What Finish Should I Use? | Woodworking Beginner Tips 

I talked with a guy, who's selling several types of oils for a living, he discouraged me from sanding above 180 grit BEFORE applying the first coat of oil, because you are limiting the ability of the wood to absorb the oil. after the 1st coat has dried, it's OK to sand it down to 240-280 lightly

I used to sand to 220 and then quit. Then a buddy whose mind works in realms I've never contemplated, said that light refracts (? think that's the word) more precisely (acutely?) the higher the grit (the wood becomes like a mirror of sorts). So I thought I'd go crazy and sand my rocking chair to 1000. Sheeeeeeeit! What a difference. I'm not a commercial shop, just a retired guy, so time isn't a concern. When you're old and grey and have tons of time, give this a whirl. You won't regret it!

Brown paper! My mom used to be a decorative artist using traditional Scandinavian techniques. She was an expert at achieving smooth final finishes. She was the only person I knew who recommended using a finer and finer sandpaper, then finally brown bag paper... until you! Nice 👍🏼

Exactly what I was looking for for a couple of years, this gave me much more clarity on what to use in my personal projects, thanks Chris!!!

Awesome Info Chris!!! Much needed

Thank you for actually demonstrating the light sanding between finish coats. I feel that's a step that is breezed over by most woodworkers, and has been a frustration for me as I enter woodworking.

The epiphany at the end was really helpful. I was already leaning towards oil for a live edge desk I'm building and this helped me decide that oil is the best choice for what I want to achieve aesthetically.

I feel like there is no "definitive" video on finishing, so I love to hear from other woodworkers what they use/do and why. This was great!

Thanks for the awesome video! I think one of the biggest issues I have when finishing is that I tend to rush through the process because I just want the project to be done and over with. It's tough for me to stay engaged in a project after I've put so many hours into it, and I already have my sights set on the next one.

I've been struggling with wood finishing for the past few months and this video...gave me good advice for my next finishing steps! Thanks for sharing your tips, Chris.

This is the best video on simple finishing for newbies that I've seen, and I watched a lot of them. So helpful.

I made my first piece of furniture, a solid maple kitchen table. I used advice in this video to decide how to finish it. I used oil based wipe on poly, and it came out beautiful. I’m so happy with it!

Just ordered a quart. Looking forward to using it on a few upcoming projects. You are correct...I hate finishing, but love to build.

This is a brilliant summary thanks Chris. You really do cut through it in a way only a great teacher can. Thanks for sharing.

Simple Finish - makerbrandco.com/collections/simple-finish Supply is low as there is a shortage of cans due to the pandemic. We have jugs coming, we will be switching to those until cans become readily available again.

This has been soooo helpful. Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences. Loving your channel ❤

I just started sanding a coffee table down to the wood and this video came out. Perfect timing!!

Might be the best education video on woodworking finish. You provided us with a system to think rather than just a bunch of steps.

16:21 Now that is really beautiful. The design, the colors. Wow.

Probably scrolled to 50 videos about wood finishing and I stopped at this video. Finally understood wood finishing. Appreciate the schooling

Nice video. My family and I included that have been in the cabinet industry for over 50 years have exclusively used dark walnut Danish oil under catalyzed lacquer on our home furniture as well as many many many clients. I have a 40 year old grandfather clock that still is showroom quality with still nearly flawless joints done this way.

Very helpful! Thank you for comparing poly to oil; I’ve been looking for info on that exact comparison.

That epiphany/clarification at the end is great, too. Thanks.

This was super helpful. I have plans to build a walnut dining room table. I love the look of the oil but the protection of the poly. But I think after this I’ve landed in a penetrating oil because the table will get used and beat up and I’ll want to be able to easily restore it. Thanks - this was helpful!

Glad I watched this as I'm planning on making a plywood media console out of baltic birch ply and was going to use oil but you showing how oil makes the edges darker definitely makes me want to use poly instead now. Thanks!

Also I gotta say, that unscripted section at the end felt the most informational to me, like we were being taught and not instructed in a lecture.

Yesssss... I feel like this video was made just for me. Thank you, Chris!!

Great video! I really enjoyed your logical presentation, and your two easy ways for DIYer's like myself to choose a finish. I am looking forward to your next Woodwooking video. Well done!

I’ve recently taken on the feat of revamping my MCM dresser with no wood experience. Sanding is complete but for the last week I’ve pondered what kind of finish I hope to achieve. Needless to say, this video was very informative. I realize what I thought I wanted is now not was I need. so THANKS!

Chris, Thank you for this thorough explanation of the differences in finishes. I was also not aware that you are the creator of the Maker brand of finishes. A good to know point. I actually love your channel and look forward to when you post another video. I'm getting ready to start my workshop cabinets here in the next month. I plan on using Baltic Birch plywood with a Spray on Poly finish, most likely Maker brand. Thanks again. Felix

Great videos as always and the best voice on RU-vid.

Love your videos! very useful, down to the point, and explaining why. Thank you!

Good video. Use what you like. Thanks for bringing the stress level down for me when it comes to finishing

Hi, I just want to say 2 things: I really admire you and your works and when I make a table I usually finish the top with parquet water paint becouse if it's ok for the feet, it's ok for the hands. Thank you for what I've learned seeing your videos. Cheers from Florence

Great video, and I’ve been wearing WP glasses for over 10 years. Love them!

This was very succinct - as a newbie looking to finish one of my first project this was perfect advice!

The lawnmower analogy is brilliant!

Thank you Chris for this beautiful teaching

My go to has become spray lacquer. I love the ease of use and the re-coat time

Great information Chris, thanks for the video!

I hate finishing. Well, I won’t say I hate finishing. I’d say, I REALLY hate finishing. I really like your simple, pragmatic approach to it.

Super helpful! Thank you!

My favorite option for walnut (going on my glenn chair when I'm done) - danish oil with a satin lacquer :)

This was super helpful. Thanks.

This is really useful. Thanks.

Thank you so much, I really needed this video

Very informative thank you!

I was fortunate enough to grab a sample bottle of Simple Finish when you first introduced it. I tried it on a couple of small boxes and loved it. I subsequently purchased a can and have used almost exclusively since. It gives the wood such a smooth natural feel without the need to sand between coats. You guys make a great product.

Super helpful. Thanks!

Really a nice video 👍 this is what I was waiting for. I’m building a walnut entertainment center and I’m in the dilemma to use oil vs polyurethane. U clarified my question. Thank you 🙏

Lately I've been wanting to just put cutting board oil on anything and everything I make. It looks natural and it's just so easy. Anyway, thanks for the helpful video!

Great stuff!

Foureyes Lol I was actually going to use the analogy of mowing the lawn and there you go, mowing :) Oooh I love the idea of pencil marks during sanding! I need visual cues, this is perfect. Surface prep is everything, no matter what the project is. Getting new glasses during downtime LOL You have a great sense of humor. Oh wow 16:20 :) Your pieces are all so beautiful, excellent work. Great vid! - Tanya

man, you're awesome.. you make tons of sense and I could listen to you for hours. This doesn't apply to the other guy. I mean he's not terrible, but let him have a separate channel.

This is just great thank you

excellent video!

Great insight. Thanks Chris

I've rarely used water based poly and you showed me what's wrong. Not enough coats! Thanks! 1. I always, always burnish the finish unless I'm using oil or epoxy. 2. An old furniture expert told me a tip way back in 1990(ish) to seal my end grain with simple syrup and let it dry before staining a piece, to get the ends the same shade as the rest of the wood.

Dude your furniture designs are goddamn gorgeous. I absolutely love the lines you've used. Epic stuff.

I use water based wipe on poly for most of my projects, except outdoor furniture and small stuff like boxes or cutting boards. For outdoor furniture I use a teak oil / oil based spar urethane blend. Small boxes I use rattle can lacquer. Cutting boards and bottle openers get mineral oil. For the odd times when I paint a project I use a rattle can. I haven't used paint on a project in 3 years - maybe more.

Thanks a lot for sharing.

The Pickler's made it into a vid! Great video and tips, thanks!

This first chair u are working on is just gorgeous.

That is a great looking lawn.

Im just starting to get into serious furniture making after decades of amateur woodworking/DIY. I made a few pieces using Old Masters Tung Oil Varnish and it's decent. I was going to try Arm R Seal but that's basically just high quality wiping varnish. Then I heard of hard wax oils like Rubio Monocoat and was going to bite that expensive bullet because I like the natural penetrating oil side of things rather than encasing things in plastic with varnishes. I've been a long time fan of FourEyes and it seems like Simple Finish is in the realm of hard wax oils, more affordable than Rubio, and supports people I already like. So I'm off to order a can to use on my Salomone inspired desk build made of hickory with a heartwood streak down the middle of the top, kinda like a river table.

Hot damn. Very helpful advice. Just when I needed it most.👍🔨

Awesome video!

Thanks for the finishing video. I need to finish a hemlock handrail. I'll try a penetrating oil on a sample to test for color. But I really like the repair aspect. Polyurethane would have been my first choice. Thanks again.

Thanks Chris, I’m leaning toward Hardwax oil at the moment but have been using Poly on some builds, I’ve totally gone off spray on products merely for the chemicals that are in them. This was interesting, cheers from Australia

thank you so much!

Thanks Chris. I use and LOVE your “Simple Finish”. Plus no goofy Shawn in this video! (Just spitballing) Love you guys!

Thank you for this. I think I’ll end up putting this video in my “Reference” file for future referral. One thing for you to think about though: it may be harder for you than you think to refinish that table once your kids are older. There are marks all around my house and on our furniture from the boys’ hijinx growing up, and I love to look at those occasionally now that my boys are off in the world. I’d fight someone who wanted to remove them!

Excellent video, Chris. Who would’ve thought my willy nilly, spastic sanding game was wrong? Me. I should’ve known. Thanks!

Nice your project and your channel referensi for me, good luck

first video of 2021 is a good one

Love the honesty. Other than that, great info...Personally I hate sanding. Thanx for your time making this and other videos.

Love this 😄

I didn’t receive the notification but I’m here. And like always, loving your videos 👌👌👌

If you want a darker look with WB poly you can do a coat or two of shellac under it. Looks great on walnut.

Function and taste combined is your guideline.

My go to finish with a nice balance between rich color and fast recoat times has been tinted (optional) dewaxed shellac ragged on as a toner, and then sprayed water-based polyurethane. You can tone and finish a project in a single day. It'll never be quite as rich as oil, but it gets most of the way there and is way, way faster. This works best when you want to uniformly adjust a single color on the project, for example, when I want to warm up walnut or add a pre-aged look to cherry. It doesn't work as well if you're drastically trying to change the color, like a deep mission finish on quartersawn oak.

If you want a in-depth guide to finishing, I recommend Bob Flexner's Understanding Wood Finishing. Its used as a textbook in woodworking classes

I’ve recently been using a “oil modified” water based poly to obtain the color of oil (pretty close) and the durability of poly. Pretty happy with results. Regardless, great info vid 👍

Mirka. Great tip

Sometimes I am afraid to try a new finish out of fear of ruining the project. Thanks for the video!

“Barely scratching the surface” Niiiiceeee 😎

Very helpful. I use Walrus Oil products, but I'll have to try out Simple. Keep in mind that Simple is double the cost of Walrus Oil Furniture Finish though.

Not sure if you will see this Q but.. what about for outdoor finishes? Like outdoor furniture? And more specifically techniques for properly sealing around joints and screw holes, etc? I'm an amateur and use a lot of pocket holes for example, and not sure how to best seal this type of construction.

I think the rounder frames looked best on you. Just my thought. Thanks for the material.

Appreciate the video and the information and experience you pass along. Question: What about pieces that get some sun through different parts of the day? Is there a finish that does better than others in regards to fading. I am thinking about a piece that may be under a window. Thanks.

Totally! I'm inexperienced with these things, but I am an artist and ocd perfectionist (🤣)... I finally decided how I'm going to finish a guitar - dye it black and finish it with Sutherland Welles Tung oil. I've acquired a vast-mass and plethora of knowledge (which my mind is sculpting into wisdom) watching youtube videos on the subjects of wood, guitars, guitar finishing, etcetera. One keen takeaway is this: Test and do what you want. SOOO MANY PEOPLE (not you though) act as if subjective opinion and personal preference are EMPIRICAL and ABSOLUTE TRUTH! 🤣 Depending on what a person is going for, it almost comes down to whatever is clever. Like me - I desire an "unconventional" look that most would hate, but I think most people finishing guitars make it waaay too complex with superfluous steps, but if that's what they want, have at it! 😎

I liked the example you gave of the dining room table. It raises the question of which finish best resists stains from penetrating. My assumption is that poly would do a better job then oil. Would food oils spilt on a dining table penetrate an oil finish? Obviously, both would need to be refinished eventually. (PS, wait to refinish the table until the kids leave the house or age 25, whichever comes first!)

Here in Australia I use Livos oils. Plenty of choices, great finishes and easy to apply. They’re all food grade with no toxins and can be tinted. They recommend to finish off with nothing smoother than 180g and the only downside so far is the cost. I’ve never used anything else so it was great to see your video, thanks.

What I’ve found that helps on poly after sanding, use compressed air with a fine point nozzle after sanding, it works really well at removing the white “powder” from the pores

Nice work Chris! So what you're saying is to cover every surface of your projects with mayonnaise?

Good advice re: sanding. Patience now saves a big serve of disappointment later when you discover all those swirl or pigtail marks looking back at you through your lovely and often expensive finish. It's the old 5 P's. Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.

Another pro with using water-based poly, if you're using a foam brush, you can rinse the brush and reuse it for the next water-based poly project.

First, I wanted to thank you for your vid, loved the explanation of the difference between the oil penetrating and sealer. So here’s my quandary; It was suggested I use a penetrating product on my very light oak window seals, that get a west later afternoon sun on them. I told the guy at paint store “They were pretty beat up, ie condensation, and sun damaged. And, that I’m not sure what was on them previously. Do he suggested *Dalys PROFIN* oil penetrating product. Anyway. I sanded the heck out of seals specifically, trying to sand away a few water stains, and some grain, or finish degradation, and the result is…it’s abit blotchy. I’m a novelist! So PROFIN product directions for use suggest sanding in between coats for deeper luster. You are right it’s so easy to apply. So ,I applied how per their suggestion, which is to brush on, let it sit for 5 to 10 min., then wipe off with lint free cloth. The guy at store just said to wipe on. But because I knew this wood would soak up a lot, so I brushed on, and wiped off. So far I love how it brought out the natural look of the wood, and for an even deeper luster they suggest using a steel wool #4 and rub in the last coat. I haven’t done that, yet. So my question is, do you think since it’s a window frames and seals, this was an appropriate product? ie meaning the oil penetrating method. The product said hard drying, and quick setting so I’m hoping it works out. Also, What are your thoughts on wood filler if you want to maintain the natural wood? Is that even possible? My thought is no. Thank you for your time.

Hi! I love the precision and efficiency of your videos! I do a lot of cutting boards. Would you be comfortable with people cutting food on the Simple Finish? I use Osmo oil now.

Killed me with that lawnmower example! 😂