Probabilities are just about any piece of unfinished wood furniture you purchase will come with some issues. Many times they’re going to have parts that stick or loose joints. They can also have knots in the wood, saw marks, and coarse edges. It is best to bother to fix any issues with the furniture before you put on the varnish.
The first task when preparing your unfinished wood furniture is to make sure it is put together properly. Carefully look at all the joints to see if there are any weak areas. One place where they can frequently be found is on the drawers. Most unfinished wood f ittings is put together with stapes. When the staples are in properly you should have no issues. Occasionally they will need to be strengthened with finishing nails. To help to keep the wood from splitting it is best to drill a pilot hole before putting the nail in. Re-glue any loose arms, rungs, or legs and check to see that drawers slide along easily on their runners.
The next move should be to rigorously inspect the wood for sap. Cleaning any sap or resin that has toughened and clean out any knots and sap pockets using turpentine. If the knots are loose it’s best to completely remove them and then glue them in place . Sand the pieces entirely to get rid of any coarse edges. Begin with rough sandpaper and work your way to a fine grit. Fill in any low spots or openings with putty or wood filler. Do not employ a planer as this could splinter the wood.
Before you finish your unfinished wood furniture it needs to be thoroughly sealed. When wood isn’t sealed it can develop problems as the timber expands and contracts with changes in temperature and moisture. Do not forget the seal the interior of drawers and other hidden parts of the piece to prevent warping and splitting.