Get some oil-based urethane (I prefer a satin sheen) and a natural bristle brush and smooth the bare wood parallel with the grain using a progression of sandpapers up to 220-grit.

In the 1920s, the finish on interior woodwork — whether for pianos, furniture, floors or trim — could have been shellac, lacquer or oil-based varnish. There’s a protocol for determining the ...

Next time you’re working on a project that needs a durable wood finish, don’t grab the polyurethane. Follow [Victor Ola’s] advice and raid your grandparent’s record cabinet … ...

“Both oil and waterborne wood floor finishes have come a long way, baby” according to John Shanley of Crandall-Worthington Company, (248) 398-8118, crandallwc.com.

Oil – Wood with an oil finish will absorb linseed oil. If the oil beads on the surface then the piece is most likely finished with shellac, lacquer, varnish or polyurethane.

A close-up look at the elaborate patterns on a renovated lacquer wood bed from 2,500 years ago at the Chengdu Cultural Relics and Archeology Research Institute in Chengdu city, the capital of ...

Q: We acquired a Knabe baby grand piano from a neighbor whose grandfather purchased it in the 1920s. The wood is really dull, and we’d like to be able to polish or refinish it without damaging ...