Finishing from Scratch
Weekend Class, Open to All
Spring 2024
April 20-21
Overwhelmed when you go to the hardware store by the plethora of choices for finishing? In this weekend course, you will learn how finishes work, how to create your own finishes and apply them to bring out the beauty of the grain to enhance and protect a piece of furniture.
The class starts by looking at the types and properties of different finishes. We give you an introduction to the physics and chemistry of finishes so that you gain an understanding of how the finishes work. We apply the finishes to a variety of different woods so that you can see how different finishes work with the different types of grain.
During the second day of the class we encourage you to experiment with finishes - developing your own recipes for finishing.
We’ll discuss and practice these techniques:
Surface preparation including the preparation and use of a card scraper
Oil based finishes: tung, linseed, and varnish
Preparing and using shellac
Repairing finishes
Paints, stains, and dyes
Combining finishes to ebonizing and layered, textured painted finishes.
Tools
No tools required. However, please wear old clothes for the inevitable spills and splashes.
Materials
We supply pieces of a wide variety of woods for you to experiment with.
Do you have a current or upcoming project? Want to explore finishing options? We encourage you to bring along a few small samples of the wood (three to four inches wide and about a foot long) to explore options for the finish.
Prerequisites
Open to all.
Class Information and Registration
Class runs 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday and Sunday in Building 315 at Fort Worden. Map
Please read our What to Expect page for general information about the school.
Please also read our Registration Policy.
Please sign up for the waitlist if the course is full.
Class size: 12
Cost: $375
Materials Charge: $35