for Cold Climate Housing and much more

Last Updated: , Created: Friday, October 12th, 2001

Stir, never shake, a clear finish.

Many clear finishes today have what they call "flattening" characteristics which help the material to flow out and let bubbles escape. But depending on the drying conditions, if you put bubbles into your liquid finish, you may have bumps in your dried finish.

Two keys to avoiding air bumps in your final clear finish: Stir, don't shake the can. Stir carefully so as to not "whip" bubbles into the liquid.

Then, if you use foam brushes, which are excellent for applying clear finishes, make sure not to "squeeze" the foam as you apply the finish as that in itself will create bubbles. What is good about foam brushes is that you can load up a lot of finish into the brush, and then gently "lay" it out onto the wood. When it doesn't flow any more, don't push down on the brush, but rather load it up again.


Keywords: Finishing, Finishes, Techniques

Article 1369