killer_instinct asked:


I have a wood paneled wall that frames a door at the end of a a hallway. The wood wall consists of unfinished wood pieces almost like a hardwood floor. How do I paint this wood to make it look like the rest of the walls in the hallway ? Can I cover it with some type of paper and paint the paper so it has the same texture as the drywall ? What about the corner where the wood meets the existing finished drywall - how do you make it looks smooth ?

GREG

Batsheva Vaknin asked:


There is nothing like wood furniture to add elegance and beauty to a home. Whether it is a thick, all-natural butchers block table, an Art Deco wooden dresser, a simple mahogany dining room table or a sleek, modern coffee table, wood furniture is a staple in homes across America and the world. Make sure your wood tables, vanities and dressers stay gorgeous for generations to come with these simple solutions and guidelines.

Stain, Stain, Go Away!

Ever gasped after a child inadvertently left a giant scratch in the surface of your dining room table? Or cringed when a well-meaning adult accidentally knocked over a drink onto your beautiful wood coffee table? Well, fear not. One of the best attributes of wood furniture is that it is simple to touch up or renew its original luster.

Small nicks and scratches can usually be disguised with the help of a store-bought scratch cover product. For larger scratches, try using a felt tip pen or shoe polish in a color closely matched to the finish of the furniture piece. Shoe polish applicator bottles filled with the stain work well for the cover-up job, as do Sharpie markers. Coloring in the scratch is easy and surprisingly effective.

Get rid of pesky water spots on your wood furniture by allowing the spots to dry completely, then rubbing real mayonnaise onto it with a soft cloth, until the spots disappear. Erase color rings left on tables by cups and glasses with a homemade mixture of cigarette ashes and cooking oil. Prep the stain first by scrubbing it with an abrasive pad or sandpaper. Then, rub the oil and ash concoction into the wood.

And what about candle wax, marring the beautiful finish of your wood dining room table? Wait until the wax cools, then apply ice. Once the wax becomes extremely hard and brittle, gently scrape it off with a plastic spatula. Finally, polish the table with a rich cream polish, and buff away any residue.

Prevent serious damage to your wood furniture by taking care not to position it in direct sunlight. Unless you are going for the weathered picnic table look, shield all wood furniture from the drying influence of the sun. Also, protect your dining room table’s finish using an inexpensive table pad when the table is not in use.

When eating a meal or entertaining guests, use a tablecloth or placemats to protect the finish of a wood table, especially when serving hot food. Place hot serving dishes atop a hot pad and candle holders over a large felt protector with a plastic top, since plastic prevents wax from running.

Use coasters beneath all glasses and mugs to protect your coffee table, dining room table and wood dressers from unsightly rings and water spots. Beware, because not all coasters are created equal. Metal coasters can sweat onto the wood, and plastic coasters can react with certain finishes on some wood furniture pieces. So consider choosing wooden coasters with felt backing and a waterproof material on top to further ensure the longevity of your wood table tops. The best coasters are those that taper up on the sides, preventing leakage.

Polishing wood furniture every week goes a long way toward protecting the finish from damage and helping your wood tables, chairs and dressers look their best. Beware, though, of cheap polishes, or any polish that contains silicone or alcohol. Alcohol can do permanent damage to a wood surface, as can any household cleaner that contains ammonia. An excellent polish can be easily made at home, by combining lemon oil with 3 parts olive oil.

Now that you know about polishes, don’t forget to clean your wood furniture as well. Regular cleaning is especially important for coffee tables and dining room tables where food and drink are daily staples. Use a very mild soap, such as a diluted mixture of hand soap and water, as a cleaning agent for your wood furniture. And if you really want to ensure your dining room table or heirloom wood desk stays beautiful, have your wood furniture buffed and polished by a professional service once or twice a year.

Now you are fully armed to properly care for your wood furniture. And don’t be disheartened if you are unable to make a nick or small stain disappear completely. Signs of use can add character to a piece of wood furniture, and are often barely noticeable. Whether it is a dresser, coffee table, bookshelf, desk, or dining room table, wood furniture is the perfect addition to any home.



CURTIS

ebruvieria asked:


I have a project where I need to weigh the amount of wood sanded. I need to get the most wood sanded off with the least amount of effort. My teacher said that balsa might work but that he wasn’t sure because there might be something better. He said that some soft woods just turn to “mush” when you try to sand them.
Does anyone know the best type of wood that’s not too expensive, does not require too much effort to sand, and loses the most wood shavings?
Also, what grain of sandpaper should be used with it?

ANDY

Linden J. Walhard asked:


If you want to build furniture or place wood flooring in your home, the main question for both will be which hardwood lumber is the best choice for your project. Once you learn a little about the different characteristics of hardwoods, this is not a difficult question to answer. Each hard wood lumber has certain characteristics that give them their unique qualities.

Hardwood is defined as wood originating from board leaf trees or trees that produce nuts. The hickory, oak, walnut, maple and cherry trees are the most popular hard wood trees in North America. The climate is perfect for large production of these species of trees. The lumber made from these trees is what is referred to as “hardwood.” But, not all hardwood is the same. Groups in the hard wood lumber industry have made great progress in standardizing wood by its strength and grade. This helps consumers know which woods are the hardest and the most appropriate for their project. For example, the hickory and pecan are the hardest of the hardwoods. The hardness of a wood is measured by the number of pounds of pressure required to mar the wood. For the hickory and pecan woods, it takes approximately 1,820 pounds of pressure before the wood becomes marred. On the contrary, the Aspen is considered a hardwood but requires only 350 pounds of pressure before the wood is marred. Woods between these two extremes include the hard maple requiring 1,450 pounds of pressure and the white oak requiring 1,360 pounds. This comparison provides a good way to evaluate which wood is best for flooring and which is better for building furniture. The harder woods are best for flooring. For instance, cherry is a common wood for furniture and is in the middle of the hardness scale requiring 950 pounds of pressure for the wood to mar.

Hardwood can change depending on certain conditions. Specifically, it contracts and expands depending on the temperature and moisture and does this because it tries to adapt to the environment. The wood was once a living thing and maintains a life to some degree. To minimize the degree of change to the wood, it is kiln dried to remove much of the moisture and stabilize it. This helps keep the finished product closer to its true size and shape as it was the time it was manufactured.

Careful consideration of the right hard wood lumber for your project is very important, and equally as important as the finished look of the floor. Many hardwoods vary only slightly in their durability and strength. As a consumer, you will also need to decide on if you want the grainy appearance of the white oak or the smooth finish of the maple. Keep in mind, though, that any hard wood lumber can be stained and finished to the color that you want so consider the grain more than the color at this point.



FREDRICK