How Do I Finish a Pre-Finish Piece? - Woodworking Talk

newwoodworker · 06-26-2009, 08:16 AM

I am using Bella Wood pre-finished cherry flooring in a bathroom. There are sections where I cut that are unfinished and some sections that are sanded(where the pre-finish was damaged). Is there a way to apply a finish to both the pre-finished sections and the unfinished that will look the same?

Gary Beasley · 06-26-2009, 10:20 AM

The finish on that stuff was factory applied with some materials fairly exotic to woodworking and likely not reproducible, especially as far as durability is concerned. The unfinished part is a cut exposed edge? There are moulding sections you can buy to cover those edges.

cabinetman · 06-26-2009, 12:05 PM

WELCOME TO THE FORUM

You could take a scrap piece and sand off some finish and see how "ambered" their finish looks compared to the bare wood. If it adds a hue it could be an oil base finish. If it added no hue, it is likely a waterbased finish. Finishers and refinishers are using WB finishes more and more as they dry fast and don't stink when wet.

Many WB polyurethanes can be cross linked and/or a catalyzer added to an already tough finish. One that is available at HD is Parks Pro Finisher. This is also a good finish for cabinetwork.