Choosing and Using the Right Wood Finish & Wood Paint

Finishing is one of the most intimidating parts of a project for most woodworkers. We've all been there; super excited and happy with a build only to be let down by the final finish. Choosing the right brand and type of finish can make the difference between an heirloom quality piece and a mediocre result. With General Finishes, choosing and creating a beautiful finish on all your projects is easy. Let's take a look at each of the General Finishes Wood Finish & Paint Products we carry here at Infinity Tools so you can finish your next project with confidence.

General Finishes Wood Stain

General Finishes offers three different types of wood stain; Oil Based Gel Wood Stain (pigment), Water Based Wood Stain (Pigment), and Water Based Wood Stain (Dye). If you've ever used stain it was most likely a pigment-based stain. Pigment-based stain contains pigments (small colored particles) to add the color to your project. Pigment-based stains sit on the surface of the wood and will bring out the grain in the wood because the more porous areas of the grain will hold more of the pigment particles. Dye Stain, on the other hand, uses Dye (colored liquid) to color the wood fibers. Dye Stain will produce a very consistent color on your projects and will "pop" figure in wood as it will soak deeper into the more porous areas of wood such as Curly Maple.

GEL STAIN

General Finishes Gel wood stains are heavy-bodied and do not penetrate as deeply into the wood as liquid oil-based wipe-on stains do, providing the deepest, richest colors of any oil-based stain available. We highly recommend General Finishes Gel Stain to restore furniture and cabinets to an updated finish. Add multiple layers to darken to your project and make sure to add a top coat to make your poject last. This is the stain that has the most "finishing feel" of all the General Finishes products. 

WATER BASED STAIN

General Finishes Water Based Wood Stains are formulated to provide workability similar to oil-based stains. They spread easily, can be repaired, blend effortlessly and have plenty of open time. The thicker formula of these wood stains allows for controlled penetration, and their high-quality pigments produce rich, dark, uniform colors on hard-to-stain woods like maple and pine. Low odor, low VOC, water cleanup and noncombustible.

DYE STAIN

Dye stain is used more often on higher-end woods that aren’t blotchy. It is great for hard, dense woods.  Dye stains are translucent and are designed to penetrate deep into wood, resulting in ultimate grain clarity and chatoyance. On soft woods it can sometimes result in “blotchiness” if a pre-stain is not used. Dye Stain may be brushed, wiped or sprayed. 

Dye Stain is great for mixing into water-based topcoats like High-Performance, to create custom toners. If you decide to mix into a topcoat we recommend adding about 5% Dye Stain to 95% topcoat. Dye Stain can be used as a colored pre-stain underneath pigmented Wood Stain and can also be directly intermixed with other dye stains.

TOP COAT FINISHES

Picking the right top coat is essential to making sure that your projects not only last, but also come out looking the way you want. We offer both water-based and oil-based topcoats. General Finishes offers two main top coats, water-based and oil-based.

Oil-Based Top Coats

Arm-R-Seal Topcoats are made with the highest-quality urethane resin, making them extremely durable and long-lasting. Arm-R-Seal has been formulated to be a wipe on finish to make it extremely easy to use. It will produce a finish that is hard, durable and easy to maintain, making it perfect for project that will receive heavy use such as tabletops. Arm-R-Seal produces a hand rubbed finish with the durability of a polyurethane. It is water, alcohol, and heat resistant.

Water-Based Top Coats

Enduro-Var represents the latest technology in self-crosslinking water base urethanes. Enduro-Var wood finish is a self-crosslinking, oil-modified, water-based polyurethane that looks more like an oil varnish than a water coating. It ambers slightly, is highly water resistant, and is both sprayable and brushable. Enduro-Var water-based topcoat adheres well ONLY over WATER STAINS, DYE STAINS and RAW WOOD. Use Enduro-Var over any other surfaces at your own risk.

Water-Based Top Coats

Winner of Fine Woodworking's "Best Overall Choice Award," High Performance Topcoat was voted as the hardest, most durable consumer polyurethane topcoat. General Finishes High Performance Topcoat has an excellent adhesion to most surfaces and dies clear. It works great on woods where very little color change is desired.

Exterior Water-Based Top Coats

Exterior 450 Topcoat is a clear-drying finish suitable for vertical exterior surfaces, such as fences, patio furniture, garage doors, entrance doors and interior windows. It is not recommended as a deck finish. This will provide outdoor woodwork with a tough, protective finish that will withstand the rigors of sun, rain, and wind. Exterior 450 is fortified with UV absorbers to stabilize the finish and built-in mildewcide to retard mold and mildew growth. It performs well as a clear coat or as an optional topcoat over General Finishes Milk Paint.

Milk Paint

General Finishes Milk Paint is a high quality, furniture grade paint formulated to provide a tough, durable, chip resistant finish. This is a premium interior/exterior mineral based paint named for its low-luster sheen, which mimics the look of old-world furniture paint. It is not a powdered, casein-based milk paint, but a premixed modern version that is so durable it does not require a topcoat unless you want to increase the sheen. The unique formulation dries rapidly, resists blocking, and will sand easily. Milk Paint is UV resistant, suitable for interior and exterior applications, and dries to a satin finish.

Whatever your finishing needs, General Finishes have you covered for almost all. If you're looking for oil and wax finishes, please take a look at those offerings here.