How to Varnish Raw and Unfinished Wooden Furniture

Last Updated: April 9, 2022 Approved

Varnish is a popular finish for raw and unfinished wooden furniture. The varnish will protect the wood from water, grease and dirt. Properly applied varnish will also give your bare wood furniture pieces a shiny, lustrous finish.

Steps

1
Prepare a work area that is well-ventilated. The room or workshop you will be working in has to be the correct temperature so that the varnish will dry properly—at least 70°F (21.1°C).
2
Keep your piece of furniture out of direct sunlight so that the varnish doesn’t dry too fast.

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3
Smooth all rough surfaces with a very fine grade of sandpaper. Sand with the grain; if you sand against the grain, you will damage the wood.
4
Clean the furniture thoroughly after you have sanded it. Vacuum the piece and the area around it. (If possible, sand the piece in a separate room). Wipe down the furniture with a clean, lint-free cloth. Remove dust and dirt from cracks with a clean, dry brush to make sure your furniture is free of all lint, dirt and dust. You can also blow dust and dirt from the piece with a hand-held hairdryer. Use the cool setting.
5
Wipe down the entire piece with a tac cloth to make sure every particle of dust and dirt is gone. A tac cloth looks like cheesecloth and is a bit sticky to the touch; it can pick up tiny bits of lint that would otherwise get trapped underneath the varnish.
6
Choose a brush that is especially made for applying varnish. The brush must be clean.
7
Purchase varnish and mineral spirits. Buy a large enough can of varnish so that you have enough to cover the furniture piece. Check the label on the can to be sure of the coverage amounts.
8
Buy a large clean container with a wide mouth if you don’t have one on hand. You will need this separate container to thin out the varnish.
9
Hold the varnish can and rotate it gently a few times to mix the varnish.
10
Open the can of varnish and pour a measured amount into your empty, clean container. The amount of varnish depends on the amount of surface area you need to cover.
11
Put the lid back on the varnish can immediately so that no dirt or dust falls into the can.
12
Measure the same amount of mineral spirits as you did varnish.
13
Slowly pour the mineral spirits into the varnish you put into the wide-mouthed container. Stir the varnish and the mineral spirits with a clean paint stick. Stir slowly and steadily until the two substances are completely mixed.
14
Dip your brush into the thinned varnish.
15
Hold the brush over the container and allow the excess varnish solution drip back into the container.
16
Brush the varnish onto your bare furniture using long, straight strokes.
17
Brush with the grain, not against it. Apply the varnish evenly and thinly. If your varnish starts to thicken, add some more mineral spirits to thin it.
18
Allow the first coat to dry overnight. You will have to sandpaper your first coat, but you can’t do that until the varnish is completely dry.
19
Test for dryness by lightly rubbing a piece of fine sandpaper on the varnished furniture. If this produces a bit of dust, your varnish is dry.
20
Use fine sandpaper to lightly sand the piece when it is dry; be sure to sand with the grain.
21
Wipe the sanding dust from the furniture with a soft, clean cloth.
22
Wipe it down again with a tac cloth.
23
Repeat the varnish and sanding process twice more, always allowing each coat of varnish to dry completely before sanding and cleaning.

Community Q&A

Question

What kind of brush should I use to apply the varnish? Mine left brush marks.

Community Answer

The only good brush to apply varnish is a horse hair 2x2 mm bristle with a crop. Otherwise, a large powder brush for applying makeup will leave a smooth finish.

Warnings

Never sand your furniture unless it is completely dry. If you sand it while it is still damp, you will ruin the finish and have to strip off the varnish and start over.

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Never agitate the can of varnish because this will cause the formation of small bubbles and you will not get a smooth finish on your furniture.

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These instructions are for bare, unfinished wood only. If your wooden furniture has a layer of varnish or paint on it, you must strip it down to bare wood before performing this procedure.

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Never dip your brush directly into the original can of varnish so that you don’t contaminate the varnish.

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