We’ve paid a lot of attention lately to Rubio Monocoat Oil, and for good reasons. It’s a favored wood finish on our projects because: It is easy to apply It requires a single coat With an accelerator added, it dries and cures in a week It’s durable and makes furniture and floors beautiful It requires … Read more
We like Rubio Monocoat products, and why wouldn’t we? With 55 standard colors, an easy application process, and a wonderful protective layer and durable finish that allows the natural beauty of the wood to show through, it checks off all the boxes for us in a single coat. No matter the type of wood, whether … Read more
There are so many types of wood finishes and products that we know at Obsessed Woodworking we will never run out of topics to present to you. Today we have one such durable wood finish that we have good feelings about and intend to use it soon for one of our projects. Rubio Monocoat Oil … Read more
Whether to stain or paint when your project is ready to be finished is a common question we ask ourselves in our woodworking shop. What’s the piece? What is the aesthetic we’re shooting for? Where is it going to be used, and with what other pieces? Then, no matter which you choose, the next question … Read more
I remember the first time I used linseed oil. I didn’t know what it was, but it had been recommended as a treatment for the door threshold step on my new house years ago. I was told it would protect the step from the elements, and that I should apply a new coat from time … Read more
Painting with a sprayer has revolutionized how we approach home improvement and artistic projects. Achieving that flawless, even coat is every painter’s dream, but the secret often lies in the paint’s consistency. Thinning your paint is a crucial step, ensuring no clogs in your sprayer and guaranteeing a smooth finish. Whether you’re working with latex, … Read more
Oil from flax seeds has a variety of applications that range from an omega-3 fatty acids-rich dietary supplement to a wood finish. Fiber from flax is used in the making of textiles, and the golden oil from the seeds is used as a preservative for ropes and concrete. With both indoor and outdoor applications on … Read more
The front door to your home is a statement feature. The walkway and steps leading up to it, the landing in front of it, the frame around it, and the door itself, should be warm and inviting to help your visitors feel good about coming and welcome as they enter your home. A mahogany front … Read more
Professional painters will tell you that wood should be sealed before painting. This is good advice. While paints do provide a measure of protection to wood, paints are not waterproof, and we know that water is the enemy of wood. A sealant/primer is a wise first step in finishing wood after it has been sanded, … Read more
Woodworkers know polyurethane to be a good choice for finishing your home shop project, whether it’s a piece of furniture or a new floor in the kid’s bedroom. It is one of the most common wood finishes used today, and for good reason. We have either written about it specifically or at least mentioned it … Read more
You’ve chosen your project with care, planned how to approach it, measured, cut, sanded, smoothed, stained, and applied a polyurethane finish. The piece looks great, you’re happy with your work but as the final coat dries and cures, you see it has a cloudy finish. Oh, man, after all that work, and now the project … Read more
We like oil finishes here at Obsessed Woodworking and consider them an excellent wood treatment. They allow the finest qualities of the wood grain to show and add a professional look to our projects. We’ve written of oil finishes in the past, including a piece on Watco Danish Oil. Oil finishes can be used on … Read more
Polyurethane is today a very popular wood finish for home shop projects as well as professional woodworkers. Even though we at Obsessed Woodworking like shellac as an excellent wood finish, a subject we recently wrote about here, we also understand both the benefits of polyurethane and its ease of application. When the wood has been … Read more
Have you ever heard of a lac beetle? Actually, that is something of a misnomer because it is not actually a beetle – it’s a scale insect. It is found in the trees of India and Thailand and lives for only six months, eating, propagating, and secreting a resin known as lac. The female lac … Read more
Don’t you hate it when you have a question that gets opposing answers? Simple questions that require only a yes or no answer, and yet there seems to be a “but” that creeps in? Of course, if this question could be answered with a simple yes or no, we’d have nothing further to write about. … Read more
There is something meditative about using a brush to paint or stain a furniture workpiece after you’ve worked hard to cut, join and assemble it. Soft, slow, smooth strokes with a good quality brush can be relaxing and result in a high-quality finish to your project. But then there are times you want to add … Read more
Pallet projects are a popular DIY hobby for, among other reasons, the materials are often free or at least very low cost. It’s also cool to show your ingenuity in coming up with unique uses for pallet furniture, benches, coffee tables, and a myriad of outdoor garden applications like hanging gardens. Oftentimes, small businesses that … Read more
You’ve spent a few days getting the grounds ready and dug your holes for sauna tubes. You’ve filled them with concrete, built your frame with 2 x 8 PT lumber, laid your PT planks, and that 12 x 16 deck is done. What’s next? Picking color for an outdoor deck is always fun, wanting it … Read more