Painting or finishing woodwork and wood-based objects is typically done for aesthetic purposes and to provide protection. There are two sorts of finishes used: opaque and transparent.
Opaque (pigmented) coatings or paints hide the substrate’s grain and colour, replacing it with a surface of a completely new colour and texture. Transparent coatings, on the other hand, highlight the substrate’s grain and colour, emphasising its natural attractiveness.
In this article, we attempted to provide a professional technique and step-by-step procedure for painting new and old woodwork.
Tools You’ll Need For Painting Wooden Surface
You’ll need a range of different tools to paint your woodwork project. The most important of them are listed below:
- Paint Brushes
- Paint Scraper
- Paint Remover
- Paint Mixing Bucket
- Adjustable Ladder
- Sand Paper/ Emery Paper
- Protective Paper/ Sheet
- Masking Tape
- Protective Gloves
Painting a New Wood Work
Before painting a new wooden surface, several preparations must be made in order to complete the painting operation in a smooth and synchronised manner with no difficulties. Steps involved in this are mentioned below.
Surface Preparation
- The wood should be carefully seasoned, dried, and cleaned before smoothing the surface using emery paper.
- If the hardwood surface is not adequately seasoned, it may become uneven during drying, resulting in cracks on the surface.
- If there are any nails on the surface, they should be punched down at least 3mm to give a firm stopping point.
Knotting
Knots in the wood cause plenty of issues. These expel resin, which produces flaws including cracking, peeling, and dark discoloration. Knotting is done in such a way that resin cannot escape from the knots.
Any of the strategies listed below can be utilised effectively.
1. Ordinary Knotting: Size knotting is another name for this technique. A coat of hot red lead, ground with a strong glue size in water, is applied to the knot. The next step is to apply a coat of red lead ground in boiling linseed oil.
2. Lime Knotting: The knot is scraped off after being covered in hot lime for 24 hours. Following that, the procedure for regular knotting is followed.
3. Patent Knotting: Any knots, resinous streaks, or bluish sapwood that aren’t large enough to justify cutting out should be treated with two thin coatings of pure shellac knotting, applied about 25 mm beyond the actual region requiring treatment. Shellac knotting can also be replaced with aluminium primer.
Priming
Before priming the hardwood surface, all filth and foreign matter on the surface must be thoroughly removed. Brushing is the best way to apply the primer.
If the hardwood surface already has a primer layer, it should be rubbed down and a new priming coat should be applied.
Priming the neglected corner or edgy surface that comes into contact with other materials such as brickwork or concrete is always preferable and advantageous.
This prevents the wood from absorbing moisture from the materials it comes into contact with.
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Also Read : How to Paint a Plastered Surface: Tips to Get You Started
Stopping
Following the priming coat, putty is applied to the surface to plug the pores. After that, it’s rubbed smooth. It’s also tinted with pigment to match the colour of the finished coat.
Stopping is created to the consistency of firm paste and is used to fill holes and cracks, whereas filler’s are used to level out minor surface defects.
Undercoat
After all of the above operations have been completed successfully, undercoat should be applied to the wooden surface. Undercoat can be applied using either a brushing or spraying technique.
To prepare for the second coat, thoroughly rub and wipe down the first coat after it has dried.
Finishing
Depending on the type of paint used, finishing coat is applied differently. Cleanliness is vital, and the application should be carried out in typical dry conditions as much as feasible.
The finishing coat can be applied with a brush or sprayed on the wooden surface.
Painting an Old Woodwork
- Painting an old woodwork follows a process that is very similar to painting a new woodwork.
- To begin, first remove the paint off the old woodwork’s surface.
- Sand paper, paint remover, blow lamp, sharp glass, and other tools can be used to do this.
- Remove as much paint as possible from the antique woodwork.
- If greasy things are present on the surface, try removing them with lime water and wiping it well with a pumice stone.
- After all of the paint has been removed and the surface has been wiped and cleaned, the surface must be allowed to dry fully.
- After the surface has dried fully, two coats of paint are applied in the same manner as when painting new woodwork.