General Finishes Oil Base Application Guide
1. Surface Preparation
All surfaces should be clean and free from all dirt and oils.
Fill all nail holes with putty before sanding. Sand surface using #150-#180
grade fine-grit sandpaper. If you are finishing a piece made of closed grained
hardwood, such as Maple or Birch, use #120 grade sandpaper. The coarser paper
will open up the hard surface to more easily accept stain. Remove all the dust
by vacuuming or wiping with a lint-free cloth or tack cloths.
2. Drying Information
General Finishes Stains and Top Coats can dry in 6-8 hours
under ideal conditions (70% - 75% humidity). Cooler temperatures or higher
humidity may extend the time needed for drying up to 12-24 hours or longer.
Basements, even with a furnace, fireplace, and dehumidifier, are the worst
environments for drying. Provide good ventilation and air movement with a fan to
greatly improve dry time. If a stain coat is dry, you should be able to wipe
your hand across the surface without feeling any tackiness. If your top coat is
dry, sanding will produce a white powder.
3. Staining
Stains can be applied using a foam brush, bristle brush, paint
pad applicator, or a lint-free cloth. Wipe or brush on stain with your
applicator. Then remove excess stain by wiping with a clean cloth. It is
important to wipe off the stain thoroughly and consistently (in the direction of
the grain) to get an evenly stained surface. A second coat, applied after the
first one is dry, will give you a darker and deeper color. No more than two
coats are recommended. Do not sand a stain coat, only top coats.
Note: The white colorant in White
Mist is titanium dioxide, which penetrates far less than the earth clay pigments
found in all other stain colors. White stain is often called pickling stain as
it lets much of the wood color show through. It is not paint and will not cover
like paint. Apply White Mist as directed above. Be sure to wipe off the excess
well to prevent lifting during the application of the top coat. A second coat
will add a little more color. Let White Mist dry for 24 hours before a second
coat or top coats.
4. Applying Top Coats
General Finishes Top Coats are made with the highest quality
pure urethane resin. They are as durable as polyurethane, but because of their
thinner viscosity, urethanes are much easier to apply. Apply the top coat with a
lint-free cloth, foam brush, or paint pad applicator, moving with the direction
of the grain. For large surfaces, apply a liberal coat as quickly as possible,
evening out surface with long, smooth strokes. When evening out the top coat,
keep your applicator wet to provide lubrication. A dry applicator can drag on
the surface and cause skid streaks. (These streaks may be easily removed after
the surface has dried by buffing well and recoating). Buff between top coats
with '0000' steel wool or #320 or finer grade sandpaper to produce a smooth
surface. A minimum of 3 top coats is recommended.
5. Maintenance and Care
It's important to let your final coat cure for a period of 14
days to reach optimum hardness. You may use you project sooner, just treat it
with special care during the curing period. To maintain the finish use General
Finishes Orange Oil or just a damp cloth. Paste wax is not recommended, because
it builds up and yellows, thus becoming a maintenance problem.
Note To rejuvenate an old dull
finish, simply clean surface well with mineral sprits and '0000' steel wool and
apply one of General Finishes Top Coats.
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