Is Red Oak Good For Outdoor Use?

Photo of author
Matt Hagens

We like oak wood and use it occasionally in our woodworking projects.  Oak wood is a popular choice for many different types of projects because of its strength, durability, and beauty. Here are some good uses for oak wood: Key …

Read more

How To Neutralize Red Tones In Wood

Photo of author
Matt Hagens

Red is a primary color that attracts attention and is associated with strong emotions. It can symbolize both positive and negative emotions, such as love, passion, anger, and fear. Red is also associated with danger and warning and is used …

Read more

How To Apply Varnish Without Brush Marks

Photo of author
Matt Hagens

If only everything we use in finishing a project were self-leveling, like the concrete or goop, we use to provide an undercoat in bathroom flooring, for instance.  Wouldn’t that be great?  Everything self-leveling? Sadly, that is not the case.  Brush …

Read more

How Strong Is Cedar Wood?

Photo of author
Matt Hagens

Most of us are familiar with cedar wood and its various uses.  Perhaps we use aromatic red cedar to build a clothes closet or put a cedar block or a bag of cedar chips in the closet both for its …

Read more

Does Wood Glue Work On MDF?

Photo of author
Matt Hagens

It’s likely we all began working with wood glue when we were kids.  Crafts time in school and woodworking time in shop class were all glue times for us. When we created our own woodworking shop, we continued to use …

Read more

How To Cut Wooden Dowels

Photo of author
Matt Hagens

We know what wooden dowels are, and we have all used them from time to time, either in making something or repairing something in our woodworking shop.  You run to the local hardware store, where you will find wood dowels …

Read more

Pros and Cons Of Aspen Wood

Photo of author
Matt Hagens

We’ve written about aspen wood in a past article when we determined whether aspen was a hardwood or a softwood.  It was in that article that we first used the word “dendrologist,” which at that time was a new word for …

Read more

How To Use Mineral Spirits On Wood

Photo of author
Matt Hagens

We’ve mentioned mineral spirits many times in articles here, but we’ve not discussed in any detail how to use them, what they can do, or why to use them.  We thought we should correct this omission and talk a bit …

Read more

Does Tung Oil Waterproof Wood?

Photo of author
Matt Hagens

We like using an oil finish on our woodworking projects at Obsessed Woodworking. We’ve written about a number of oils used in finishing wood, including boiled linseed oil, Danish oil, and teak oil.  Today we want to drill down a …

Read more

Does Cedar Stain Well?

Photo of author
Matt Hagens

We recently wrote an article about painting cedar wood white.  While we wonder why anyone would want to since cedar is a beautiful wood on its own, we had been asked, and so we answered.  Everyone walks their own woodworking …

Read more

How To Soften Wood: 9 Easy Ways!

Photo of author
Matt Hagens

When we are making furniture in our woodworking shop, we think about a hard and durable wood that will be strong enough to support the weight (chairs and tables, for instance) and last a long time. But, not all woodworking …

Read more

How To Make Wood Filler Without Sawdust

Photo of author
Matt Hagens

We’ve written of wood fillers in the past, and the most comprehensive piece published on these pages had to do with choosing the right wood filler for your project.  It will answer many, if not most, of the questions you …

Read more

How To Treat Untreated Wood For Outdoor Use

Photo of author
Matt Hagens

When spring rolls around, and we begin thinking about outdoor projects  – gardens, fences, wooden furniture, decks, patios, pergolas – we woodworkers have a variety of projects to choose from.  The new wooden deck I built behind my house, surrounded …

Read more

Can Cedar Be Painted White?

Photo of author
Matt Hagens

The white picket fence was always a part of the American home ownership dream.  It wasn’t meant to keep pesky animals out, animals that might feast on your flowers or lawn; it was meant to put a finishing touch on …

Read more

Can You Stain Wood Without Sanding?

Photo of author
Matt Hagens

A lawyer friend of mine once told me most of his clients had as their first question, “Can I be sued?”  He always answered yes, but told them the more important question was whether they could be sued successfully.  That …

Read more

Does Poplar Stain Well?

Photo of author
Matt Hagens

A while back, we wrote a piece about poplar wood and asked whether poplar is stronger than pine.  We will not repeat our answer here, but we did provide some helpful information about poplar in the woodworking shop. That piece …

Read more