Home Mantels Select Mantels Builder Grade Shelves How to Measure Contact Us About Us How to Order Brochure	The Woodcarver Do It Yourself Finishing System We recommend Sherwin Williams products. Most quality paint stores will have similar products. For painted and glazed finishes Step 1:   Fill nail holes and lightly sand with 120 grit sandpaper Step 2:   Apply Pro Block Primer Step 3:   After Primer is dry, sand with 220 grit sandpaper to prepare for color base coat. Step 4:   Apply Pro Classics Alkyd color base coat Step 5:   After color base coat is dry, apply glaze. This is where technique is important. Glaze accomplishes 2 purposes, one is to shade the base coat, and the second is to highlight moldings and details in your mantel. Step 6:   Following the recommended dry times for the glaze, apply a protective coat of either Oil based varnish, Polyurethane, or Min Wax Poly Acrylic. (Poly Acrylic will minimize yellowing of the finish.) Apply at least two top coats, sanding lightly with 220 paper between coats. For stained and glazed finishes Step 1:   Fill nail holes with wood filler to match species, be careful not to over apply.   Sand with 120 grit sandpaper. You do not want to fill the open grain of the surrounding wood. Step 2:   Apply Wood Classics Stain base coats, this is a quick drying product, so you must work rapidly to achieve an even color. Step 3:   Apply a wash coat. This is a mixture of your choice of topcoat thinned 20% with the recommended thinner for your top coat. The purpose of thinning is to create a thin coat for controlling the penetration of your glaze. Step 4:   After wash coat is dry, apply glaze. Step 5:   Following the recommended dry times for the glaze, apply a protective coat of either Oil based varnish, Polyurethane, or Min Wax Poly Acrylic. (Poly Acrylic will minimize yellowing of the finish.) Apply at least two top coats, sanding lightly with 220 paper between coats.