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Step 1
Decide whether you want the wood finish to be clear or opaque. Clear finishes include varnish, polyurethane, lacquer, water-based and shellac. Shellac also comes in a variety of transparent tints like orange and garnet. Opaque finishes are paints, which come in a large variety of colors.
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Step 2
Think about how thick you want the wood finish to be and whether you want it to be glossy or flat. Varnish, polyurethane, lacquer, water-based finishes, shellac and paint can all be applied in several layers on the wood's surface for a thicker finish. These finishes are also available in different sheens, either more or less glossy. Oil and oil-based finishes don't build up layers and will leave a wood surface more natural-looking, generally with much less sheen.
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Step 3
Determine what kind of day-to-day treatment the furniture needs to be able to withstand. Furniture in high-moisture or high-traffic areas needs quite a bit of protection and benefits from several coats of varnish or polyurethane. For furniture that is kept indoors with light- to medium-level use, oil, shellac or water-based finishes are usually adequate.
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Step 4
Evaluate how much time and trouble you want to put into the finishing process. Spraying a finish is the hardest and most time-consuming option, but it yields the most professional results. Spraying is the only good way to apply fast-drying finishes like lacquer. Brushing or rubbing a finish is easier and is safer because it minimizes airborne toxins. You can brush any slow- to medium-drying finishes, and you can rub oil-based finishes.
