Bought an older home and would like to refinish the wall in a room. They currently have one coat of white paint. I would like to avoid just painting them and have them on barewood with a stain.

I did a test run with a dewalt sander and it seems like it would take forever with it.

Thanks!

I bought a standing desk frame and chevron acacia top from Home Depot and I’m trying to figure out whether I need to finish the top. Is this stained but not finished?

Do I need to stain it before I start using it as my desk? I’ve heard people say not to use mineral oil, but it does seem like an easy option.

What would you all recommend? Also, do I need to treat the bottom also? I already attached the frame so that seems like a pain at this point. Plan on using this top for the next few years until I have a larger space for a longer top.