One of the last parts of a woodworking project is the finishing. There are dozens of types of finishes, but a high gloss finish is one of the most desirable. It’s challenging to accomplish, but it allows the emphasis of the wood’s figure and colors.
High gloss also allows finished projects easier to clean. The wood won’t lock in moisture and won’t be susceptible to breakage easily.
So how do you get a high gloss finish on your woodworking project? The very first step is to sand. 150-grit sandpaper is usually used by woodworkers because they sand without making the surface rough.
However, if the project has more gouges and splinters that can’t be sanded out by 150-grit, 50- or 60-grit sandpaper is recommended. After that, work the way up to 150-grit.
Bigger projects may require heavier sanding. It’s recommended to start with 600-grit sandpaper, but they can reach up to 2,000-grit if necessary. Its important to remove all scratches or at least reduce the sizes of the scratches so that they can be removed by polishing solutions.
Now, there are two ways to accomplish that high gloss finish. The first one involves the use of high gloss paint and the other involves buffing. Let’s begin with the first one.
For some people, answering “how to get a high gloss finish on your woodworking project?” is easy. Paint it with high gloss.
After sanding, remove the sanding dust, and then begin priming the wood. There are a lot of different primers available in the market, but stain-blocking wood primer is recommended.
The primer can be applied through a simple bristle paintbrush. Allow it to dry and then using a foam brush, paint the woodworking project with high-gloss, oil-based paint.
Foam brushes or rollers are used instead of bristle brushes because foam allows the high-gloss paint to appear smoother. Bristle brushes can leave marks on the finished paint job.
The other method of achieving that high gloss is to start buffing after sanding. Nowadays, buffing is done using specialized machines that have varying polishing speeds and compound-liquids. However, pumice and rottenstone can also be used.
Before beginning to buff, apply a mixture of water and the polishing compound onto the surface of the project. While buffing, the wood will noticeably become shinier. Assess how shiny or glossy the project must be and then finish up the buffing.
Both methods mentioned can be finished off by adding a layer of polyurethane polish. It adds an extra layer of gloss that also acts as a sealant to keep the finish stronger and less susceptible to scratches.
To sump up, there are two ways to get a high gloss finish on your woodworking project can go two ways: paint it or buff it. Both are good ways to achieve the high gloss finish on woodworking projects.
But which one’s the better option? That’s up to the woodworker’s circumstances. If there he or she already has the tools for buffing, then that might be the most convenient and cost-efficient one.
But if they also want to save on the time and effort spent buffing, then using high-gloss, oil-based paint might be the way to go. Either way, that high gloss finish will be achieved!
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