Understanding Wood Finishing

by Bob Flexner

This is the best-researched, most complete book on finishing that we have seen to date. Flexner stresses the importance of understanding the chemistry and mechanics of finishing, detailing not only what materials and techniques work for a wide range of finishing problems, but also why they work and how they work.

He debunks myths, gives valuable tips and presents numerous tables of problems and their solutions in a clear, usable format. All readily available finishes are covered, from their history, composition and chemical behavior through application and repair techniques, and relative merits, with advice on how to assess which is best for any situation. Other chapters discuss wax and two-part finishes, coloring techniques and exterior finishing.

Flexner's straightforward prose, well illustrated with color photographs and drawings, makes this book a complete education in finishing.

Softcover, 8 1/2" × 11", 308 pages, 2005.