Wood Glazing Instructions

Preliminaries

• If the piece of wood is sealed, lightly sand the surface. An already sealed or stained piece of wood will resist glazing. Applying a piece of sandpaper with a 320 grit by hand should be adequate.

Glaze

• Mix the glaze so that is darker than the previous stain. Sometimes, linseed oil or Danish oil is lightly mixed with a glaze to make it a bit darker. Test the glaze mix on a piece of spare wood to make sure it's the right consistency and tone. Observe whether your brushing technique leaves streaks and try to correct. The consistency will also affect how long the glazing process will take; a diluted glaze will take longer to dry than pure glaze.

Applying the Finish

• If the wood is not stained or sealed, apply a thin coat of a water-based finish to the wood surface. After the finish has dried, rub a piece of sandpaper over it. The glaze will later sink into these small scratches.

Applying the Glaze

• Give the surface a coat of water-based glaze with a rag or wide-bristle brush. Brush or rub for a few minutes against the grain. Then brush or rub for a few minutes with the grain. Apply significant portions to the spaces that you want to pick up significant color. Allow it to dry for a while. When the glazed surface begins to look dull, wipe off with a rag. Where the glaze has hardened, use solvent lightly.

Other Methods

• To give your furniture that wood-grain look, leave the glaze on and run a graining tool over it. To give the wood an antique look, leave the glaze only on the surfaces that are not raised or flat. The contrast will suggest it is an antique. Use finish to seal the glaze. This will ensure that it won't rub off, lose the chosen color, or acquire a sticky texture later.