Use and Care Manual

ManualsBrandsInternational Concepts ManualsFurnitureUnfinished Pub/Bar Table

Preparation

 All surfaces should be clean and free from all dirt and oils.

 Sanding is a progressive procedure. Do NOT start sanding with very fine sandpaper on unfinished wood.

Prepare the surface by using medium sand paper first, and then proceed to finer grades. Water based

finishes need a smoother surface than oil based finishes, but do not over sand or you may seal the wood so

much that it will not take a finish. Sand raw wood in the direction of the grain starting with a coarser grit sand

paper such as #120 sandpaper, and finish the final sanding with a fine grit sandpaper such as #180 or #220.

On hardwoods such as Oak, Maple, Birch or Parawood / Rubberwood sand first with #120 and finish no finer

than #180. End-grains (areas where the wood has been cut against the grain), such as the front side of a

table, tend to soak up more stain than other surfaces. Give end-grain areas an additional sanding to control

the absorption of stain. Refer to our sanding tutorial for more information.

 We recommend minimizing the grain raise, especially on hardwoods such as Oak and Ash. After completing

preparation sanding and before applying the finish, spray the project with water or rub down with a damp

cloth. Allow the wood to dry and then sand lightly with #220 sandpaper to remove the raised grain. This

conditions the wood to accept water based finishes.

 Remove dust with an air hose, damp cloth or "oil free" tack cloths. Do not use oil based tack cloths when

using water based finish. Most tack cloths contain oil and will contaminate the surface.

 Do NOT use steel wool when preparing wood for water based finish, as steel particles will cause rust spots.

 There are two methods to fill nail holes with wood putty: 1) fill holes before you stain using putty that dries

hard and can be sanded and stained, or 2) stain the wood, apply one Top Coat, and then use water based

color putty that matches the stain.

Supplies Needed

 Lots of good quality paper towels or lint-free cloths for wiping. Do not use tee shirts with water based

products – they do not absorb water based products well.

 Foam brushes or latex paint pad applicators and a bristle brush to pull stain out of corners. You must brush

or wash paint pad applicators before use to remove loose bristles. Note: purchase a brush that will fit in the

can.

 #120, #180 or #220 grit sandpaper for sanding raw wood.

 #320 or #400 grit sandpaper or superfine sanding sponges for buffing between Top Coats. Do not use steel

wool because steel particles left behind will rust.

 Soap and water for clean up.

 Paper plates and aluminum foil to make disposable paint trays.

Application of Water Based Wood Stains

 Remove hardware from furniture. Taking a little extra time to remove backs of cabinets, drawer fronts etc,

will make staining much easier.

 Lightly sand the wood with 180-220 grit sandpaper to open the grain to allow the stain to penetrate evenly.

Do not over sand!

 To minimize grain raising, complete surface preparation sanding and dampen wood with a wet sponge or

spray bottle prior to applying Top Coat. Allow the wood to dry completely and lightly finish sand again with

Summary of content (7 pages)

PAGE 1
Preparation   All surfaces should be clean and free from all dirt and oils. Sanding is a progressive procedure. Do NOT start sanding with very fine sandpaper on unfinished wood. Prepare the surface by using medium sand paper first, and then proceed to finer grades. Water based finishes need a smoother surface than oil based finishes, but do not over sand or you may seal the wood so much that it will not take a finish.
PAGE 2
#180 to #220 grit sandpaper. Do not sand through the grain raise layer. This conditions the wood to accept            water based finishes. All top coats (water, oil, lacquer, wax, etc.) may be used over Water Based Stains if they have dried properly. All Wood Stains may be intermixed to create custom colors or may be lightened by adding Natural Stain. A second coat of stain will produce a slightly darker color.
PAGE 3
. Glazing is the process of applying a translucent color to the surface, and then rubbing off the excess glaze to create many effects. In the following examples, several layers of Milk Paints, Glazes and Top Coats are combined in the tradition of old world craftsmen to create unique decorative finishes in any color palette. The process goes fast as water based finishes dry much more quickly than oil based finishes. 1. Two coats of Autumn 1. Two coats Sage Green Haze Milk Paint sanded 1.
PAGE 4
 Dry time is normally 2-4 hours under ideal conditions (70° and 70% humidity). Cooler temperatures or higher humidity will prolong dry time to 8-10 hours. Good ventilation, air movement and higher temperatures will accelerate dry time.  Sanding between coats of any stain, paint or top coat is referred to as Buffing. Buff between each coat of Milk Paint with a superfine sanding sponge, #320 or #400 grit sandpaper.  Milk Paint dries with a low luster sheen.
PAGE 5
 Work quickly, so that the Glaze color does not dry before finishing a section. If necessary, mask off smaller sections around raised areas such as bead board and moldings. Glazes dry fairly quickly, so plan your sections before beginning.  If working in high temperatures or low humidity, Glaze Effects may be thinned with 10-20% water or General Finishes Extender (3 to 6 oz. per quart) to improve open time for application.  Let dry 2-4 hours.
PAGE 6
Turn new furniture into heirlooms by creating a vintage, timeworn look. Antiquing is accomplished as follows: After applying your base color and letting it dry, sand the areas you want antiqued with a random orbital sander, following with 100 grit sandpaper by hand to enhance certain areas along the edges, around doorknobs, etc. The look you are trying to obtain is a slightly distressed piece, so don't hold the sander in one spot too long.
PAGE 7
Pickling Pickling is simply applying a light color stain to wood; then wiping off the stain to let the color of the wood show through. The most popular pickle color is Whitewash Stain however you are not limited to white. Apply the stain and wipe off as much as you want while letting the wood grain show through the stain. The look you want to achieve is a soft subtle color. Let the piece dry and apply 3 coats of Waterbase PolyAcrylic following instructions in brochure.