VARNISHING AND FINISHING OF HARDWOODS Medium Sandpaper and remove all surface defects. Stain if desired. Fill with best paste filler, colored if necessary, thoroughly cleaning surface and moldings. Shellac one coat, and varnish two coats of a good varnish suitable for this purpose. After the shellac coat, close up all nail-holes and other imperfections with lead putty, colored as required, all surplus putty to be carefully wiped off. Sandpaper between each coat. Care must be taken during varnishing to keep the premises as free from dust as possible. (See Note 22.) First-Class Sandpaper and remove all surface defects. Stain if required. Fill with best paste filler, colored if necessary. Thoroughly clean all surfaces and moldings. Shellac one coat pure grain alcohol shellac, and varnish four coats of a first-class varnish designed for this class of work. Rub all varnish surfaces true and even, with oil and pumice stone, to a dull satin finish. Thoroughly clean all oil and pumice stone from surface. Each coat must be thoroughly dry and sandpapered before the application of another. Care must be taken during varnishing, to keep premises as free from dust as possible. (See Note 23.) NOTE 22—If the location of the finish justifies additional expense and a flat surface is desired, specify that the last coat of varnish be lightly rubbed with oil and pumice stone to a uniform dull finish, thoroughly cleansing surface from all oil and pumice stone. In servants' portions of residences, this is not justifiable.
This specification pertains to all open-grained woods such as oak, ash, chestnut, black walnut, etc. If cherry, birch, maple, and such woods are used, frequently the filling with paste filler is eliminated, the shellac coating filling requirements. In my own operations, I invariably use the filler as specified, but quite thin in body, carefully wiping off filler from surface. For birch stained in imitation of mahogany, I always omit the filler, shellacing direct on the stain, as frequently chemical action takes place when oil is brought in direct contact with mahogany stain used on birch.
NOTE 23—This specification applies to the finishing of red or white mahogany, cherry, birch, walnut, rosewood, etc.
Frequently, in finishing mahogany or other woods stained with a water stain in imitation of mahogany or dtherwise; after lightly sandpapering the stain, I apply a light coat of shellac directly on the stain, sandpaper lightly, then proceed with the filler and varnish as specified. White shellac should never be used on dark mahogany or mahogany stained, as it will in time bleach out white, showing a milky film under the varnish. I also frequently omit both the shellac and filler, applying directly to the stain a coat of linseed oil reduced one half with turpentine containing a little dryer. After this has remained on for some time, wipe off carefully any oil that may remain on the surface ; allow that which the wood has absorbed to get perfectly dry; then proceed with the varnishing as specified. In this latter case, four coats of varnish should be applied.
For white or bird's-eye maple, holly, satinwood, etc., eliminate the filler and stain, specify two coats of pure grain alcohol white shellac and three coats of an extra pale varnish designed for this class of work, rubbing and finishing as specified. In bringing oil into contact with these and similar woods, it has a tendency to darken, whereas the purpose is to keep them as light and natural as possible.
For Italian or French walnut, circassian walnut, and similar woods, where it is so important that the natural colors and shading be preserved, eliminate the filler, and apply as above two coats of pure grain alcohol white shellac and three coats of a light varnish, rubbing and finishing as specified.
Fine carved work should never be varnished and rubbed as specified. Specify stain if necessary to conform with balance of wood; apply one light coat of shellac and two thin coats of wax rubbed to a hard surface with stiff bristle brush. One medium or light coat of a good flat varnish in place of wax, will answer very nicely. The filler with the several coats of varnish will have a tendency to filling up and rounding the sharp edges, and clean cutting so desirable in good carvings.