The best Architectural Decoration & Ornament books: Reddit reviews

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

Flexner's book is the go-to that I know of - https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Wood-Finishing-Comprehensive-Troubleshooting/dp/1565235665

this is about American art-deco architecture

This one is a complete guide about art-deco, architecture , design, furniture, jewelry, art etc

I’d say gift certificate to a woodworking store.

Or rubber gloves, sandpaper, mineral spirits, or this

Understanding Wood Finishing: How to Select and Apply the Right Finish (Fox Chapel Publishing) Practical & Comprehensive with Over 300 Color Photos and 40 Reference Tables & Troubleshooting Guides https://www.amazon.com/dp/1565235665/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_XKCPK2KDWBBJV5FNE8TB?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

The left: American Art Deco: Architecture and Regionalism https://www.amazon.com/dp/0393019705/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_eUY5vbG9FFNGM

And the right: Art Deco 1910-1939 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1851778330/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_eVY5vbTP9TY44

Every woodworker imho would benefit from having this book. https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Wood-Finishing-Comprehensive-Troubleshooting/dp/1565235665/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=understanding+wood+finishing+bob+flexner&qid=1659309580&sprefix=understanding+wood+fini%2Caps%2C99&sr=8-4

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What kind of price range?

Just in case you don't see my reply to someone else the finish on one side only is a myth that was debunked in this book and well we have a fuck load of old furniture that is only finish on one side and it's still doing just fine.

That's a myth that was debunked in this book https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Wood-Finishing-Comprehensive-Troubleshooting/dp/1565235665 . The reason this happened is that the pieces that are glued on perpendicular to the grain of the top restricted the wood from expanding and contracting and it's the only reason this happened.

Understanding Wood Finishing https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1565235665/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Nothing will make you better at finishing than experience, but the book sure does help.

If you’re doing it as a non serious hobby but do do it, the book will help, but I wouldn’t cover to cover read it, just hit the sections that cover what you use.

Excellent advice! Also, let me recommend Bob Flexner's book, "Understanding Wood Finishing". I thought this was an excellent reference that clears up a lot of the marketing nonsense and general misunderstandings that have confused the subject for so long.

dont want to be contrarian, but afik, it is only drying oil finishes, and specifically anything with linseed oil which will combust, and pretty much only on rags. here is a link to an article by Bob Flexnor who has forgotten more about finishes than pretty much anyone, his Understanding Wood Finishing is pretty much the first and last word on finishes of all types.

dont get me wrong, better to be safe than sorry, so any rag used with an oil based product of any kind should be dried flat, but not everything needs the can of water treatment...

If that’s the case, here is the Bible for wood finishing

Understanding Wood Finishing: How to Select and Apply the Right Finish https://www.amazon.com/dp/1565235665/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_P25XM0RHWVP9AQXAZ7K7?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

1. Link the product
2. Link the product
3. All finish products should stop coming off on things after they cure

https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Wood-Finishing-Comprehensive-Troubleshooting/dp/1565235665

Great book for applying the analytical mindset of engineers to design problems

https://www.amazon.com/Design-Hackers-Reverse-Engineering-Beauty/dp/1119998956

Most good design is about consistency, reused patterns, harmonious relationships in color, sizing, etc. Good design is more predictable than you think. Once you understand the patterns, the design process will become a lot more manageable. You may not be great, but you can get to be good enough.

> Similarly, I recently finished my first furniture project and spent a considerable amount of time asking my brother about which finish would be best. Seems like everyone has opinions on Shellac vs. Poly vs. Oils etc., but, in all the research I did, I could not find a clear, consistent answer on the definitive pros and cons of each and when it's appropriate to use each.

https://www.wagnermeters.com/moisture-meters/wood-info/truth-about-wood-finishes/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1565235665/

Finishing is the most controversial topic in woodworking. Ask ten woodworkers for advice and you'll get a dozen answers.

If you want a deep dive and get really nerdy, this book is great: Understanding Wood Finishing

> Don’t follow the other advice, if you seal one side seal the opposing as well. Dimensional stability is your friend, and getting there only takes some finishing

Are you arguing with Bob Flexner?

Finishing wood does not ensure dimensional stability of solid wood. In fact, the finish has zero effect on it, and the wood will expand and shrink seasonally to the same degree with or without the finish.

Don’t stain pine! The number one way to ruin a pine project is to stain it. Pine sapwood is far more absorbing than its heartwood thereby creating a negative affect when staining. In addition, it is often very invisibly uneven in it hardness making the results splotchy. Pine will darken (a lot) naturally over time but if you insist on making it darker right away, use a glaze or shellac. I have seen good results with starting with a conditioner and then adding coats of glaze or thinned paint. Just know that this approach will darken the wood while hiding the wood grain from view a little. Once you get the color right, there is an even bigger conversation about the topcoat. I would highly recommend getting this book and taking the time to learn some good techniques. https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Wood-Finishing-Comprehensive-Troubleshooting/dp/1565235665/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=wood+finishing&qid=1599743070&sr=8-4

Good luck

I totally agree with you! I think one of the big problems is how misleading many finishing products are. For instance, Minwax sells a product called "Tung Oil Finish". Which isn't an oil finish at all. It's a "wiping varnish", which is just a regular varnish that's been thinned down. I actually like Minwax' Tung Oil Finish, but I doubt if there is a single drop of tung oil in it, and it finishes like a varnish, not like an oil, which shouldn't be surprising, since it's a varnish, but how is someone new to finishing supposed to know that? Very confusing.

If you are interested in taking the mystery out of wood finishing, I would highly recommend this book by Bob Flexner. It was a real eye-opener for me. It cuts through the marketing crap, explains what different types of finishes there are, how to apply them, and what their advantages and disadvantages are. It is not overly technical, and it is full of good example pictures. It's really a spectacular book! I recommend it to anyone that is new to wood finishing.

Here is another unlikely source of good information. There is lumber supplier out there called Woodworkers Source. They have an employee named Mark Stephens that does a series of YouTube videos for the company mostly about wood finishing. Now some jackass that works at a wood store is actually the last guy I would expect to know anything about wood finishing (I mean you can just pretty much count on anything an employee at Home Depot or ACE tells you about finishing will be dead wrong). But I stumbled upon Marks' videos a couple of months ago, and damn! He actually knows his shit! I've learned a lot from his videos, especially about staining. If interested, check out the videos here.

Good luck! Post a pic of the final changing table. I would like to see it!

You need (everyone needs!) "Understanding Wood Finishing" by Bob Flexner. This is a spectacular book that really helps cut through the marketing speak and the huge amount of misinformation that is floating around out there about wood finishing.

https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Wood-Finishing-Comprehensive-Troubleshooting/dp/1565235665

It is a very well researched, easy to read book that answers exactly what you are asking. At least check it out on Amazon and read through their "Look inside" feature. It will give you a good flavor for what the book is about. I love this book. I found it to be a huge eye-opener.

Design for Hackers is a great common sense correlation between engineering mindsets present in both code and design activities.

Finishing is not rocket science but it can get finicky very fast. Add to that the fact that the actual wood you are staining can influence the final look a lot and it only adds to disappointments.

Usually, people present their plans as to what and for what purpose and that encourages others to offer their solutions. some of the solutions won't be that great but other you may fined useful.

The quickest info (not sure about the graphic part) I am aware of is Understanding Wood Finishing and other companion books by the same author.

If you REALLY want to learn all there is to know I highly recommend Bob Flexner's book it's really excellent and not too expensive.

One of my projects this spring is to re-finish a few of my early projects that I slacked on. Picked up Understanding Wood Finishing by Bob Flexner to get ready.

Design for Hackers is an excellent book that introduces the principles of visual design, and its aimed at a technical audience:

Design for Hackers: Reverse Engineering Beauty https://www.amazon.com/dp/1119998956/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_TvHWybAPDC33N

Is this the book your on about?

I really never use shellac, so I may not be the best resource on that. I also don't think I would ever use solely wax, though some people do that. I like my woods to look natural and typically don't want a high gloss. I find myself using Danish Oil or Arm R Seal. Danish Oil is an "in the wood" finish. You let it soak and remove the excess from the surface. Arm R Seal does have some polyurethane in it so can build coats on the surface. I don't work with pine but most finishes will add at least a slight amber hue. For a bedside table I'd want some protection so would think Arm R Seal could work well for you. This book is great .

The advice I will give will reproduce (some of) the steps I performed to make my guitar. I put aniline dye on ash.

Get a piece of alder similar to the one you're using for your guitar. Practice spraying dye on. Make sure you do both the face grain and end grain, and are happy with the results. Look at it while wet for the best idea of post-finishing look.

Alder is known to have blotchy tendencies when adding dye. If you spray on very light coats of dye, the problem is mitigated. Some recommend a light wash coat to prevent blotchiness, but this will limit the depth of color you can apply, and if your wash coat is uneven, your color will be uneven. So I prefer not to use a wash coat. You can always experiment with both techniques and find out what works for you.

1. Sand down to bare wood. Get rid of all of the Sand and Seal, get rid of all dye.
2. Spray the dye on. Borrow a friend's sprayer if you don't have one. It will look a lot better than wiping on. Spray on a few light coats. Blotchiness probably means your coats are too thick (too much dye at once). Avoid drips or formation of droplets on the wood. Immediately wipe away any that form, and spray more lightly.
3. Now apply your sealer. Be extremely careful not to sand through when leveling the sealer. Spray on several coats before doing any sanding.
4. Now apply your topcoat.

> I'm not hoping for perfection but I would like it to look decent (better than it does).

I know what I proposed above is a good bit of work. Trust me when I say it's worth it. You will have this guitar for the rest of your life. You want it to look good and be proud of your work. Now go forth and make an awesome guitar ;)

If you want more information on finishing, a good source is Understanding Wood Finishing.

A few things:

• We weren't talking about a cutting board, we were talking about a bowl.
• I agree that film finishes shouldn't be used on surfaces meant for food preparation, however linseed oil is not a film building finish. So your point is moot.
• Boiled linseed oil is unfit for human consumption do to the addition of metallic dryers which speed up curing. Raw linseed oil is absolutely fit for human consumption and exactly the same as flaxseed oil.
• Almost every food oil (sesame oil, peanut oil etc) is extracted via solvents. Solvents evaporate, there is zero solvent left in the oil afterward.
• You're mistaken if you think I have any problem with mineral oil, I don't. The person here committing the naturalistic fallacy here is you. You apparently think linseed oil that was extracted via solvents (like almost every other food oil) is so toxic that not only should you not consume it, you shouldn't even finish a wooden bowl with it. But cold pressed flaxseed oil is better because it's more "natural". I was just pointing out your hypocrisy.

In any case, mineral oil is not a real wood finish as it does nothing to protect the wood and eventually evaporates. You evidently don't know much about wood finishing, here's a good book on the subject to get you started.

http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Wood-Finishing-Woodworker-Hardcover/dp/1565235487/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1461380056&sr=8-2&keywords=bob+flexner+wood+finishing

This one is worth buying and having as a reference on the shelf.

Non-drying oils aren't common wood finishes. By far the most common oils used as wood finishes are linseed and tung oil which are both drying oils. Read this article by Bob Flexner regarding wood finishes and food safety. I highly recommend this book by the same author regarding wood finishes in general.