The Complete Wood Finishing Handbook: 24 Projects, 40 Reference Tables, and the Right Finish for Every Piece

Wood finishing has a reputation for being either intimidatingly technical or frustratingly vague — books that either drown you in chemistry or wave their hands at just apply evenly. The Complete Wood Finishing Handbook does neither.

Built around 24 hands-on projects, this book takes a genuinely mixed-level approach: true beginners can start with Project 1 and build every foundational skill in order, while more experienced woodworkers can jump straight to spray lacquer, French polishing, or advanced color-matching techniques. Each project stands on its own, with a clear skill level, an honest time estimate, and a note on exactly which earlier skills it builds on — so you always know what you need to know before you start.

Inside, you'll learn:

The full range of wipe-on and brushed finishes — oil, wiping varnish, and polyurethane
Staining techniques that actually prevent blotching, including gel stain and dye
Padding and French polishing, from your first pad to a full mirror-gloss finish
HVLP spray technique, toning, and glazing for professional-level color control
Grain filling, ebonizing, milk paint, and chalk-style paint finishes
How to strip and refinish a secondhand piece safely
Wet-sanding and rubbing out a finish to a true satin or gloss sheen
Food-safe and exterior finishes for cutting boards and outdoor furniture

The book closes with a capstone project that brings every technique together on a single heirloom-quality piece — plus a glossary, a symptom-based troubleshooting index, and 40 reference tables covering everything from sandpaper grits to finish compatibility, so the book keeps working for you long after you've finished reading it.
Every project is built to be practiced on real, low-stakes pieces — a pine shelf, a small side table, a thrifted chair — so mistakes become lessons, not disasters.

Whether you're finishing your first project or your fiftieth, The Complete Wood Finishing Handbook is the reference you'll keep coming back to.