How To Prepare Wood

No matter where you buy your wood for your project, you'll want the project to be a good finished piece. To achieve this, preparation of the wood is a necessity. No amount of paint can cover up gouges, dents or rough edges. For a selection of board, Pine has been a favorite among many amateur and professional woodcrafters. Because Pine is a softwood, it's very easy to work with.
When you purchase the wood for your project it should be as knot free as possible. Buying clear Pine is an option but you'll have to weight the increase in cost. Knotty Pine can be bought at a much cheaper rate per foot and for most projects, it will do nicely.

Adhere your pattern to your workpiece while attempting to avoid knots, gouges and dents. However, this is not always possible. Gouges in the wood will have to be filled with wood filler. If you're planning to stain your project, you may want to use water based fillers. To remove any small dents use a wet cloth and a steam iron.

When you have your project cut out and the flaws in the wood fixed, the tedious task of sanding is the next chore. Sanding is one job that very few people seem to enjoy but it has to be done and done correctly to help achieve that perfect finish on your piece. Since most store bought Pine already has a smooth surface, the grit you will need to perfect it will be anywhere from 180 to 220. Always sand in the direction of the grain whenever possible and after each sanding, wipe using a tack cloth.

If you plan to tole paint your project, seal the wood with a water based varnish and after it dries, give it a light sanding. Not too much because you don't want to remove the sealer, but just to soften it. Wipe again with a tack cloth.

The foundation has been laid and you're on your way to a better finish as you get ready to basecoat your project. Most seasoned tole painters already know the basis for a good tole painting project. For you, the Brginner this is a good start for learning about finishing a project.

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