Finishing Furniture: How to Apply Varnish to Furniture

If you are applying varnish over flooring that you don't want varnished, it is a good idea to lay down a sheet of plastic or newspaper over the area to protect your floor. It is also possible to varnish in a garage, as long as there is not much debris in the air, but it is inadvisable to varnish outdoors because of the likelihood of environmental debris hardening into the varnish.

How to Apply Varnish: Wipe the Furniture Clean

You should prepare your furniture before applying varnish by making sure its surfaces are smooth and clean. Lumps and abnormalities in the furniture should be sanded down, and then the whole piece of furniture should be wiped down with a clean cloth.

How to Apply Varnish: Read Manufacturer's Instructions

Specific instructions for what to mix in with your varnish, how many coats to apply, and how long it will take to dry can all be found on the container of the varnish you purchase. There are many varieties, from quick-dry varnish that only takes 20 minutes or so to harden, to those that will need to dry overnight.

How to Apply Varnish: Use a Clean Brush and New Varnish

Your brush should be completely clean, and the bristles should be securely attached, because you don't want any coming off in your coat of varnish. You will also want to open a new container of varnish because old containers can have little dried bits that will disrupt your smooth coat of varnish on your furniture.

How to Apply Varnish: Smooth Strokes With the Grain

When you are actually applying the varnish, you will want to apply it in long, smooth strokes with the grain of the wood. This is so if there is any streaking, it will blend in with the "streaks" in the wood, rather than standing out against them. If the varnish is not going on smoothly and your brush seems to be sticking, then you should mix in a little bit more of whatever you were thinning it with, until it flows evenly off your brush onto the furniture.

How to Apply Varnish: Let it Dry, and Add Coats

Lastly, you will need to let your varnish fully dry before adding any additional coats as desired. More coats of varnish will create a stronger finish to better protect your furniture, so consider how it will be used when you decide how many coats of varnish to apply.