More and more, people want a beautiful, natural wood accent in their hom, pine especially. Whether it’s wood floors, a mantelpiece, or anything in between, natural wood adds a beautiful element to any home. When wood has a natural look to it, it’s usually rough-cut wood, meaning you can see imperfections in it. To keep the natural look of rough-cut wood, it’s important to finish it. But how do you finish rough-cut pine?
To add a finish to pine, you will coat the wood in the finish that you have purchased. The entire piece of wood will need to be coated, whether by hand or by an air-less sprayer. Once all of the wood is covered in the finish it will need time to dry before you can do another coat. You should only need to do two or three coats, depending on the finish you have picked, and the desired look.
An air-less sprayer may seem like a daunting thing to use for your project, but by following the instructions below, your rough-cut pine will have a beautiful and even finish quickly.
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Which Finish Is Best for Rough Cut Pine?
There are many different types of finishes, however, for rough cut pine, an oil-based finish is the best choice. An oil-based finish will ensure that the wood is protected, and gives it a wet look to the wood. There are two finishes that are commonly used on pine, boiled linseed oil, and tung oil. Boiled linseed oil is cheaper, but it takes more time to dry. Tung oil dries more quickly and highlights the patterns in the wood more.
You can also get a stain mixed with the finish. Stains will change the color of the pine wood to the color that you pick out. A stain combined with a finish means that instead of doing both separately, you can go it in one go. This is a nice option if you do want to change the color of the wood, however, it can take away the natural look that the pine has with just the finish on it. If you aren’t wanting the natural look then this is a great option for you.
How to Apply the Finish to Rough Pine
Rough-cut wood is jagged and rough. This is why using an airless sprayer is the best way to apply the finish. You can also use a cloth or paintbrush, though it will take more time for each coat to be applied and can be hard to get all the nooks and crannies on the wood. An airless sprayer, though the more expensive option, will make it much easier to ensure the wood is coated in the finish.
Pick the Right Tip
The tip you use will depend on the finish you use. Tung oil is quite thick, so a .011 tip is recommended. For linseed oil, anywhere from .013-.015 is recommended, depending on how thoroughly you want the wood coated.
Test Spray
Once you have picked the right tip, do a test spray on the wood. When doing a test spray, and throughout the entire process, spray about 8 inches from the wood.
Spray it Down
After the test spray, it’s time to coat the rest of the pine. While spraying, try to do a side-to-side motion with the sprayer. You can go up and down as well, but pick one or the other, don’t mix up the motions. Picking one movement will ensure that the finish is even on the entire surface. And remember to stay about 8 inched away from the wood during this process.
Air Dry
With the spraying done, it’s time to let it air dry. Let is dry for about an hour. It may not take an hour to dry, depending on the finish, but an hour will ensure that it is completely dry. If there are any spots that seem to have an excess amount of finish, gently use a washcloth to take of the excess. If you need to do this, do it right after you finish spraying.
Do it Again
Once the wood is dry, it’s time to do the whole process once again. You will repeat the process until the pine wood has the appearance that you want it to have. Usually, two or three coats is all that is needed. However, it all has to do with personal preference. If the finish is mixed with a stain it will most likely need less coats for the desired look.
