How to Finish the Top of a Mandolin

Don't rush when refinishing a mandolin top.

Finishing a mandolin top takes time and patience. A rushed job leads to poor results and more work to fix mistakes, while a well-done job works with the natural beauty of the wood grain to highlight and protect it. Even though finishing a mandolin top is a difficult, the end result of patient and careful work increases the instrument's value, beauty and longevity.

Things You'll Need

• Sandpaper
• Tack cloth
• Staining cloth
• Wood stain
• Varnish or lacquer
• Brush
• Polishing compound

Instructions

1. Sand the mandolin top. Start with 100-grit paper and work up to 220 or finer. Do not skip sandpaper grades to avoid leaving scratches in the wood.

2. Clean the mandolin top with a tack cloth after sanding with the finest grit. Tack cloths remove the dust of sanding and leave the mandolin top ready to take stain and finish.

3. Stain the mandolin top if desired. Apply stain in small, even coats and allow to dry.

4. Lightly sand the mandolin top with fine-grit sandpaper and remove dust with a tack cloth.

5. Apply varnish or lacquer with a clean brush or cloth. Apply in thin, even coats. Allow the finish to dry before sanding and cleaning between each coat. Four to five coats should suffice.

6. Apply the last two coats without sanding. Set the mandolin aside to dry for one week.

7. Rub the mandolin top with polishing compound and clean with a fresh polishing cloth.

Tips & Warnings

• Wet/dry sandpaper works well between coats of finish.

• Ventilate the room to get rid of dangerous fumes. Don't try to finish your mandolin without practicing on scrap wood.

References

• Building an "F" Style Mandolin; Finishin; John Fisher; no pd
• stan Miller Mandolins; Construction - Finishing 3; Stan Miller; no pd