Over the years I’ve learned a few techniques that can take a DIY woodworking project from “l built this myself” to “professionally finished” and the truth is, they’re not really that difficult to do. If you’ve got the right materials, the right tools and the time, these methods can help you take your DIY projects to the next level too.
There have been a few that have really made an impact for me over the years so I’ll go into more detail on using filling gaps, edge banding, sanding, finishing with stain and/or toner, and using custom hardware. Without further ado, let’s get started!
Tools + Materials
tools
- Iron
- Sander
Materials
1. Filling Gaps
Filling in textural imperfections really makes such a big difference in your woodworking projects. Whether it’s an indentation in the wood, tearout from the saw, the seams where you attached two pieces together or a handful of other reasons, filling in and smoothing out gives your piece a much more finished look.
In the photos above you’ll see that I applied wood filler to the frames for the barn doors I made for my office. This material had a lot of imperfections so I ended up filling in a bunch of spots. The great thing about this wood filler is when you apply it to your piece it’s pink, and once it’s dry and ready to be sanded it turns to a natural color. So there’s no guessing about when it’s ready.
Remember when you use wood filler you always have to sand it down to get that truly smooth finish. But we’ll talk more about sanding later.
Another method to fill in gaps is the wood glue and sawdust trick. Sometimes the stain can bring out imperfections so this trick is helpful when you need you’re using stain and need your piece to consistently absorb the stain. This trick is also especially helpful when there are gaps between to pieces of material.
First you’ll apply wood glue to the gap.
Then you’ll wipe away any excess glue.
You can use the side of a screwdriver to work the glue into the gap if it’s on a corner piece like this one is.
Then you’ll take some sandpaper to it, I used 100 grit for this step. You can then go in with an orbital sander to get some finer sawdust in there.
The glue mixed with the dust from the sanding helps fill in that gap. You can see here the left edge needs a bit more, but it’s a significant improvement to the rest of the gap that’s now filled in.
2. Edge Banding
Edge banding is one of my favorite techniques. It can allow you to use more affordable lumber to build your piece but your finished piece looks like you’ve used solid hardwood.
For this method you’ll need a roll of edge banding in a material that matches your piece and you’ll also need an iron. The edge banding that I use has adhesive already applied that activates when it is heated. You simply measure out how much you need, apply it to your piece, and iron it into place. You’ll want to clamp it into place while it dries to ensure it stays taut.
I used this technique when I built the cabinets for my outfeed table. You can see in the second photo above the difference edge banding can make, especially when you’re using plywood. The edge banding makes it look like every side of your piece is the face grain. You’ll want to sand the edge banding to the same grit that you sand the rest of your piece to, and then you can stain it or finish it just as you would the rest of the piece.
3. Sanding
As you may have noticed, both of the tips we’ve already touched on involve sanding…as does much of woodworking. There’s nothing quite like running your hand over a piece of furniture, or wooden decor piece and feeling how smooth it is. That satisfaction is totally robbed from you if the project isn’t properly sanded. Nobody really likes sanding, but it’s so important.
When you have a larger piece like this raised planter box you can use an orbital sander which will make the process go quicker. But there are some instances when hand sanding is necessary, like with smaller intricate pieces. So it’s good to have a variety of sanding tools handy to suit the needs of your projects.
As a general rule you’ll want to start sanding at a lower grit of sandpaper and work your way to finer sandpaper. With the lower grit paper like 80 grit, you’ll remove the most material. As you work your way to the higher grit like 120 grit, 180 grit and then 220 grit you’ll be smoothing out the material more and removing fine imperfections. Remember to clean off your piece in between grits because you’ll be creating a lot of dust.
4. Finishing with stain and/or wood toner
A lot of DIY projects can be built with pine or other inexpensive lumber. My favorite way to make that affordable lumber look more elevated is to stain it. You can choose from a variety of different shades of stain and really customize the look of your piece to your needs.
When using stain you’ll want to apply it evenly to your piece and then wipe away any excess before allowing it to dry.
If you want to take that stained piece even one step further, you can apply wood toner to it too. I used wood toner when I was making the floating mantle for my fireplace. In the photos above you’ll see that the second photo has a deeper richness that you just can’t get with stain alone.
5. Add Custom Hardware
Another finishing touch that can really get your piece noticed is custom hardware. Things like drawer pulls or metal accents will catch the eye and take a project from basic to custom in a second.
One of my favorite upgrades to floating shelves is gallery rails. I used them in this wet bar project and not only are they functional but they really elevate the look. Just measure out your placement and cut to length before installing.
I hope that these tips and tricks help elevate your DIY projects to look more professional. Most of them just take some extra effort and a tool or two and you’ll really be in business. What’s your next DIY project? Do you think you’ll be adding any of these techniques to your process?
Happy DIYing friends!
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Projects referenced in this post
- Building Doors in my Garage
- Outfeed Table
- How to Build a Raised Planter
- DIY Fireplace Mantle
- Extreme Small Entry Makeover
More woodworking Projects
If you feel like you’re ready for some bigger projects, check out this playlist for more inspo!
The tip about sanding up through grits slowly is so important. I used to rush to 220 grit and wondered why my finish looked blotchy.
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