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Coloring Finishing And Painting Wood

A filler having much varnish in its composition may be made up as follows:

1 quart varnish of frood grade, as a rubbing-varnish. 1 pint Light brown japan. 1/4 to 1/2 pint turpentine. 11/2 pounds light or floated silica (much less silica may be used). Colors ground in oil may be added in small quantities.

The silica should be added last and mixed in gradually while stirring. Varnishes do not quickly assimilate a thinner, or mix with other substances; consequently, the above liquid filler should stand for one or two days, then should be stirred again and thinned until it will work freely with a stiff varnish-brush. It will spread on the wood more smoothly if strained thru cheese-cloth and allowed to stand another day or two before being used. The base or coarse materials are apt to settle, therefore the mixture should be stirred often while being applied.

A liquid filler with less varnish in proportion to the other ingredients may be mixed as follows:

1 quart body varnish, such as a rubbing-varnish. 1 quart brown japan. 2 pounds fine silex. Thin slightly with turpentine, if necessary, to make it spread better with a stiff brush.

A liquid filler of the thinned-paste type may be made up as follows:

2 lbs. prepared paste filler. 1/2 pint turpentine. 1/8 pint robbing-varnish.

The mixture should be put together in the order named, and may be thinned further with turpentine or benzine if it is to be used on close-grained, non-absorptive woods. A small amount of any of the colors ground in oil may be added to tint the filler to the proper color. A thin paste filler which contains no varnish can be used for a cheap finish on coarse-grained woods, such as oak and ash.