Furniture Crafts-Unfinished and Finished Real Wood Furniture

INSPECT YOUR FURNITURE!
Small dents or surface checks are typical of unfinished wood. These small imperfections will be corrected in “Surface Preparation”. If you find problems that cannot be corrected by normal sanding and surface preparation, then STOP!! Do not stain the furniture! Return the furniture to us. IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY to repair or replace defective furniture. IT IS NOT OUR RESPONSIBILITY to correct finishing problems caused by improper sanding and surface preparation.

FIRE SAFETY WARNING:
Oily cloths, brushes, and other waste material should be soaked with water after use to avoid spontaneous combustion. Dispose of properly.

IMPORTANT!!
1. Wood surfaces must be properly sanded. Small scratches will become dark lines; areas where moisture has touched the wood will stain darker.

2. All wood surfaces must be properly sealed with clear finish to prevent splitting or warping. This includes:
— Under table tops
— Inside pedestals
— Inside cases
— Drawers
If not properly sealed, changes in humidity will create unequal loss or gain of moisture in the wood. It would be expected that this condition would cause damage to the furniture. Furniture Crafts will NOT be responsible for problems caused by improper finishing.

1. Remove all hardware.

2. Fill nail holes and surface checks with Famowood brand wood filler.

3. Small dents can be removed with a few drops of water or steam. Areas that have been repaired with water must be dry before proceeding.

4. Sand all surfaces until they are clean and smooth. The quality of your final finish is dependent upon proper surface preparation. Always sand with the grain of the wood. Sanding across the grain produces scratches that are very difficult to remove. Use 120 grit sandpaper on very hard woods such as ash and solid oak and 150 grit sandpaper on other woods. Sandpaper that is too fine will polish the wood surface. This creates poor stain penetration. If a glue spot is found, a heavier grit of sandpaper should be used on that area, then re-sand with the finer grit sandpaper.

5. After furniture is properly sanded, dust surfaces with a tack cloth. This will assure a dust free surface that is now ready for staining. A canister vacuum with a dust brush attachment can also assist you in removing excessive dust.

1. TEST STAIN on a properly sanded hidden area to be sure it is the desired color.

3. Allow to penetrate for 1 to 3 minutes. Do not allow the stain to dry on the surface

1. TEST STAIN on a properly sanded hidden area to be sure it is the desired color.

2. Apply stain liberally using a brush or cloth.

3. Allow to penetrate for 5 to 15 minutes depending on color desired. Do not allow the stain to dry on the surface.

4. Wipe off excess stain with a clean soft cloth.

5. Let dry for 6 to 12 hours.

6. Apply a second coat of stain following steps #2 through #4 above. The second coat may be omitted if the desired color was achieved with the first coat.

7. Let dry for 12 to 24 hours.

1. TEST STAIN on a properly sanded hidden area to be sure it is the desired color.

2. Waterbased based stains dry at a much faster rate than oil based stains. Adding extender to the stain will slow down the drying time and make staining easier.

3. Apply stain liberally with a foam brush. Work in sections, (side, drawer, door, top) wiping off with a rag taking care to keep a "wet edge".

5. If a second coat is desired it will enhance the color and even out color variances left from the first coat.

Now you can safely put HEAVY DUTY PROTECTION on all your unfinished furniture, cabinets and antiques. Furniture Crafts’s CLEARTHANE is a self leveling urethane - especially modified so that it holds its color and can be repaired or stripped.

1. Shake well... use a lint-free cloth... be sure your furniture is clean and dust-free.

2. WIPE IT ON (sparingly) A little goes a long way. It will be dust free within half an hour but allow 4 to 6 hours drying time (depending on temperature & humidity). Then WIPE ON ANOTHER COAT (no rubbing). Let dry overnight.

3. Buff each surface lightly using 600 wet/dry sandpaper until surface feels smooth. Remove any residue with a tackcloth and wipe on another coat of clearthane. Let dry 24 hours.

4. Your furniture is now completely finished and ready to use. However, if a higher luster or more protection is desired simply apply additional coats.

REMEMBER... Always sand lightly between coats if more than 24 hours has elapsed and keep can tightly closed when not in use.

1. Clean all surfaces with a tack cloth. A canister vacuum with brush attachment can assist you in removing excessive dust.

2. Stir polyurethane well using a gentle lifting motion. Continue to stir frequently during use. DO NOT SHAKE. Shaking polyurethane will cause bubbles in your finish.

FIRST COAT
3. We recommend that the polyurethane be thinned
-- 90% polyurethane
-- 10% mineral spirits
To achieve more penetration and a better seal, more thinner may be used (up to 25%) on the first coat.

HELPFUL HINTS
a. Always brush with the grain
b. To avoid bubbles, use smooth flowing strokes, Use a full brush and light pressure, Do not remove excess finish from brush on rim of can. This creates bubbles that will be transferred to the furniture.
c. If you do get bubbles, brush them out right away. If not brushed out leave them alone and let dry. Buff them out with #0000 steel wool or sand with 400 grit sandpaper. Because the finish will not be cured under the bubbles, let dry before applying the next coat.
d. Wear lint free clothes while applying clear finish to avoid dust.

6. Buff surfaces with #0000 steel wool or sand with 400 grit sandpaper. This will prepare the surface for the next coat.
7. Clean surfaces with a tack clothe to remove dust and steel particles.

8. Additional coats should be applied in the same manner as the first, using the thinned polyurethane. Follow steps #4 through #7. Care should be taken so the final coat will not require additional buffing.