with top designers in modern furniture; among them the more natural a wood can look the better.
They give the wood a fire and color unlike that produced by any other finish. Wood hues are intensified
made more vivid, and there is no obscuring of the grain or wood texture. They are so foolproof and
quick to use that they rank well at the top as finishes for large area surfaces such as wood paneling.
Penetrating resin finishes are like varnish, but instead of lying on the surface, they sink in. The resins
harden between the fibers of the wood, in the air cells and other voids. When they are dry, the wood
itself is measurably harder, and it is impervious to all ordinary damage. In a sense they impregnate the
wood with a plastic like substance that turns the wood into plastic. However, there is no look of plastic.
WHERE TO USE PENETRATING FINISHES
Some penetrating resin finishes are intended primarily for floors, and these particularly rugged brands
are superior for furniture, too. Penetrating resin finishes are not meant for outdoor use, but work fine for
gun stocks.
HOW TO APPLY A PENETRATING FINISH
Flow penetrating resin on the wood thickly. Don't worry about fancy brush work. Many finishers don't
even use a brush. They mop the material on with rags or pour it on, then spread it. You can even use
your hands, if you want, rubbing the finish in as you spread it. Some experts use a pad of very fine steel
wool to spread the puddles of finish and work it into the wood. This is one of the best techniques of all.
Keep the surface wet for about half an hour. Read the label, because some manufacturers ask for a full
hour of penetration. If you see dull spots appear, indicating that all the material has soaked in, apply
more to keep the surface wet.
After the wood has soaked up all the liquid it will take, use plenty of rags to wipe all the surface liquid off.
Wipe it clean.
Do not leave a trace of the finish on the surface, for if you do, it will dry to an unpleasant sort of sheen.
Should this happen and you catch it the next day, you can usually cut the dried material by brushing on
more finish, then wiping it in a few minutes.
The penetrating finish continues to soak in and permeate the pores and spaces in the wood after you
wipe it. For that reason, a second application is usually a good idea, especially if the wood is porous.
Do not wait until the first coat has dried and hardened completely.
Three hours or so is long enough to wait. Brush or swab on the second coat. Keep it wet for half an hour
or longer and wipe it all off Again.
When this well wiped application is dry, the job is done. You can wax the wood if you want to, but this
tends to clog the pores and steal some of the natural, textural beauty of the finish.