How to varnish raw wood
There is something extremely aesthetically pleasing about a wooden piece that is varnished. When you coat raw wood with a good varnish, you enhance its durability and it also gives rise to a clear finish that enables you to enjoy the natural beauty of the wood by enhancing the visibility of its grain designs. You will be pleasantly surprised about how much added protection, a good coat of varnish will render. From spilled coffee on your table to even heat, precipitation and wind on outdoor trim – it certainly has you covered! Read on to learn more about how to varnish raw wood.
Before you get started, you will need:
- Sandpaper
- Sanding block
- A cloth
- Polyurethane varnish
- Paintbrush
- Methylated spirits
- Dust mask
- Protective goggles
You should begin by putting on your protective goggles and dust mask, then you can get sanding… Sand the entire surface that you will be applying varnish to. If you do not want to use a sanding block, you should opt for an electric palm sander if you have one. You should sand in the same direction of the grain on the wood.
After you have evened out the surface and removed splinters, you should then wipe the surface clean with the damp rag.
Now, you are ready to varnish the raw wood. Ideally, you should use a polyurethane varnish. They are great for protecting against marring, liquids, etc.
You can then apply the varnish to the sanded wooden surface with the paintbrush. After you have covered the entire surface area, leave it to dry overnight.
You can use methylated spirits to clean your paint brush.
The next day, you can give the wooden piece a light sanding, wipe it with a damp rag or cloth and apply a second coat of varnish for good measure.
