Finishing for cherry wood.

Cherry wood and veneer is widely used as material to make furniture. The cherry wood has natural properties that make it is liked by many people to be used as furniture substrate. It has a medium hardness and an attractive grain pattern. But to enhance his beautiful grain we need a proper finish. The transparent finish with many models and color are the best options for this wood, since it will show his strong, nice grain characters. His light red brown color base is quite easy to be colored to make the desired color.
Below is one example of the finishing process for cherry wood. In this finishing process we do a light brown transparent finish with clean looked in a NC system.

 the step panel for cherry finish

Here is his finishing process step by step.

• The application of stains.

Stain application is an application to bring color to the wood finish color desired. Before do application a body stain to the whole surface, we need to even the wood base color. We use a light brown sap stain to sap the white part and bring it to the brown color. Then a green equalizer stain is used to kill the red wood. The sap stain and the equalizer stain are applied by dry spray on the parts needed until an even wood base color is obtained. See: how to make color in the wood finishing.

After a balance and even wood base color is obtained then we can apply the body stain. Body stain is the stain that is applied to the overall surface to color the wood and bring it to the final finishing color. The aniline dye stain with brown color is used for this finish. The body stain is wet sprayed evenly to the wood. Let it for few minutes to dry before go to the next process.

• The application of wash coat.

Wash coat is a thin sealer to coat and protect the stain before the application of glaze. We use the regular NC sealer that is cut 2 : 1 with lacquer thinner. The wash coat is wet sprayed to coat overall surfaces. It need about 15 minutes for the wash coat to dry.

After the wash coat is dry, then the next process is sanding the wash coat to cut the stiff wood fibers and help to make a smooth finishing surface. Wash coat is a thin coat, so we don't need a hard sanding. A scuff sanding with #280 sandpaper is enough to cut the wood fiber and produce the smooth surface.

• The application of first glaze

The glaze is a wiping stain that is applied on the wash coat to fill and color inside the grain and pores. The glaze can be sent to the surface by sprayed, poured on or brushed on  the overall surface. Since it is a wiping stain then the glaze has to be wiped until it fill the pores and the grain. Leave some glaze on the surface and brush the glaze until it lay on the surface evenly. Use a wide brush with thick fiber to produce an even layer of glaze. Do a lightly highlight to the glaze to enhance the beauty of grain pattern of the wood.
Wait the glaze for about 1 hour to let it dry.

•  First sealer application

The sealer is applied on the glaze to protect the color resulted. Spray the sealer to the overall surface to make a wet and even coat on the surface. The sealer is quite thick layer coat, it take quite long time to dry. Let  it  for about 30 minutes to dry.

Then the next process is sanding the sealer coat. Use #280 grade sandpaper to sand the sealer until a smooth and even surface is obtained. See: how to sand sealer in the wood finishing

•  Second glaze application.

To enhance the finishing looked and give the more deep and rich color looked, the second glaze is used. This second glaze application process is done as the first glaze application. The second glaze is mainly purpose to build color instead of fill and coloring the pores and grain. See: the glaze application in the wood finishing.

The second glaze step panel

• The second sealer application.

The second sealer was applied on the second glaze after it is dry. Apply the sealer to the surface evenly and do sanding for the sealer. After the second sealer application, usually a thick film layer has built. We need to do better sanding in this process. We need to sanding the sealer to make a even and flat surfaces. We can use a hand sander to do sanding on the flat surfaces to fasten the process. Make sure all surfaces has been well sanded to prepare the good surface before the top coat application. 

• The application pad stain.

Pad stain is a stain that was applied over the sealer or top coat to even and balancing the finishing colors. A brown pad stain is applied to the light part to make a even and balance color. Pad stain can be applied by spray medium wet or by padding on the parts that are needed.

• Application of top coat.

Top coat is the last layer that is used to coat and protect the finish underneath. The top coat also serves to form a gloss on the finishing layer. In this finish we use a semi gloss top coat (about 60 sheen). The top coat is wet sprayed until it coat the overall surfaces evenly. If the surface is still rough or uneven, we my need to apply the second top coat.  To make better flow we can use a flow coat for the second top coat. 

Wait until the finish layer is completely dry.  Normally it needs about 24 hours to make sure the top coat is dry.

the light brown cherry finish