How to Seal Wood
Sand the wood to make it smooth., Wipe off sawdust to avoid getting wood particles stuck in your sealant., Stain the wood, if desired, before you apply your sealant.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Sand the wood to make it smooth.
Before applying any polyurethane, prepare the wood by sanding it.
Progress from rougher grit to finer grit sandpapers, which allows you to reduce major irregularities before achieving a fine finish.
Use increasingly finer grits until you like how smooth the wood is.
Sand with the grain (following the lines of the wood grain straight back and forth) to avoid leaving behind swirly marks.
Wear a dust mask while you are sanding to avoid inhaling wood particles. -
Step 2: Wipe off sawdust to avoid getting wood particles stuck in your sealant.
Use a dry rag or a tac cloth (special sticky cloth) to remove the dust from your wood.
Avoid using water on unsealed wood, because it can alter the wood's grain.
Use a dry rag before the tac cloth, because the tac cloth is stickier and will remove the fine particles that resist removal. , You may want to stain the wood before sealing, because it is impossible to apply a stain to sealed wood.
Stain is usually applied with rags.
Wipe your stain on with a wet rag and let it set.
Then, wipe it off with a dry rag. -
Step 3: Stain the wood
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Step 4: if desired
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Step 5: before you apply your sealant.
Detailed Guide
Before applying any polyurethane, prepare the wood by sanding it.
Progress from rougher grit to finer grit sandpapers, which allows you to reduce major irregularities before achieving a fine finish.
Use increasingly finer grits until you like how smooth the wood is.
Sand with the grain (following the lines of the wood grain straight back and forth) to avoid leaving behind swirly marks.
Wear a dust mask while you are sanding to avoid inhaling wood particles.
Use a dry rag or a tac cloth (special sticky cloth) to remove the dust from your wood.
Avoid using water on unsealed wood, because it can alter the wood's grain.
Use a dry rag before the tac cloth, because the tac cloth is stickier and will remove the fine particles that resist removal. , You may want to stain the wood before sealing, because it is impossible to apply a stain to sealed wood.
Stain is usually applied with rags.
Wipe your stain on with a wet rag and let it set.
Then, wipe it off with a dry rag.
About the Author
Rebecca White
Creates helpful guides on home improvement to inspire and educate readers.
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