It's All in the Details - Finishing Tips for Furniture Construction

Furniture guides and DIY templates have become popular among novice wood workers or crafty home owners. DIY furniture construction is empowering and a great outlet for creativity, but professionals know that furniture construction is all about the fine details. Here are the latest trends and finishing tips for furniture construction that will make your piece stand out from the rest.

The Art of Veneering – The simple method of decorating the surface of a piece with another material is the art of veneering. Veneering is great for when you’re rehabbing a piece of furniture and giving it a new life. Veneering is also highly popular among antique enthusiasts. A veneer finish gives furniture a regal, expensive look and can be perfected by beginners if they utilize the correct tools and tips. You can veneer using the hammer method, by using a mechanical press or vacuum press, and the cement method. The contact cement method is best for beginners and is one of the least expensive methods.

Distressing, Engraving, Painting and more – These techniques are what transforms the completed project and make the vision a reality.  Distressing is the technique of aging furniture to enhance its antique or rustic elements. Before applying the finish, the wood is tweaked or sanded to create the look. Distressed furniture is great for pieces that will be used in high traffic areas of the home because it does a great job hiding scratches and marks. Engraving the wood to show details of trim can be easily done to fiberwood or similar materials. Lastly, painting has become popular because it’s an easy and inexpensive way to detail your project.

Fasteners to Finish – Because we know that you’ll love your completed and unique project, you want to build it to last. Use long-lasting, galvanized fasteners, like the Mini-SCRAIL® collated fasteners. This fastener shares the same advantages and innovations of the SCRAIL® fastener, like fast and easy adjusting and removal but the Mini-SCRAIL® is specifically sized for the finishing of finer projects, like furniture. The small size makes this product perfect for handling intricate details where space is limited. It’s also available in a range of finishes and colors to complement any look. Being able to customize your colors is the perfect finishing detail that your furniture deserves. Download the Fastener Color Options Whitepaper for more info.