Finishing
Wood Finishes, Glue and Wood Filler
Pick a finish, a glue or a filler and see what its maker says about it: how long it takes to dry, when you can recoat, when it is fully cured, how long a glue stays open and how long to clamp it. Comparison pages put two products side by side on the same terms, and guides cover which finish suits a cutting board, a tabletop or a piece that lives outdoors.
A single product's numbers come from its own technical data sheet, because the maker is the authority on its own product. A whole class of products, such as oil-based polyurethane, gets the median of three or more makers and the span they cover. Food-contact questions cite the federal rule and the maker's own statement, never our say-so.
Calculators
- Shellac cut calculatorHow many ounces of shellac flakes for a 1, 2 or 3 lb cut, and how much alcohol thins a premixed 3 lb can to the cut you want. Sourced and shown.
- Finish coverage calculatorHow much polyurethane, lacquer, oil or stain a job takes, from each maker’s own coverage rate or the range across makers. Sq ft or m², any coats.
Reference
- ShellacWhat shellac is, what a pound cut means, how fast it dries and recoats, and what Zinsser says about its Bulls Eye and SealCoat cans.
- Wood glue typesThe main kinds of wood glue, what each maker says about open time, clamp time, cure and water resistance, and when each one fits.
- Wood glue dry time chartOpen time, clamp time, full cure and minimum temperature for Titebond, Gorilla and WEST SYSTEM glues, each from its maker, with the conditions.
- Titebond I vs II vs IIITitebond Original, II and III side by side from Franklin’s own specifications: open and assembly time, temperature, water resistance, food contact.
- Type I vs Type II glueWhat the ANSI/HPVA Type I and Type II water-resistance ratings on a glue bottle mean, how they are tested, and which glues carry each.
- Wood fillerHow long wood filler takes to dry before sanding, how deep to fill in one go, and what Minwax, DAP and FAMOWOOD say about staining it.
- Wood puttyWhat wood putty is, why it never hardens or sands, and why it goes on after the stain and topcoat, from the maker’s own directions.
- Wood filler vs wood puttyWood filler hardens and sands and goes on bare wood; putty stays soft and goes on finished wood. Makers’ own figures side by side.
- Finish dry time chartDry to touch, recoat, use and full cure times for polyurethane, lacquer, oils, hardwax oil and stain, each from its maker, with class ranges.
- Food-contact finishesWhat 21 CFR 175.300 and the mineral oil rules actually say, and what finish makers state about food contact, quoted, with no claims of our own.
- Oil-based polyurethaneDry, recoat and cure times and coverage for oil-based polyurethane from Minwax and General Finishes data sheets, and where the two makers disagree.
- Water-based polyurethaneWater-based polyurethane dry, recoat and cure times and coverage from General Finishes and Minwax Polycrylic data, with the class range across makers.
- Wipe-on polyurethaneWipe-on polyurethane dry, recoat and cure times and coverage from the Watco Wipe-On Poly data sheet, and what we have not found yet.
- Spar urethaneOutdoor clear finishes from Minwax Helmsman, Varathane Spar and General Finishes Exterior 450: recoat, cure, coverage and UV protection, by maker.
- LacquerBrushing lacquer, pre-catalyzed lacquer and water-based lacquer: dry, recoat and coverage from Minwax, ProLuxe, Sherwin-Williams, GF and Target.
- Tung oilPure tung oil dry time between coats, cure time and thinning from the maker’s data sheet, and what the federal coating rule says about tung oil.
- Boiled linseed oilBoiled linseed oil dry time between coats, thinning and coverage from Finico and Sunnyside data sheets, and the rag fire warning makers print.
- Danish oilWhat Danish oil is made of, how long to let it soak and dry, and when it can be topcoated, from the Watco Danish Oil data sheet.
- Hardwax oilOsmo Polyx-Oil and Rubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C from their own data sheets: coverage per litre, dry and cure times, coats, and toy-safety standards.
- Cutting board oilWhat cutting board oil is, which federal rules its makers cite (21 CFR 172.878, 175.300), and why one salad bowl finish says not for cutting boards.
- Wood stainOil-based penetrating stain and gel stain from Minwax and General Finishes: dry and recoat times, coverage, and when the topcoat can go on.
- Finish for cutting boardsWhich products their makers name for cutting boards, which say not for cutting boards, and what the FDA rules they cite actually cover.
- Finish for wooden bowlsWhich finishes their makers name for bowls and utensils, with the FDA rule each one cites, its cure time before use, and its stated limits.
- Finish for tables and furnitureFinishes their makers name for furniture and cabinets, from General Finishes, PPG, Osmo, Rubio, Watco and Zinsser, with dry and cure times.
- Finish for outdoor furnitureClear finishes their makers name for outdoor wood (Varathane Spar, GF Exterior 450), what each covers, and the indoor finishes ruled out of outdoor use.
- Finish for wood floorsFinishes whose makers name wood floors (Osmo, Rubio, Zinsser shellac) and those whose makers say not on floors, from their own data sheets.
- Tung oil vs linseed oilPure tung oil and boiled linseed oil side by side from their makers’ data sheets: time between coats, cure, thinning and coverage.
- Tung oil vs Danish oilPure tung oil and Watco Danish Oil compared from their makers’ sheets: what is in them, time between coats, cure and coverage.
- Danish oil vs boiled linseed oilWatco Danish Oil and boiled linseed oil side by side from their makers’ sheets: method, time to use, thinning and coverage per gallon.
- Polyurethane vs lacquerOil- and water-based polyurethane against brushing, pre-cat and water-based lacquer, from Minwax, General Finishes, PPG, Sherwin-Williams and Target.
- Oil vs water-based polyurethaneOil-based and water-based polyurethane compared from Minwax and General Finishes data: recoat, cure, coverage, thinning and clean-up.
- Polycrylic vs polyurethaneMinwax Polycrylic against Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane from Minwax’s own product data: recoat, use, coverage and where each goes.
- Shellac vs polyurethaneZinsser shellac against oil-based polyurethane from the makers’ own sheets: recoat time, coverage, durability and using one over the other.
- Lacquer vs shellacBrushing lacquer from PPG and Minwax against Zinsser shellac, from their own data: touch-dry, recoat, coverage, thinning and limits.
- Wipe-on vs brush-on polyWatco Wipe-On Poly against brush-on Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane from their own data: coverage per quart, recoat, cure and use.
- Hardwax oil vs polyurethaneOsmo and Rubio hardwax oils against oil- and water-based polyurethane from the makers’ sheets: coats, coverage, time to use and cure.
Other sections
- WoodSpecies and wood types: hardness, weight, movement, color and what each is good for.
- JoineryJoints and how to size them: dovetails, mortise and tenon, rabbets, dadoes and more.
- Lumber & plywoodBoard feet, actual and nominal sizes, hardwood quarters, plywood sizes and grades.
- Tools & machinesSetup and choice for the table saw, miter saw, router, planer, jointer, lathe and CNC.
- Fasteners & drillingScrew sizes, pilot and clearance holes, countersinks and drill bit sizes.