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Coloring Finishing And Painting Wood

The filler that has settled down into the ruptured cell cavities should not be disturbed, while all excess which is above the surface of the wood must be rubbed or scraped off. Filler should be rubbed soon after it has dulled and no longer looks wet, for prompt action at that time is necessary to secure good results. The finisher should not fill too large an area before he begins the rubbing process.

Various materials can be used for rubbing off the filler from wood surfaces. The newly filled floors of buildings are frequently rubbed with soft shavings, saw dust, or excelsior, because these substances cost little or nothing and arc available. Shops and furniture factories generally use better material, such as hairlike sea-moss or sea-grass which is commonly used in upholstering, jute or flax, or hemp tow, rags, burlap, or even cotton-waste which is objectionable if it leaves lint on the surface. Almost anything will answer the purpose which is not too stiff and is somewhat absorbent, that will scrape or rub off the excess filler from the surface without digging it out of the pores.

Crosswise rubbing of paste filler is the proper method, since rubbing lengthwise of the grain tears the filler out of the pores to a greater extent. The finisher should obtain a handful or pad of jute tow, sea-grass, or rags, and rub one surface after another crosswise with considerable pressure, taking more material as soon as that in the hand becomes too wet or full of filler. A cleaner surface can be obtained by making a few light strokes with cotton cloth or rags lengthwise of the grain in finishing the process, thus removing the cross-lines of filler left by the first hard rubbing.

Two or more coats of filler are sometimes required to fill the pores completely. If the first coat is too thin, a second application is added.

Since upright or slanting surfaces do not hold the filler in the pores as well as horizontal surfaces, the mixture which is to be used on vertical surfaces should be quite thick, or it may run out of the pores. Examination will show whether the pores are full of the filling material.