Take the mystery out of wood finishing!
Over 350 color photos that help you distinguish between products, make decisions, and solve problems
Over 40 reference tables and troubleshooting guides
The latest technical updates on materials and techniques—from spray guns to French polishing
Detailed instructions and explanations that take the mystery out of the science

Oil finishes, wax finishes, film finishes, shellac, lacquer, varnish, two-part, water-based, and more are each covered in detail
For decades, Bob Flexner has been inspiring and informing woodworkers with his writings and teachings on wood finishing. Now comes the long-awaited and completely updated third revised edition of Understanding Wood Finishing—the most practical, comprehensive book on finishing ever published.

Long admired by wood technology professors, magazine editors, professional cabinetmakers, and other industry leaders since its original publication, Understanding Wood Finishing is widely regarded as the bible of wood finishing
"We use Understanding Wood Finishing as the textbook for our students training to go into the furniture industry," says David Miles, wood technology professor at Pittsburg State University. "It's the best written, most accurate, and most thorough wood finishing book in print—by far."

Understanding Wood Finishing, 3rd Revised Edition offers the latest technical updates on materials and techniques, detailed instructions and explanations, and over 40 must-have reference tables and troubleshooting guides. You'll learn everything you need to know about finishing, from preparing wood to applying wood stains and different types of wood finishes—from shellac and lacquer to varnish and water-based—coloring techniques, filling pores, removing finishes, and more.
With its clear writing and engaging style, this is "without a doubt the best researched, most authoritative, and easy-to-follow book on the subject," as noted by Steve Shanesy, former Editor and Publisher of Popular Woodworking magazine. "As professional finishers know and as amateurs will surely realize, finishing is easy once you know what you are doing," says Frank Klausz, a professional cabinetmaker. "Understanding Wood Finishing makes the science of finishing understandable."

This updated edition features a collection of published articles written by Bob from the last few years, updated information on strippers and solvents no longer considered safe, information on finishing with soap—a fun and chemical-free way to finish furniture and small items—information on finishing a project in a day (or less), advice on matching colors and dating finishes, detailed info on working with wood filler, guidance on spray finishing, advanced techniques, and more! An easy-to-understand resource, this book not only offers valuable and expert information on a variety of topics surrounding wood finishing, it's also written in an approachable, conversational tone that's engaging and interesting to read.