Explanation of Caulk

Caulk is a versatile substance that is used for filling crevices and sealing seams. It is a type of sealant that may be used to keep spaces from developing in particular dwelling regions or within pipe connections. One of the benefits of caulk is that it is a waterproof compound that may be used for a long period. Caulking comes in materials ranging from an acrylic to silicone, depending on where it is meant to be used.

Caulk is mostly utilized for home improvement projects where it is used to seal small gaps between materials. It is meant for stable surfaces, so it would not be applied to a hinge of a door, but should be used to seal around the casing of a door. Caulking is employed to keep air, water, and insects out. However, there is a lot more that you will need to know about caulk before you can get started.

Can You Sand Caulk?

This is a common question that is asked when it comes to the use of caulk. Whether silicone or acrylic, caulk is designed to provide a strong and slightly flexible seal. This means that caulk generally has a rubbery texture, which makes any attempt to scour its surface quite tricky. Sanding dried caulk can be very difficult for new DIYers as there are a few factors that will need to be considered.

It should also only be attempted as a last resort if your caulking job has gone horribly wrong. This includes the types of sandable caulk that are available when you should sand caulk, and what tools will be needed.

The Definition of Sanding

Before you can jump into sanding, you will need to have a clear understanding of what it is. The process of sanding refers to the flattening and smoothening of a surface, generally a wooden workpiece, but this also ranges to other materials.

With an abrasive coating, you will be able to remove either a thin or thick layer of the surface. This depends on the type of sandpaper you are using. Sandpaper ranges from extremely coarse to ultra-fine grit.

Types of Caulk That Can Be Sanded

Now, you could be excited to jump into the sanding process; however, not all types of caulk can be sanded. Two types of caulk are generally used by professionals and homeowners, silicone and acrylic latex caulk.

You should pay close attention to the type of caulk that you are working with before sanding. It is not a good idea to try and sand silicone caulk as it is difficult to work with, but other types of caulk can be sanded once it has dried.

Situations When Sanding Caulk Is Necessary

Sanding is an important part of the preparation process and you should think about it when you are working with caulk. Most people would argue that you should never sand caulk; however, you will need to learn when you should sand caulk and how to clean excess caulk.

Sanded caulk possesses particles that help it to stick to damp surfaces and spread without splitting across bigger gaps. It also has a gritty texture and look. Sanded caulk should be used whenever you utilize sanded grout as well as in joints that are 1/8-inch or greater. 

Tools Required for Sanding Caulk

Naturally, there are certain tools that will be needed for sanding caulk, but the good news is that they can be acquired at your local hardware store. Usually, the only thing that you would need is 80- to 100-grit sandpaper; however, for decorators and silicone caulk, you will also need mineral spirits or denatured alcohol. Additionally, it will be a good idea to have a utility knife handy which will prevent you from looking for other methods on how to clean excess caulk.

Since you will only need a handful of tools and products, this project is relatively cheap unless you need to redo the caulking process a handful of times. Overall, it is a very simple process and even a complete novice will be okay with completing it.

Steps for Sanding Caulk

Whether you are learning how to smooth silicone caulk or you are planning to use sandable caulk, the process will essentially be the same across all avenues. Below we will go through each process when it comes to learning about sanding different types of caulk.

Preparation Before Sanding

Since it is not advised to sand wet caulk, the most important phase in this procedure occurs before you start doing anything at all. Before you begin sanding, ensure that the caulk is completely dry to the touch and firm. Simply feel it to see how it feels. Proceed with the following stage if it feels dry and leaves no residue on your fingers.

Once this is done take a utility knife and scrape away any extra caulk. Work carefully with the utility knife to avoid cutting yourself or damaging the surface on which the caulk was administered. You should use a sharp and clean knife to slice through the hardened caulk.

Sanding Techniques

To begin sanding, use a tiny piece of 80-grit sandpaper, especially if there are any very rough regions. Just scrape the piece of sandpaper repeatedly over the dry caulk with firm pressure, but not too much of it. Once the really rough regions have been removed, use 100- to 120-grit sandpaper to obtain the required texture. Fold the sandpaper to make it simpler to hold, and avoid using a power sander or a traditional sanding block.

The sandpaper size you’re using will make a big difference. Using a piece of sandpaper that is too large, you risk scratching the surfaces where the caulk bonds. This is why it is preferable to use a smaller sheet of sandpaper, regardless of whether it means taking a bit longer to sand.

Tips for Sanding Caulk Effectively

After sanding down the rough parts of the caulk with coarse grit sandpaper, smooth it over in an up-and-down movement with finer grit sandpaper. This will guarantee that the caulk is consistent from start to finish. Before sanding, split the entire surface into subsections. After sanding a subsection, run your fingertips over it to confirm that it is level and smooth with the sections preceding and following it.

Caulking a joint is not difficult. A flawless finish, on the other hand, might require some patience and attention to detail. That being said, if you follow the suggestions below while applying any type of caulk to a joint, you can get great results.

Using Sanded Caulk

Sanded caulk may be the best option if you require more strength to fill and seal gaps. This caulk is comparable to wood filler in appearance, but it is more adaptable and malleable. It has increased strength because of the use of sand, and it is an excellent choice for huge gaps and crevices.

Testing Will Not Hurt

It is always a good idea to use a test piece prior to applying caulk to the junction. All you need to do to make a “test piece” is screw two wood pieces together. If you want to get an understanding of the caulking gun, use the test piece.

Pay close attention to how much caulk flows out as you proceed around the junction. You may also use the test piece to practice cleaning extra caulk.

For a Smaller Hole, Cut the Nozzle at an Angle

When applying caulk, cut the nozzle at the tip, and ensure that you cut it at an angled position. This will guarantee that less caulk flows from the container as you spread it. Keep in mind that filling areas that are missing caulk is easier than trying to remove extra caulk. As a result, altering your tube such that it does not release a lot of caulk will assist in the application process and will shorten the time it takes to seal the joint.

The Temperature Matters

It is simplest to apply caulk while it is at room temperature. If the caulk becomes too hot or too cold when applied, it will be difficult to apply and will not dry properly. This will make it a nightmare to apply, so be mindful of the temperature before you apply the product.

Cleaning Up After Sanding

This may appear laborious, but it is vital if you want a flawless finish on the first try. After you have finished sanding, use a moist towel or rag to wipe off any residual debris, because this is going to be a dirty operation. This is particularly vital if you intend to paint the caulk afterward.

Alternatives to Sanding Caulk

Of course, you will not always be able to sand caulk and at some point, you will need to abandon the question, “Can you sand caulk?”. Instead, you will need to find alternatives to sanding caulk, particularly if you are working under unique circumstances. Nevertheless, we have provided a handful of alternatives below.

When Sanding Is Not Possible

Not every form of caulk can be sanded in the same manner that these can. This is because different varieties of caulk contain distinct ingredients that make them suitable for different uses. Many of these ingredients, whether they make the caulks too fragile or too flexible, render them unfit for sanding.

Silicone sealants and decorative caulks are the most often utilized non-sandable caulk varieties. Trying to sand them, whether dry or wet, will end up in a major mess, so we advise against it unless you intend to restart the caulking procedure. To smooth dried caulk you will need denatured alcohol or mineral spirits and you can smooth the surface with a paintbrush.

Other Ways to Remove Excess Caulk

While it is possible to sand some kinds of caulk, the reality is that it is not always necessary. Most crafters and DIY hobbyists just smooth the caulk out with the edge of a special cloth or their fingers while it is still wet.

After the caulk has been properly applied, a specific solvent is sprayed down the length of the caulked region, and the caulk is cleaned. A near-perfect result is almost assured. When it comes down to removing hardened caulk, the best way to go about this is to use a utility knife to slowly and carefully remove the extra caulk.

Pros and Cons of Sanding Alternatives

When choosing to use non-sanding smoothing methods, it is important to understand the advantages and disadvantages that come with using these methods. We have provided a table below to make it easier for you to determine the pros and cons of each sanding alternative.

Asking the question, “can you sand caulk?”, can be very open-ended since there are different methods that can be used. The question should rather be “should you even try to sand caulk?”. Nevertheless, if you have realized that your caulk is uneven only after it has dried, you can either smooth the surface of your caulking job with different types of sandpaper, or you can use the alternative methods that we have provided. Ultimately, you can learn how to smooth silicone caulk or any other variation by following the guide above. We would suggest however that you remember to smooth out caulk as soon as it has been applied and is still malleable. We wish you the best of luck with your next caulking project!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Easy to Learn How to Fix a Bad Caulk Job?

Yes, the process can easily be completed by either removing the old caulk and starting from scratch, or you could use a utility knife to carefully cut away the excess caulk and then sand the dried sections until smooth.

What Is the Best Way to Sand Caulk?

Carefully sanding the surface by using a small piece of sandpaper has proven to be the best way to sand caulk. By gradually increasing the grit of the sandpaper, you will be guaranteed a smoother finish.

How Can I Prevent Bad Caulking Jobs?

You can easily prevent bad caulking jobs by running a few practice caulks across two pieces of wood. This will also allow you to become familiar with the caulking gun and how quickly or slowly the caulk is released.

Der Beitrag Can You Sand Caulk? – How to Smooth Out Uneven Caulking erschien zuerst auf Your DIY, Crafting and Painting Guide.

What Is Varnish?

Varnish is a resinous material diluted in liquid that can be applied, like paint, to surfaces such as wood to change their appearance, improve their gloss, and protect them from environmental factors that would otherwise damage the wood. Unlike painting, varnishing is known as a method of wood treatment. The paint contains pigments and forms an exterior layer on top of the surfaces to which it is applied, providing a limited degree of protection. Varnish, on the other hand, does not contain pigments and penetrates into the fibers of the wood in order to beautify it while simultaneously increasing the wood’s durability to a much greater extent. Even though varnishes do not contain pigments, their penetrative qualities allow them to dye to surfaces of wood.

Since varnishes do not contain pigments, this means that they can often be used to alter the color of wood without obscuring the grain or texture. This ultimately depends on the type of varnish being used. Most varnishes are clear-coated but they come in a wide spectrum of optional colors.

What does varnish do once applied? Varnish will seep into the surface of the wood so that, once it dries, it will clog up the pores and prevent any moisture from entering. Varnish protects wooden surfaces from liquids and particle damage, ensuring they stay in perfect condition for years to come. Many varnishes also provide several additional protective measures against potential damage to the wood caused by abrasion, impact, stains, and sunlight.

But what is varnish made of? Many varnishes include ingredients designed to prevent UV light from penetrating the coatings they produce, which is a welcome addition to the wealth of benefits afforded through the use of these products given that it only serves to increase the longevity of wooden products it is applied to.

This is why varnish is popularly used to coat wooden parts of tools and other heavy-duty wooden equipment intended for frequent use.

What Is Varnish Made Of?

Varnish is made of resinous materials, most typically a blend thereof. Alongside this, you will often find a drying oil present alongside a drying agent. Depending on what type of varnish you are using, it may also contain dangerous solvents referred to as volatile organic solvents (VOCs). The health risks presented by VOCs give a reason why you are advised to wear personal protective equipment such as a respirator, synthetic gloves, and eye goggles when working with most varnishes. After being applied to a surface in liquid form, whichever components make up the solvent will evaporate upon contact with air.

The components of the varnish that remain on the surface of your wood after the evaporation of the solvent will undergo either polymerization or oxidization, during which time they will dry out and form a protective layer of film. This layer varies in transparency and opacity depending on the type of varnish you choose to use and the wood you decide to work on.

The varnish will then supply the surface, which in this case would be wood, with a durable coating that prevents damage that could otherwise be incurred through exposure to environmental influences such as UV rays, abrasion, alkali, insects, mold, moisture, scratches, cold, heat, and so forth. The range of protective measures supplied to the wood will depend on the type of varnish you use. Varnish is very popularly used as a means to coat wooden workpieces with a protective layer. The less thick and more transparent varieties of varnish can also be used on art pieces like paintings and their canvases to preserve the artwork for a much longer time.

A Quick History of Varnished Wood

We can date the namesake of this material as far back as the Romans, and the Greeks even. During this period of antiquity, varnish (or at least the core concept thereof) materialized in the form of sap. Also known as amber when hardened, this chromatic yellow-brown liquid was then and still is extracted from trees for use as a coating for all sorts of materials, though most specifically for wood. Its popularity can be attributed to the two primary benefits it bestows unto wood when spread and left to harden on the surface; firstly, it provides a water-resistant or waterproof coating that protects the wood from moisture and, secondly, it stains the surface so as to add additional qualities to the aesthetic appearance of the material. The word amber dates back to Late Middle England, a name born from the marriage between the Old French word “Ambre” and the Arabic namesake “ambergris”. The material itself, however, has been a part of the human toolkit since as far back as during the reigns of Pharaohs in Ancient Egypt.

Speaking of tools, the Ancient Egyptians made avid use of amber (which nowadays really is an antiquated definition for varnish) to coat their wooden tools in order to ensure the better durability of these items. Additionally, these amebous substances were popularly used as a means to preserve bodily remains in their hallmark mummification burial rituals.

Funnily enough, one of the more popular examples of the earliest recorded instances of varnish being used pertains to the mummification of the vaunted King Tutankhamun. Upon the autoptic examination of the Pharaoh’s remains, historians deduced the now well-agreed theory that his burial was a rushed proceeding. How do we know this? Well, the damage to King Tutt’s remains indicates burn marks that were caused during the post-mortem embalming process, indicating to us that the resin was still far too hot before it was applied.

Even though we have moved past the days of mummification, much to the chagrin of those fond of the Egyptian pantheon, the varnishes we make use of in the modern era are not so different from what was used back then. Initially, tree sap (also called amber when hardened) was combined with a solvent to create the resinous material we call varnish. These sorts of varnishes still exist to this day, but contemporary examples of this material are produced through the mixing of resins both natural and synthetic, along with numerous chemicals that together make for a material that protects wood even better and makes it look so much more beautiful.

The Ancient Egyptians, however, were not the progenitors of varnishing. In fact, the practice has been developed independently by a whole manner of different civilizations and societies throughout the course of history. In Asia, a more complex amalgam of materials was used as a means to varnish all sorts of items for purposes including, but not exclusive to, offering protection from the elements and providing aesthetic improvements. More so, the varnishes produced within Asiatic regions were suitable for use on more surfaces than just that of wood.

Varnish was popularly used on silks and other fabrics to issue them a fair degree of water resistance. For many types of precious metallic materials, varnish was also used as a means to upkeep a good polish. For bladed weapons, varnish was also a frequent material used to maintain their combat effectiveness.

These are not the only examples of the craft of varnishing developing independently during ancient history. More so, wood was not the only thing people knew how to varnish back then. There were also several regions within Asia where formulas containing a complex variety of ingredients were used as a means to apply varnishes to all sorts of surfaces for a large number of practical and aesthetic purposes. Even way back then, we knew how to varnish silk to render the material resistant to water, to maintain a healthy polish of certain precious metals, and even to maintain the combat effectiveness of weapons.

This all being said, we can easily infer that varnish has proven itself profusely useful throughout humankind’s long history. Nevertheless, varnish has always been a somewhat hazardous material to work with. This is especially true in modern times where varnishes are produced using a demanding supply of noxious and perniciously harmful solvents and binders. Most modern varnishes produce fumes that, if inhaled, can cause damage to the respiratory system. Furthermore, the cocktail of liquids combined to produce varnish is also typically extremely flammable. Thus, we recommend that, before you use varnish, you acquire yourself some eye protection and a respirator. Once it has dried, varnish is fortunately no longer flammable, even going so far as to provide a moderate degree of protection from high temperatures. In its liquid state, however, varnish can be dangerous enough to pose several risks to the user’s physiological well-being if proper preventative measures are not adhered to.

We would keenly suggest, then, that beyond donning personal protective equipment you apply varnish in a well-ventilated space and safely dispose of excess materials, any waste produced, and the instruments used during the application after you have completed the task of producing varnished wood.

How to Varnish Wood

If you want to know how to varnish wood, this section is for you. Although the means through which wood is varnished differs depending on what product or wood you choose to use, allow us to detail the most common means to go about it. But, before we get into the nitty-gritty, let us first discuss your tools. You will, of course, be needing a varnish suitable for the task at hand.

You should also make sure that the varnish is brand new for the best results, but more on that later. You are also encouraged to not skimp out on the paintbrush you decide to use.

You should try to use a paintbrush with bristles made from natural materials. The area where the bristles rest should always be thicker than your brush tip. A good word of advice is that you should try squeezing the bristled end and seeing if any bristles come loose. If so, then you should get a different brush that does not present this issue. Now, without any further ado, let us begin discussing the basic step and rules when it comes to varnishing wood:

• You will first need to apply sandpaper to the surface of your wood so as to ensure that the varnish will adhere effectively. Once this is done, you should then clean your workspace of any sawdust, mess, or debris of any kind before moving on to the next step. Varnish can be incredibly sticky when after being applied and during the curing process, a time during which it can easily accumulate any loose particles floating around your workspace.
• This next step is well worth accounting for if you did not know this already. You should always make sure that you are using a fresh varnish. If your varnish has sat on either the shelves of a store or your cupboard for too long, it can begin to harden over time, which would lead to the development of lumpy sections that may weaken the structural rigidity of your final product. An easy way to determine whether or not your varnish is fit for use is to apply it to a sample piece of wood and see assess the quality once it dries.
• You should ensure that your varnish is adequately stirred before application. You can make sure that all the ingredients are properly mixed by stirring them with a wooden stick with no splinters. This is a task that you should perform without any haste so as to prevent the development of air pockets within your resinous mix. You should also try your best to keep your varnish as unshaken as possible to prevent air bubbles from forming this way either.

• You can now begin to dispense your varnish into an adequately sized, plastic measuring beaker that will function as your measurement cup. Once this is done, you can make your varnish go a longer way by adding a thinner such as gum turpentine. Vanish thinners work by causing the dry time of your varnish to increase, thus preventing the development of air bubbles and streakiness across your workpieces. When working on the first coat of varnish, try to apply around 20% thinner to the mixture, stirring it in with a mixing stick as priorly discussed. Any succeeding coats of varnish should then be mixed using roughly 5% to 10% thinner into the varnish instead.
• During the application process of your varnish, a gentler hand will do you good. A good start is ensuring that it is exclusively the brush tip that curves as you apply the varnish. Right-handed painters should begin from top-left downwards and left-handed painters should apply varnish in the opposite direction. Start by applying your varnish in a square and adding adjacent squares afterward until the surface of your wood is completely covered in varnish. Remember to always varnish in the direction of your wood’s grains. If you are not applying varnish in the same direction each time, it may dull both the utility and aesthetic benefits it should provide.

Types of Wood Varnish 

If you have a wood varnish project that needs tackling, you will be happy to know that there is no short supply of product types to choose from, all of which are specially designed for a variety of intended purposes. Whether it is primarily for protection or for aesthetics, and depending on the sort of wood you are working with, there will be a type of varnish designed specifically for your intended use.

Even though these options are all categorized as varnishes, it is important to understand that they are unique products that demand their own specific means of application so as to perform their intended purpose most effectively.

Here we have tabulated a short rundown of the most common varnishes you ought to find and make use of. For your ease of understanding, we have added their intended purposes and most commonly addressed the pros and cons to provide as much context as possible with as little reading time required as possible.

So, there you have it; these are the most commonly found and used varnishes you ought to come by in your lifetime. While we have just run through the key attributes of all of them, we are going to take a step further by further detailing each one specifically.

Spirit-Based Varnish

If you have ever heard of French polish, you might also know that it can also be called spirit-based varnish. This varnish is most popularly used to treat and protect wooden furniture. Apart from decor, we have been using French polish for all sorts of wooden tools and objects for many centuries now. For the same reasons as way back then, we use French polish to not only elevate the beauty of wooden workpieces but also to protect them from damage caused by the surrounding environment. For the most part, the varnishes we make use of today will most likely contain a mixture of ingredients in which synthetic components will be present. French polish, on the other hand, is derived from the excretions of a certain phylum of beetle.

In spite of its namesake, however, the beetles relied upon for the production of French polish are actually found in South-East Asia. To create French polish, the flaky secretions of these beetles are collected and then diluted in an alcohol vehicle (hence its other name). The resultant mixture will then be a reliable tool and means to varnish wood in a way that provides good protection and the improvement of aesthetic qualities.

Spirit-based varnish is very commonly conflated with another varnish called shellac. While they may appear quite similar, the differences in their textures and consistencies are easy to see. While shellac can be rather thick in its viscous form, the spirit-based varnish is runnier. While spirit-based varnish is a thin liquid, shellac is noticeably waxy in texture. It is not uncommon, however, for spirit-based varnish to be applied as a primer for other varnishes like shellac. This method of priming wooden surfaces with French polish is especially popular in the production of musical instruments such as violins and acoustic guitars.

The popularity of French polish among instrument crafters comes on account of its finish, the qualities of which allow for the retention of a surface’s texture and grain visibility. This is all thanks to how thin the varnish is, but it is not without its drawbacks. For starters, being so thin makes it ineffective when it comes to protecting wood from environmental factors. UV rays and moisture, for example, are natural forces far too formidable for the likes of French polish to contend with – hence why it is often used as a primer.

Acrylic-Based Varnish

If you do not know this yet, we are telling you now; varnishes are toxic and dangerous to work with. This is on account of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present within them. Respiratory issues are very commonly experienced among people who work with varnishes without personal protective equipment. This is why you are encouraged to wear a respirator and work with varnishes in ventilated spaces. Acrylic varnish, on the other hand, does not present the same variety of risks. Unlike other varnishes, acrylic varnishes typically do not contain any VOCs. Even when they do, it is to a negligible degree. This makes acrylic varnish a rather popular substitute for harmful varnishing products. Better yet, the safety aspect of acrylic varnish makes it more suitable for interior applications when such is unavoidable.

The primary reason why acrylic varnish is far safer than other options is its vehicle, which, much like acrylic paint, is water. The benefits do not stop with the safety aspect, however, since water can evaporate at a much faster rate than most other vehicles. This means that acrylic varnish also dries faster than most other varnishes.

If you want a fast job with an expedient turnaround time, look no further than here. Since it contains acrylic polymer as the base, it also offers a wealth of protection against damage from the effects of UV lights. This stops the fading of the finish from occurring for a long time. Acrylic varnish leaves a transparent finish when completely dried, meaning that the grain and texture of whatever wood it is applied to will not be obscured. Even then, you can get specific versions of this product that can produce a wide variety of finishes. Besides just the natural grade, you also have the option of acrylic varnishes that produce lighter or darker finishes.

A major drawback of acrylic varnish, however, is its high viscosity. It is incredibly runny when still in its liquid form, which can make it rather difficult to work with and apply. This would be on account of water being its vehicle. On the other side of the coin, however, its high viscosity and water make it much easier to clean up than other varnishes. Spillage is thus less of an issue to be concerned with when working with acrylic varnish. If you want to know how to varnish wood with the lowest risk of exposure to toxic chemicals and with the easiest post-work cleanup, you now know what to spend your money on. The most prominent problem with acrylic varnish also comes on account of water being its vehicle.

The viscosity of the mixture, when paired with its lack of effectiveness at penetrating wooden surfaces, increases the chance of patchy spots developing during or after application. This patchiness can adversely affect the quality of your finish.

Exterior Varnish

If the name is not enough of a dead giveaway, exterior varnish was designed for use on wooden objects and structures that are located outside. It is clear-coat varnish that can provide wooden surfaces with the degree of robust protection necessary to prevent wood from being damaged by all sorts of exterior environmental factors. UV rays and rain, for example, are thwarted in their tracks by exterior wood varnish. Beyond its functionality, exterior varnish also has the capacity to improve the aesthetics of wood. Should you want varnished wood strong enough to contend with exterior elements, it is hard to go wrong with exterior varnish. It works well as a means to beautify and safeguard exterior furniture in regions with temperamental climates, especially if using paint is an option you would prefer to avoid.

Exterior varnish protects wood against impact, UV light, abrasion, moisture, rain, and insects, and offers a degree of protection against chemical damage. In sum, applying exterior varnish to your wood protects it from damage from external forces, rot, and splitting.

The hydrophobic nature of exterior varnish seals the pores and surface of wood entirely, thus preventing any sort of moisture from penetrating. Regardless of this powerful coating, the seal produced by exterior varnish still allows for the wood to breathe. Otherwise, the deficiency of an oxygen supply would cause the wood to become brittle over the course of time. As we just discussed, exterior varnish protects wood against insects. Additionally to this, exterior varnish also defends your wood against fungal infestations. It achieves this thanks to a mixture of chemicals called fungicides present in the varnish that deters both flora and fauna from making a home on or beneath the wood’s surface. Moss, fungi, termites, and grubs are just a few examples of what exterior varnish can protect against. One major drawback of such a fantastic tool is its slow drying times.

Polyurethane-Based Varnish

We would say that polyurethane (PU) varnish is definitely one of the best wood varnish options out there. Being a thermoplastic, it can be extremely robust and durable. If you want to protect your wood from the most aggressive climates, hot or cold, look no further than this product – especially if you are looking to coat areas that experience a high amount of traffic. Much like paint, PU varnish does not enter the pores and seep into the fibers of wood. Instead, it develops a hard external coating layer around the wood. One issue with how PU varnish attaches externally to the surface of wood has to do with its inability to secure a bond with the fibers as well as other varnishes on this list. The best way to prevent this from leading to issues whereby the lack of adhesion leads to the peeling of the varnish is to apply a primer to your wood beforehand. Make sure to do this first if you want to ensure that such issues do not occur.

In terms of the finish achieved by PU varnish, this can be entirely up to your discretion. For the most part, you have three typical options of varnish to choose between. These are matte, satin, and gloss. There are, however, many more options to pick from.

As aforementioned, the best thing about PU varnish is the fact that it offers an incredibly durable layer of protection. Abrasion, impact moisture, acids, and heat are all firmly protected against by PU varnish. But, nothing is perfect and you can expect PU varnish to supply a very limited degree of protection against UV rays. If you like the sound of PU varnish but would prefer to account for protection against UVs, you can always apply the varnish in thicker coatings. This way, your wood would see enough protection against any direct sunlight exposure.

Yacht Varnish

Now here is a varnish that is not only extremely durable but also clear enough to not block out the grain of the wood beneath. That being said, there are few to no other applications that yacht varnish would be suitable for besides its primary purpose. Yacht varnish can also be defined as spar varnish and is designed specifically for use of seafaring vessels. Originally, yacht varnish was popularized as a means to fortify the hulls and the big spars of wooden boats – the tall poles on which the sails rest.  The reason being for its popularity in this field has to do with how its durability is partnered with a fair degree of flexibility. If you can imagine for a second how much a ship’s mast bends when the sails catch the wind, you can see the value in this aspect of the product.

Yacht varnish, for all its merits, did not have a very aesthetically flattering start. Besides being flexible enough to not crack on the surface of bending masts, it was designed to safeguard wood from sand, sea salt, moisture, winds, and water. Functionality, at this point in time, was prioritized more so than beauty.

Today, though, yacht varnish has evolved beyond the purely functional, instead being available in a wide variety of finishing sheens and colorways. To this day, seafarers from all over the globe use yacht varnish to not only protect their vessels but also to ensure that they look the part. Much like how sunscreen protects human skin from UV damage caused by the sun, yacht varnish also protects wood from the damage that UV rays can potentially cause to the wooden components of sea vessels. With sea vessels being exposed to so much sunlight, it should come as no surprise that yacht varnish supplies a superior degree of UV protection.

Drawing back to our opening statement regarding yacht varnish, however, it is imperative that you consider the disadvantages and benefits before using it. First and foremost, yacht varnish is perhaps the most niche option on this list and you will be hard-pressed to find a suitable use for it outside of boats and ships. If you are looking for a durable varnish to use on wooden objects situated on dry land, we keenly suggest that you use something else like exterior varnish instead. 

Oil-Based Varnish

This is one of the oldest forms of wood varnish out there. It makes perfect sense why oils would be used for this purpose. Firstly, oil does not mix with water – its hydrophobia protects the surface and interior fibers of wood from moisture and water. Secondly, oil has immense beautifying potential. If you are wondering what varnish is made of in terms of the oil-based variety, the answers may vary but linseed is a popularly used example thereof. For the most part, we source the oils in these varnishes from nature. The operative term for oil-based varnishes is “drying oils”. The concept and methodology of this varnish were first discovered and popularized in Asia. Initially, fishermen made use of drying oils to offer some sort of protection against water in their wooden boats. It did not take too long for the technique to travel across the ocean to the rest of the world who still makes use of drying oils in modern times.

Some woodworking puritans, however, would keenly disagree that drying oils actually qualify as a variety of varnish. This would be because other varnishes contain a solvent, something that drying oils do not contain. Nevertheless, we can still describe them as such. If you are one such puritan, however, you may rather choose to define drying oils as a type of wood treatment product. And if you are such a person, your point of view would be supported by the fact that drying oils do not compare with most other varnishes when it comes to the provision of a durable protective layer.

But this is not why we use drying oils as wood varnish. If you are willing to forgo the utility afforded by other varnishes, you may come to find that oil varnishes present you with an immense amount of beautification potential. A quick example of this would be the sheer amount of color options at your disposal. Ideally, you would want to use drying oils on interior wooden items such as furniture and decor, provided that whatever the object may be rests in a fixed position for the most part. But why are they called drying oils? Well, the oils of these varnishes dry after seeping into the surface of the wood where it dries and bonds with the fibers of said wood. Through a process that we refer to as oxidation, the oil sets on the wood as it dries out. You can even use drying oils to seal a number of household items, tools, objects, and surfaces, a common example of which would be linoleum flooring.

The art of how to varnish wood using oils is an ancient craft dating back centuries. Timeless as it is, however, it simply cannot compete with the efficacy of the varnishes of modernity. If you plan on varnishing something with oil, you should expect to be reapplying and also maintaining the finish on a steady basis. While the results of this varnish are truly marvelous, it does often require a fair degree of upkeep. For many, however, the effort of maintaining an unblemished and smooth surface is more than worth it. Keep in mind that the purer the oil varnish you choose to use, the sooner you would need to go about maintaining the surfaces of your wood. The pure oil-based varnish offers a negligible degree of protection from any sort of damage.

Alkyd-Based Varnish

While we may struggle to define alkyd-based varnishes, this is only because it is a key ingredient present in at least a few if not most versions of any of the aforementioned varnishes. Using vegetables and the oils they produce, alkyd finds its way into so many types of varnish that it has truly earned its classification as its very own type of varnish. So, what is the reason behind its popularity? First of all, alkyd has properties that lend to an increased degree of durability. Better yet, the addition of alkyd to any varnish will also speed up the rate at which it dries on the surface of your wood, which is a great way of expediting a varnishing project. Much like oil-based varnishes, alkyd also leaves both the textures and grains of all sorts of wood unobstructed with a clear finish that only accentuates the aesthetic properties of your workpieces.

Alkyd’s primary advantage, though, is its supplementation of additional protection against seasonal and day/night temperature changes and UV rays. Practically any varnish designed for exterior use that would be worth your money should contain alkyd, so be sure to look out for it on the ingredients list when shopping for such products.

When it comes to protecting your wooden workpieces against substantial exposure to sunlight, alkyd should be a key component of the mixture. Alkyd-based varnishes are extremely popularly used on wooden objects located near swimming pools (such as decks and deck chairs) on account of their excellent degree of durability against moisture and condensation. These are not the only advantages afforded to users of alkyd varnish, however, because another terrific benefit of it is that it comes in a wide variety of color options as well, and more than enough for you to find exactly what you are looking for. The same goes for the number of finishes on offer with this varnish. The great thing about alkyd is that since the vast majority of its ingredients are derived from vegetable oils, changing the ratios thereof is an easy way to produce a wide net of different aesthetic options to choose from. Alkyd is thus versatile enough to offer you products that can either darken, lighten, or sharpen the tones of your wood as well.

When it comes to alkyd varnish, versatility and utility are the names of the game. Should then come as no surprise that it is so popular as an additive substrate in many of the best varnishes, whether they be for interior or exterior use.

Lacquer

Defining lacquer as a varnish can be a divisive decision, especially for any varnish puritans who have managed to reach this far down in the list. However, their functions are incredibly similar. You could instead call lacquer simply another form of wood treatment. One of the arguments as to why lacquer does not fit the brief concerns its ease of use. We cannot stress enough how simple the application process of lacquer can be, and this is doubly true of the aerosol versions that can be applied directly to the surface of the wood in a similar fashion to spray paint.

A key advantage that typical varnishes are able to laud off the head of lacquer is their superior provision of protection against UV exposure. Nevertheless, lacquer can still protect wood from impact, acids, alkalis, cracks, moisture, and abrasion. One of the biggest drawbacks of lacquer, though, concerns the fact that it can develop an unflattering, yellowish tinge after a while as it begins to degrade and discolor. Another shortcoming of lacquer is its proclivity towards developing scratches rather easily.

It is not all bad news, however, as lacquer actually sports quite a few advantages of its own. For example, it is not only easy to apply but is also just as easy to maintain or, if necessary, to remove. If you find that a particular lacquer that you have used on a wooden workpiece just is not gelling with what you had in mind, at the very least it would not take too much effort or energy to remove and revert to its prior unvarnished state. But, how easy is it to remove lacquer, and how would one go about it? Well, we have good news for those of you who love to manicure your nails because all it takes is a little bit of acetone on a cloth and it should come right off – sometimes maybe with a little bit of elbow grease. If you want to go a step further, you can even purchase lacquer thinners to make things a little easier for yourself.

Another great benefit of lacquer pertains to its price point, which cannot be trumped in the slightest by most modern medium and heavy-duty varnishes. Just be sure to apply lacquer outdoors if you choose to use it since it contains a high volume of VOCs.

If you have made it this far into the article, we truly commend your effort and attention span. More so, we hope beyond all else that you have found some useful information herein. By now, you should know what varnish is, its history, the basics of how to varnish wood, and some of its most popular varieties. If you are reading this article to prepare yourself for an upcoming varnishing product, we hope that this has steered you in the right direction. Now, venture forth and knock it out of the park!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Varnishes Come in Different Colors?

They most definitely do. You can very easily find access to a wealth of varnish mixtures designed to change the color of your wood when applied to the surface. You can stain or dye your wood into hundreds of different colors, tones, and finishes based on your preferences. Oil-based and alkyd-based varnishes tend to offer the widest variety of color options.

What Is Varnish?

Varnish can be described most simply as a resin or resinous substance that can be applied to a surface in liquid form. It will then cure, dry, harden, and adhere to said surface to provide it with a degree of protection against damage that could be caused by the surrounding environment, or simply to improve its aesthetic qualities.

What Does Varnish Do?

Varnish is applied as a finish to wooden workpieces, either for protection against damage that could potentially be caused by external factors (such as UV rays), or for the improvement of the wood’s aesthetic properties. For the most part, varnishes will typically serve to achieve both of these.

What Is Varnish Made Of?

Varnishes are composed of a resinous material or a combination of several such materials. These resins will also be mixed with drying oils and drying agents. One thing to look out for with varnishes is whether or not they contain any volatile organic solvents (VOCs). Most varnishes contain VOCs, which can cause several health risks. This is why you are encouraged to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when working with varnishes.

What Personal Protective Equipment Should One Wear When Working With Varnish?

While there are some varnishes, such as several varieties of drying oils, that do not contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs); most varnishes do. This is why we keenly encourage you to use personal protective equipment such as synthetic gloves, a respirator,  and eye goggles when working with most varnishes. 

What Is Varnish Used For?

Varnish is used on the surfaces of materials such as wood to protect said surface from damage that could be caused by elements within its environment. This includes, but is not exclusive to, sun damage from UV rays, impact, abrasion, cold, heat, alkali, mold, insects, and moisture. The type of varnish used will also determine which assortment of durability benefits are afforded to the surface. Secondly, varnish can also improve the aesthetic qualities of wood. Varnishes can alter the color, texture, and shade of wood, depending on the varnish and the type of wood in question.

How Does Varnish Dry?

After being applied, the solvent will evaporate as it makes contact with the open air. The components of the varnish that remain on the surface of your wood after the evaporation of the solvent will undergo either polymerization or oxidization, during which time they will dry out and form a protective layer of film. This layer varies in transparency and opacity, depending on the type of varnish you choose to use and the wood you decide to work on.

What Are the Most Popular Uses of Varnish?

Among the most popular uses of varnish is to coat wooden workpieces with a protective layer of hard resin that defends the surface against an array of environmental factors. The less thick and more transparent forms of varnish are also applied to art pieces like paintings and their canvases to preserve artwork for a much longer time. Additionally, varnishes are frequently used to preserve or improve the aesthetic qualities of wood.

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Can You Use Acrylic Paint on a Wall?

Acrylic paints are quite possibly the most multifarious painting mediums at our disposal in the modern era. They are not only a durable, vibrant, and affordable alternative to oil paints when it comes to fine art; they also boast a wide variety of additional utilitarian benefits. One of these uses, if the name of this article has not yet given it away, is for the painting of walls. If you want to know more about acrylic paint’s efficacy as a means to seal, protect, and beautify your walls, you have found yourself in the right place.

What Is Acrylic Paint?

Acrylic paint borrows its namesake from the artificial binding agent, acrylic polymer. This substance firmly adheres the pigment to the surface and offers protection from environmental damage once fully dried. Using water as the vehicle, acrylic paints are renowned for their expedient drying times. To supplement our answers to the primary query, “can you use acrylic paint on walls?”, we have attached a list of further pros and cons of the medium.

Pros and Cons of Using Acrylic Paint on Walls

While there are many characteristics of acrylic paint that make it great, the benefits afforded by the medium are not without their counterweight. However, nothing is perfect. Let us have a look at some of the most notable pros and cons associated with acrylic paint.

Because acrylic paint dries quickly, you will be more than able to add numerous coats within a single day of work. As it is water-based and thus soluble, acrylic paint is easy to wash off with soap and water alone without the need for harmful chemicals. Paint thinners such as turpentine and rubbing alcohol will not be necessary to clean dried acrylic paint off your skin, tools, or work surface.

Acrylic paints are versatile and bind well with most common surfaces. Surfaces such as wood, canvas, stone, metal, cardboard, and plastic are all suitable surfaces for acrylic paints – and this is only to name a few! When combined with oils or waxes, however, your acrylic paints may leave you with fewer options than normal.

The drying times of acrylic paint can be reduced using additives. If you want to try your hand at one of those paint effects so popular in the 80’s that are making a comeback, you can use a retarding medium to decrease the rate at which your acrylic paint dries. In addition there is a whole range of mediums that can be mixed into acrylic paints to create different textures and finishes.

Acrylic paint is resistant to environmental changes. As temperatures shift between hot and cold throughout the day or the seasons, the binding agent present on acrylic paint is able to both contract and expand according to the surrounding climatic conditions. This helps prevent the coatings of your paint from either chipping or flaking off the surface of the substrate, even after a prolonged period of exposure. Once dried, the surface of acrylic paint is water-proof. This helps acrylic paint retain the vibrancy of their colors and, as previously discussed, also stops the yellowing of colors that we see in oil-based paint after a long period.

Acrylic paints are among the most non-toxic paints to work with. This makes these paints safe for use by children provided they have adult supervision. Acrylic paints can also be mixed with other paints. Can you mix acrylic paint with wall paint? Yes, especially considering that both are water-based.

The shades of acrylic paints tend to change after they have fully dried, typically darkening. Although often slight, the difference between how your paint looked before drying and how it did after can be distinguished.

Can You Use Acrylic Paint on a Wall?

Can acrylic paint be used on walls? The short answer is yes. Acrylic paints are among the best options to choose from when it comes to painting walls, whether it be for murals or interior and exterior design. Being both highly durable and waterproof, acrylic paint coatings can keep your walls looking fresh come rain or shine. Paint is an excellent addition to any space if the aim is to protect the surfaces beneath or elevate their aesthetic qualities.

Given how many vibrant colors acrylic paint comes in, for many, it is a no-brainer when it comes to deciding what paint works best. Another great reason for the almost-unanimous proclivity for using acrylic paint when painting walls is the fact that it is durable enough to last an incredibly long time before walls need to be re-coated. Does acrylic paint wash off walls? Absolutely not! Can acrylic paint be used outside? Definitely. Once dried, its acrylic polymer binder adheres to the pigment to the surface of the wall and protects it from environmental damage.

Being permanent, water-based, waterproof (once dry), and available in a myriad of stunning colors; acrylic paint boasts no shortage of reasons why it should be used to paint walls. Better yet, acrylic paint on walls is super affordable!

Acrylic Paint on Walls vs. Other Paints

Although the jury might be out on this one in certain cases and spaces, many home renovation experts and homeowners alike would agree that acrylic paints are perhaps the best choice for painting walls – for both interior and exterior projects. Not only can acrylic paint be used on walls, it can also perform better than other common exterior paint options.

In comparison to other paints commonly used on walls, like latex and oil-based paints, acrylic paints offer superior durability and aesthetics while also being easier to use. Unlike most instances of these other paints, acrylic paint is water-based. Using water as the vehicle affords one of the best characteristics of acrylic paint; its quick drying times are unmatchable. Oil-based paints, for example, can take up to several days to dry, whereas even the thickest coatings of acrylic paint can dry within an hour. If you plan on applying multiple layers of paint to your walls, using acrylic paint can allow you to complete the project before the day is out.

Can acrylic paint be used outside? Yes, and the results will blow other options out of the water. Oil-based and latex paints also fail to produce the same degree of protection from sunlight, rain, and so much more. On a building’s exterior walls, where shifting temperatures can be expected, acrylic paints work exceptionally well. This is because the acrylic polymer binder of the paint can expand and contract without becoming brittle in response to the changes in temperature that occur throughout the day and seasons.

Concerning the argument for why this paint is the best option for this sort of task, people who have worked extensively with acrylics for painting walls are quick to add that they tend to produce a better color vibrancy once dried. The colors will also retain their vibrancy for much longer. Compared to oil-based paints, acrylics also have the benefit of not being anywhere near as odorous and also being the least toxic option of the two.

How to Paint Walls Using Acrylic Paint

Deciding to paint your home with acrylics opens the door to copious options, whether it be for interior or exterior projects. Not only do you have a massive amount of vibrant colors to choose from, but you can also save some cash considering how relatively affordable acrylic paints can be. Better yet, they are super easy to work with. Honestly, the hardest part about working with acrylic paint is having to decide on a color!

But, before you get to painting, you should know how to do so first. This is why we felt it prudent to cover the how-to’s in this article as well. Follow these step-by-step instructions to ensure that you properly apply your paint to produce a durable yet smooth and soft finishing texture.

Gather Tools and Supplies

First and foremost, you will need a few things on hand to even begin. You will need not only your painting materials but painting tools as well. In preparation for the task, make sure that you have the following items:

• Large paint brushes and/or rollers
• Trays for the rollers and brushes
• Extension pole for rollers (if dealing with taller ceilings)
• Your preferred mix of acrylic paint
• Primer
• Sandpaper
• Drop cloth or newspaper to collect spillage on the floor below the wall
• Painter tape for clean edges

Prepare the Wall

The next step would then be to ready your walls for the application process. This primarily involves you cleaning dirt and dust particles from the surface using a wet cloth. You can use softer cleaning chemicals to remove the tougher stains. If, however, you are repainting a wall that already has a coat, you will need to use sandpaper to scrub off as much of the existing layer as you can.

It is not a problem if you cannot get it all off, but it will greatly assist your new coat in adhering to the wall. After this is done, you should reapply a clean wet cloth on the wall and remove any clinging debris and dust particles left behind after sanding. You can then wait for the moisture from the wipe-down to evaporate from the surface of the wall before applying a primer.

Although not also necessary (especially if you are a stingy landlord!), applying primer before painting only makes it that much easier for your paint to cling firmly to the wall. Better yet, this will improve the overall durability of your paint job as well.

Get to Painting

After a period that will be determined by the primer you use, you can now get to the fun part. Preferably using a roller, you can begin applying thin coats of your paint across the wall’s surface area. You might still see some of the wall’s original color poking through this first layer, but worry not. After waiting for the first coat to dry, you may then add another, and then one more after that. After three coats of paint, your wall should be properly covered.

Be sure not to soak your rollers or brushes in too much paint to avoid creating soggy pools of paint across your wall. This can not only disrupt a homogenous drying process but can also cause droplets to form and trickle down the wall. If you have applied too much paint to any spot by mistake, you can use a dry brush or roller to remove as much paint as necessary from a saturated spot.

The amount of time it should take for the layers to dry will be entirely dependent on how thick the coatings are applied. Generally, however, thin layers should take up to half an hour to dry while thicker coats may take up to an hour. Do not move on to applying the next coat until the previous coat has completely dried.

So, can acrylic paint be used on walls? And does acrylic paint wash off walls? Now that you know the answers to these questions, you can go on to use your favorite shade of acrylic paint on your own walls at home! If you are already considering using acrylic paint to decorate your walls, you are on the right track. We can only hope that you found the information herein useful and wish you the best of luck in your home renovation prospects.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Before You Can Sleep in a Painted Room?

When working with oil-based paints, you should avoid spending longer than 10 minutes in a painted room for the first 24 hours at the very least. For acrylic paints, however, you can occupy a room for as long as you like 4 hours following the painting of its walls.

Can You Mix Acrylic Paint With Wall Paint?

Yes, you can. This is especially achievable considering that most acrylic and latex paints are both water-based. Combining the two can improve the durability and color vibrancy of your wall paint.

Does Acrylic Paint Wash Off Walls?

Yes, but typically only after five to 15 years. Reapplication is not so much of a hassle considering how fast the paint dries and its affordability. However, you can protect your wall paint even further by applying a sealant.

How To Remove Acrylic Paint From Walls?

If you want to know how to remove acrylic paint from walls, you could do so by simply wiping the space using a rag drenched in hot water. Otherwise, you could pour some denatured alcohol onto a rag and wipe the paint off as well.

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What Is a Clamp?

Most of us think that we have a pretty good idea of what a clamp is but considering that there are so many types of clamps available we should establish a baseline definition based on their function. The most common definition of a clamp is a device that is used to blind or compress two things together and/or hold them in place.

Clamps are most commonly used as temporary fastening devices. Why would you need something like this? Well, in wood crafting and metallurgy these are used to hold objects together while adhesives dry and cure. Clamps can also be used to ensure objects are compressed for removal and installation, which can be pretty dangerous too.

Clamps are also available in various shapes and sizes to account for different applications. Clamps can be really big like the ones used in industrial applications or they can be really small for everyday applications. They can also look nothing like you’d expect them to, featuring futuristic mechanisms that have a very niche application.

These clamps can also be made of different materials. Why? Well, clamps are designed for various applications, and the materials that they’ll be in contact with could be damaged if they were all made of one substance. This being said, these clamps can be made of a wide variety of materials including metal, plastic, wood, and even vinyl and resins!

Most clamps can be characterized as one static flange and one flange that is able to move closer or further away depending on your needs. These sections are typically joined together by a threaded section on which the second flange is able to move along. Generally, the object you wish to compress, or bind is placed between these two flanges and the clamp is tightened.

Different types of clamps can have different means of compressing and expanding though. Familiarizing yourself with the different types of clamps that are available to you and how they work will allow you to use them more effectively. Most people don’t realize how much clamps can improve their everyday lives and getting to know a few of them could result in you making your life a little bit easier.

Different Types of Clamps

As we mentioned previously there are different clamp designs that are used for various applications. This is why we’ve decided to show you a few of the most commonly used clamps (and some of the least commonly used ones) as well as what they’re used for and what some of their key characteristics are. If you’re unsure whether a clamp is suitable for a particular application, there are loads of forums online that could lend a helping hand.

Common-Use Clamps

Common use clamps are clamps that are used for various everyday applications, whether they be for industrial or private use. These clamps can usually be purchased over the counter and are relatively easy to find if you know what you’re looking for. They are usually hard wearing, and some may even be used in multiple professions and industries.

The Sash Clamp

This type of clamp is usually reserved for really big projects like big doors and window frames. These are small clamps that run on a threaded tube and are usually placed on a flat surface. They are typically placed in a series parallel to one another, allowing them to combine their holding power to secure workpieces that would be far too big for a single clamp in most instances.

The Spring Clamp

Spring clamps are one of the most commonly used clamp types in a number of occupations. This clamp type is best characterized by a handle clamp, similar to the appearance of the type of clamp you’d see on a pair of jumper cables. These are designed to compress an object instead of separating them. This being said, they’re a quick and easy way to secure your workpiece while you work.

These clamps are available in a number of shapes and sizes for different applications. These usually have an insulting plastic or polyurethane layer to protect the user and the clamp from damage. These are used for a number of applications including woodwork, making jewelry, and even the creation of installation art.

The Bench Clamp/Vise

Out of all of the clamp designs, this is probably one of the most recognizable. These can be found riveted or bolted to workbenches in a number of occupations. They have one static jaw and one that is able to move back and forth on a threaded section. These are usually used to secure wooden and/or metal workpieces while they’re being worked.

These clamps are usually made of solid steel with older ones being made of iron, making them extremely heavy. This being said, the jaws themselves can be quite harsh to the surfaces of a workpiece and are usually softened up with a little detachable polyurethane or wooden guard, which are usually replaceable.

The Strap/Web Clamp

The strap clamp or web clamp is a type of ratchet strap that is commonly used to compress the exterior of a workpiece. Essentially, the straps are wrapped around the exterior of the workpiece and tightened using the ratchet clamp. Additionally, padded or plastic bushings can be placed underneath the straps to prevent the edges from being damaged.

This is somewhat unique among clamp designs, and therefore isn’t typically considered to be a clamp. This being said, it does fulfill the basic functions of a clamp and is used in many applications as a primary camping device. It’s best used to hold cubed workpieces in place while waiting for adhesives to dry and cure.

The Pipe Clamp

Another common type of clamp in most industries and in our homes is the pip clamp. Pipe clamps are circular and are commonly used to hold pipe pieces in place by squeezing the inserted sections together. They can be tightened and loosened by driving the screws on either end in or out of their threaded holes.

They are also available in a variety of sizes for different pipe sizes.

The Wire Rope Clamp

Wire rope clamps, as the name suggests, are designed to secure and retain wire ropes. Wire ropes are usually used to secure tarps and heavy loads like elevators, platforms, and pretty much any other application that is being used for leverage and/or mechanical advantage. In airplanes, wire ropes can be used to manipulate control surfaces, but the clamps are usually used for static applications.

These clamps are not really designed to be adjusted, but rather to firmly secure workpieces.

The Marmon or V-Band Clamp

The Marmon clamp and the pipe clamp are similar in both appearance and application. Both of these clamps are used to secure piping and/or other cylindrical objects to one another or to other surfaces. Like the pipe clamp, this one is used by increasing and decreasing its tension by driving or releasing the screw.

This is an easy-to-use mechanism that tends to be quite durable and robust.

The Miter Clamp

One of the most well-known types of woodworking clamps, the name of this clamp pretty much says it all. In wood crafting, there are a number of joint types that need a workpiece to be secured in a certain manner in order for them to be implemented. In this case, the miter clamp is used to hold a wooden workpiece in place if a miter joint needs to be implemented.

These are niche clamps that use two threaded screws to secure a workpiece at a 90-degree angle while the joint is implemented.

The Quick-Action Clamp

The quick-action clamp is one of the most versatile and easy-to-use types of clamps there is. Quick-action clamps are used to instantly grip and release a workpiece. They’re operated by using a trigger mechanism to grip your workpiece, but there are different types of quick-action clamps available for different applications.

There are trigger clamps, trigger clamps, and even lever clamps! They can also be operated with one hand, which is useful in certain situations.

The C- and G-Clamp

One of the most versatile types of woodworking clamps around is G-clamps and C-clamps. These have been around for a really long time, and are best characterized by their shape, which, as you may have guessed, look like the letters C and G. They are used to secure a workpiece to a flat surface or compress two workpieces together.

They are often used interchangeably, but there are certain applications that require one of them specifically.

The Locking Clamp

The locking clamp is an extremely useful tool that allows you to lock a workpiece to a flat surface or lock two workpieces together. It does this by implementing the same mechanism used in vice grip pliers. This allows you to easily secure and release a workpiece simply by squeezing the trigger. The jaws of this clamp are hinged and are capable of opening up to 8 inches.

Locking clamps are available in different sizes and shapes to ensure you always have the right tool for securing virtually any workpiece you can think of.

The Hand-Screw Clamp

If metallurgy is your thing, then you should consider getting yourself a pair of hand-screw clamps. These clamps are designed for use with metal. They are easy to use and can be used in pairs as well. They’re simple tools that can be adjusted simply by using turning the handle in and outward or inward to loosen and tighten the grip of the clamps.

This clamp type is available in both wooden and metal variations, which makes them more versatile in terms of what they can be used for.

The Drill-Press Clamp

This is more of a specialized clamp. Unlike other clamps that can be used independently, this clamp is unique as it needs to be attached to the base of a drill press. It is used to secure a workpiece firmly to the base of a drill press during operation, and it does so by using the same leverage technique that a C- or G-clap uses.

It’s a simple and effective means of securing virtually any flat workpiece at the base of your drill press.

Special Use Clamps

Unlike common use clamps which can often be used interchangeably, special use clamps can (typically) only be used for their intended application, with a few exceptions. Special use clamps are often more challenging to come by, which means you could spend a pretty penny ordering one of these. Here are a few that you might come across.

The Picture-Frame Clamp

This one is pretty straightforward. Picture frame clamps are used to secure and retain miter joints used to create picture frames. They are essentially rectangular frames that are placed over a picture frame. At each edge of the rectangle (or square) is a holder that squeezes the edges of the frame and holds it in place. These joints are connected to one mechanism located in the center of the frame, which can be tightened or loosened as need be.

Besides pressing miter joints, they can be used to hold frames in place while adhesives dry.

The Flooring Clamp

The flooring clamp is one of the most convenient tools to have around when you’re installing engineered wood flooring. This type of clamp uses a ratchet clamp mechanism that squeezes together flooring boards that connect to one another using tongue and groove joints. The clamps sit on the surface of these boards and partially over the edge to generate the necessary leverage.

One floor clamp is capable of holding as many as 10 flooring boards together.

The Hose Clamp

The hose clamp is pretty much like any other type that is used to secure cylindrical objects. It is slipped over the hose or pipe and is secured by tightening a screw to increase the pressure on the workpiece. This screw can then be loosened to reduce pressure as well, which makes them a simple and effective clamp for all manner of applications.

These clamps are usually small or medium in size and are used as semi-permanent fasteners.

The Cardellini or Matthellini Clamp

Unlike some of the other clamps we’ve had a look at so far, this clamp isn’t really used for engineering applications. Instead, you can find these holding lighting rigs and piping place either while they’re installed or achieve a certain position. They consist of one static jaw and another that can be moved back and forth on a threaded cylinder.

The Kant Twist Clamp

Kant twist clamps are essentially the modern equivalent of C- and G-clamps. They are used for securing workpieces while they’re being worked on. They can be used to hold a workpiece or secure it to a flat surface. They are used for both metallurgy and woodworking, and they happen to be a lot better than a conventional C- or G-clamp because their jaws can be moved to hold a workpiece at an angle.

The Pennington Clamp

This clamp is unique. The Pennington clamp is not used for engineering or wood crafting applications. Instead, this clamp can be found in surgical theatres pretty much all around the world, holding open incisions to allow surgeons to do their job. They can also be used to depress blood vessels to prevent internal bleeding in surgical applications, which makes them one of the simplest and indispensable clamp types out there.

This clamp type resembles scissors with jaws instead of blades.

The Mogen and Gomco Clamp

Another unique medical clamp that has been used for quite a while in clinics and hospitals around the world is the Mogen and Gomco clamp. These clamps are used exclusively for circumcisions and have provided a quick and effective (not to mention safe) way of performing this procedure.

These provide a clean, uninterrupted cut, and can be used consecutively given that they have been properly sanitized after each use.

The Ear Clamp

The ear clamp is yet another type of clamp that is commonly used to secure and retain pipework in various industries around the world. They’re usually pretty small and aren’t much bigger than an inch, which means they’re used for pretty niche applications.

Ear clamps can be found securing and retaining hose connections, and they’re pretty easy to identify since they have little protrusions on each end, which have come to be known as their “ears”.

The Parallel Clamp

The parallel clamp is easy to use and can be used to secure a workpiece quickly. These can be operated with one hand simply by slipping this clamp over the workpiece and securing it by moving the sliding jaw back and forth until it makes contact. The sliding jaw can then be secured either by a pressure clip or by a screw-like device located near the handle of the clamp.

These are usually used to secure doorframes and are generally used (and sold) in pairs.

The Corner Clamp

As the name suggests this clamp is used to secure the corners of a workpiece. They can be used on flat square workpieces like tabletops or the faces of wooden boxes. Corner clamps come in various designs, but all share the same function of applying equal pressure to all sides of the materials being joined to ensure a 90 degree angle is achieved without slippage or insufficient pressure.

The Cable Clamp

If you’ve ever had trouble with messy wiring then you’ve probably thought about getting one of these, even if you weren’t sure about their name. Cable clamps or zip ties are used to secure a wide range of wiring cables, not only making them look a bit neater but ensuring that they can be safely suspended without being squished.

They are best characterized by their loop and protruding flange through which self-tapping screws and bolts can be driven.

The Power Clamp

The power clamp is probably the coolest clamp on this list. They’re medium-sized handheld devices that make use of pneumatic or hydraulic pressure to secure a workpiece. They have two jaws that are able to expand and contract to fit the size of your workpiece and are capable of exerting an incredible amount of force, more so than you would be able to produce with conventional mechanical clamps.

The Trigger Clamp

The trigger clamp is one of the most versatile and easy-to-use clamp types out there. Not only can you use it with one hand, but it’s also available in various different sizes for your convenience. They’re essentially semi-circular with an attached hinge that is used to grip and secure your workpiece.

They can be quite expensive though as they’re made of thick metal clasps.

The Plastic Jaws or Elastic Belt Clamp

These clamps are used for securing workpieces that might otherwise be damaged if conventional clamps were to be used. They’re essentially operated like scissors, and by simply squeezing these clamps together you can safely pick up or secure a workpiece made of delicate materials like wood or soft metals.

These don’t really have a dedicated application, so they’re a nice tool to keep around your home, especially considering how cheap they are.

The Pinch-Dog Clamp

If you’re looking for a clamp that’s easy to use and isn’t needlessly complicated, then the pinch dog clamp might be up your alley. These aren’t what most of us would consider a clamp in the conventional sense, but they do help wooden workpieces retain their position, making them functionally clamps.

These are inserted over two pieces of a workpiece (usually connected by joints) to hold them in place while adhesives dry, or while they settle into one another.

Now that you have a good idea of what types of clamps are out there, how they are used, and what they can be used for, it’s time for you to get out there and put your newfound knowledge to the test. Remember that clamps should only be used for their intended applications as far as possible, as using them interchangeably can be dangerous in some instances.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are There Different Types of Metal Clamps?

There are loads of types of metal clamps available for a wide variety of applications. These clamps are used to retain and secure the position of a workpiece in most instances. This can be while you’re working on the object in question or to secure it in its intended position.

What Are Clamps?

What are clamps? Clamps are any device that is used to bind, compress, or retain the position of one or more objects. Clamps are not unlike fasteners, except they’re usually mechanical devices of varying intricacies that can be attached and removed with greater ease compared to most fasteners.

Are There Permanent Clamps?

Technically, there are permanent clamps available. Wire clamps and pipe clamps are considered to be permanent as they can be left in position with no maintenance needed. However, clamps can wear and erode over time, which means that they will need to be replaced eventually, especially if they’re located outdoors.

Der Beitrag Types of Clamps – A Guide to Compression Tools erschien zuerst auf Your DIY, Crafting and Painting Guide.

Screwdrivers and Their Applications

There are different types of screwdrivers for essentially every type of threaded fastener you can think of. Threaded fasteners can be anything from bolts, to crews, and even clamp screws! This being said, below are a list of a few commonly used screwdrivers that you could encounter in your everyday life, as well as a few less commonly known ones that you might need in the future.

Keep in mind that there are different types of screwdrivers being invented all the time. This is because there are new, more durable, and easier-to-manufacture drive configurations (and different materials) being developed as well. Keeping up with all of these can be a bit of a headache, but staying abreast can make your life a lot easier down the road.

Whether you’re an avid wood crafter, engineer, or simply a hobbyist, you’re going to need at least a few screwdrivers in your toolbox. Some prefer electrical screwdrivers over manually operated ones, but each has its respective advantages and disadvantages in certain scenarios, so it’s best to assess the applications you’ll be using them for most frequently.

Different Types of Screwdrivers

In addition to there being different types of screwdriver heads, there are also different types of screwdrivers. What is the difference you ask? Well, the head of the screwdriver refers to the type of drive configuration they’re designed to operate with, whereas the type of screwdriver refers to how it is operated or how it’s been designed to function in a given application.

The Manual Screwdriver

The manual screwdriver is pretty much every screwdriver type we’ve had a look at thus far. They consist of a handle, shaft, and head, and are operated by turning them manually. Usually, one turns them clockwise to tighten and anti-clockwise to loosen. Additionally, manual screwdrivers can be found in an “L” shape, which is most common with Torx and Allen-wrench screwdrivers.

The Ratchet Screwdriver

As the name suggests, this type of screwdriver is a combination of a ratchet driver and screwdriver, which means it requires less effort to use than a manual screwdriver. Instead of having to turn your hand all the way in one direction, remove the screwdriver from the fastener, reinsert it, and turn it again, the ratchet mechanism allows you to drive the fastener with a direct pushing motion in one direction only, with a choice of forward and reverse gears that allow you to turn it in both directions, or even lock it to use as a conventional driver. To identify a ratchet screwdriver, look out for the gear shifting button located between the handle and the shaft.

The Precision Screwdriver

If you’ve ever wanted to change the battery in your wristwatch or open up the back of your laptop, the chances are that you’ve either used or wished you had one of these. These screwdrivers are small and are generally used in the repair of electronics, clocks, wristwatches, and other devices that would have an impractical size to use regular-size screws/bolts on.

The Magnetic Tip Screwdriver

This is one of the most useful screwdriver types around. Not only are they available in various sizes, but they allow you to work comfortably in scenarios where the possibility of losing your screw/bolt while installing and/or removing it is high. The tips of these screwdrivers have been magnetized, ensuring that the screw/bolt remains attached to the screwdriver during installation and/or removal. You can usually identify these by their black magnetized tips.

The Multi-Bit Screwdriver

These are the kind of screwdrivers that you’d find on sale around Father’s Day and Christmas. They are essentially a neck and handle with a blank tip. Various screwdriver tips can be added and removed interchangeably based on your needs, and they usually attach by means of a wedge or magnet. The quality and reliability of these types of screwdrivers can vary considerably.

The Electronic Screwdriver

While you might think that this is simply a drill, it’s not. Electric screwdrivers can look a lot like small a drill though, and some even look like manual screwdrivers with the only difference being a tiny motor inside the handle! These screwdrivers often use rechargeable batteries and can save you loads of time and effort if your project is time-sensitive.

Types of Screwdriver Heads

Just like there are different types of drive configurations on bolts and screws, there are different types of screwdriver heads to accommodate them. Below are some of the most commonly used screwdriver head types that you could find yourself needing in everyday life and some of the most common applications they’re used in.

The Flat-Head Screwdriver

Arguably one of the most recognizable screwdrivers out there is the flat-head screwdriver. This type of screwdriver has been around for thousands of years according to some accounts, and this comes as no surprise considering that the shape of the head means that it can be used as a chisel, to pry things open (like paint cans) or to widen gaps if you find yourself in a pinch.

Although the shape of the flat-head screwdriver has been around for a while, the screwdriver itself was designed to be used with slotted screws, bolts, and clamps. You’d be hard-pressed not to find these types of screwdrivers in pretty much any country, or any household for that matter, anywhere around the world.

While they all tend to look the same, these screwdrivers are available in different shapes and sizes, some being slightly tapered, and others being extremely wide at the tip. In certain instances, only a particular size of flat-head screwdriver may be used with certain sizes of flat screws. Trying to use the incorrect size of flathead screwdriver could result in damage to the drive configuration of your bolt or screw.

The Phillips-Head Screwdriver

If there were ever a screwdriver that was more recognizable than the flat-head screwdriver, it would have to be the Phillips-head screwdriver. The flat-head and Phillips-head screwdrivers can be used to take apart virtually any commonly constructed item, from kid’s toys to power tools and even furnishings! The head of this screwdriver looks like two flat heads that have been bisected into one another, presenting the form of a four-pointed star.

This is the second oldest type of screwdriver head shape. They first came about in the late 1920s as a response to the invention of Phillips-head screws, which were used as quick and effective fasteners in the construction of automobiles. The heads of these crews are designed to prevent damage to drive configuration by intentionally forcing the screwdriver to cam out once a certain point of resistance is reached.

Depending on who you ask, the forced cam-out is either a good thing or a bad thing. The suddenness of the forced stop can result in damage to the workpiece or the screw itself in certain instances, due to the screwdriver slipping out of the drive configuration, and/or the possibility of the screw or bolt becoming cross-threaded.

The Posidrive Screwdriver

Another popular variant of the Phillips-head screwdriver is the posidrive screwdriver. It’s essentially the same as the Phillips-head screwdriver but it has additional points at 45-degree angles in between the larger flanges. These screwdrivers are designed to work specifically with the posidrive drive configurations on bolts and screws.

The additional flanges on the head of the screwdriver and the recesses located on the heads of the screws are designed to minimize cam-out and ensure that the bolt and/or screw can only be removed with this type of screwdriver. These screwdrivers and the subsequent screws are used in applications where a tremendous amount of torque will be applied to the fastener.

The Japanese Industrial Standard Screwdriver

There are loads of tools out there that either resemble other tools or are simply derivatives of others. A good example of these types of screwdrivers is the Japanese industrial standard screwdriver, which is used among other screwdrivers (as the name suggests) in the mass production of Japanese goods and materials.

This screwdriver is practically visually and functionally identical to the Phillips-head screwdriver. The defining difference between these two screwdrivers is at the tip, with the angle of the Japanese imperial standard being slightly sharper. This means that while in some instances these screwdrivers can be used interchangeably, most times the Phillips-head screwdriver head will be too large, or the Japanese imperial standard will be too pointed to be used interchangeably.

The Allen-Wrench Screwdriver

Most people tend to have one of these whether they’ve gone out and bought them or not. All wrench screwdrivers are the third most common type of screwdriver heads used in everyday applications, with flat and Phillips-head screwdrivers being the first and second most-common, respectively.

The head of the Allen-wrench screwdriver forms the shape of a hexagon. They are used to secure and remove Allen-head bolts specifically, which are used to secure and retain a wide range of objects and workpieces in instances where there might not be sufficient space to use a flat or Phillips-head bolt. The Allen-wrench screwdriver is very slim too, which makes it ideal for use in tight spots.

This type of wrench is commonly sold with various furnishings and machinery which require assembly at home, but these ones are usually quite small. Store-bought ones are usually larger, featuring an Allen-wrench head on either end of its L-shaped body. Allen-wrench screwdrivers are completely unique and hard to confuse for any other type of screwdriver.

The Torx-Head Screwdriver

Torx screwdrivers are actually a brand name, which refers to a screwdriver head that has a hexagonal shape on its business end. They are used exclusively to insert and remove Torx-head bolts, which are used in a variety of applications. Torx bolts are used in applications where security and reliability are common issues, as they aren’t easy to remove and tend to be reliable fasteners.

In the construction of furniture and other wood crafts, these are quite commonly used thanks to their resistance to cam out. Both the screwdrivers and the bolts can be a bit expensive because they aren’t used as commonly as some of the bolts, screws, and screwdrivers that we mentioned previously.

Unlike the Allen-head screwdriver, the Torx head is more conventionally shaped, ensuring that you have more leverage and the fact that they can be used with greater ease. However, there are Torx wrenches that are sold in the same style and shape as Allen wrenches for applications where the bolts and/or screws might be difficult to reach.

Uncommon Screwdriver Heads

While most of us can get by with a simple flat and Phillips-head screwdriver on hand, there are applications and industries where more obscure types of screwdriver heads are needed. These might be for a particular type of machinery, to prevent/deter theft, or simply to meet industry standards. This being said, let’s have a look at some of the less commonly used screwdriver head types, what types of fasteners they’re used for, and the applications of those fasteners.

The Square/Robertson Screwdriver

Another super specific type of screwdriver that you might not come across in your everyday life is the Robertson screwdriver. This screwdriver’s head is square in shape and tapers slightly towards the tip to increase leverage when turning. These are used exclusively for the insertion and removal of Robertson head screws, which tend to be the most popular in Canada.

This doesn’t mean that they aren’t popular in other parts of the world though, as they’re used in breaker boards all over the world to prevent and deter tampering with sensitive equipment. This being said, there aren’t a lot of other applications where this type of drive configuration and screwdriver would be applicable.

In addition to screwdrivers like Phillips heads, Robertson head screws were also used in the construction of automobiles during the Mopar error, but they were not as popular as Phillips heads due to the fact that the screwdrivers were less commonly sold, and therefore automotive repair companies and individuals could not perform general maintenance and repair easily.

The Tri-Point Screwdriver

The tri-point screwdriver is one of the least used types of screwdrivers by everyday individuals. The tri-point screwdriver is one of the least used types of screwdrivers by everyday individuals.

The chances are that unless you work with electronics like computers, smartphones, or the installation of security gates, you probably haven’t even seen one of these. On the odd chance that you have, you’ve probably had to use them to insert or remove tri-headed screws or bolts.

Tri-head bolts are only used in specific applications as they can be a challenge to come by, and it can be difficult to get your hands on a tri-head screwdriver too. Due to this reason, they make an excellent tamper and theft deterrent, which is why most high-end electronics manufacturers and security gates use these screw types to secure and retain their workpieces.

Alternatives to Screwdrivers

You might find yourself in a position where you don’t have a screwdriver handy, and if you do it’s good to know what you can use as a viable substitute for one. Here are a few things you can use if you ever find yourself needing a screwdriver but can’t seem to find one, but keep in mind that these should be used cautiously to ensure that you don’t damage them or your fastener.

A Coin

An aptly sized coin can be used if you can’t seem to get your hands on a screwdriver. Simply insert the coin into the slot of a Phillips-head or flat-head screw and do your best to turn the bolt in or out as needed. Finding a coin that’s the right size can be a bit of a challenge, but the chances are that if you do some looking around you should be able to find one that works.

A Butterknife

One of the tried-and-true alternatives to using a screwdriver is the common butterknife. Their blades are thin and rigid enough to allow you to drive a screw, and unlike other alternatives, they have a handle that makes them easy to use. Always ensure that your butterknife is clean (and disposable) before using it as a substitute for a screwdriver.

Pair of Pliers

This might be a bit trickier to pull off compared to using a butter knife or coin. The aforementioned fit neatly inside the slot of the screw or bolt you’re trying to work with. Pliers on the other hand fit around the exterior of the bolt, and if the surface is sheet it can be tough to both grip and turn the fastener. This being said, try not to damage your fastener and pliers if you use this method.

A Hacksaw

This might not be the most elegant means of removing a fastener that has become stubborn over the years, but it does work. Using your hacksaw to saw off the head of a bolt, and then using a drill to drill into it, can be a useful last resort. You might need to re-tap the internal thread of the bolt if you use this method though.

A Blowtorch

Are you frustrated with a bolt or nut that simply will not come loose? Well, there’s a saying in engineering: “it can’t be tight if it’s a liquid”. Light up your blowtorch and revert that fastener back to its base elements within a few seconds. Just keep in mind that you will definitely have to re-tap the internal thread of your workpiece if you use this method.

Now that you know about the different screwdriver heads out there, what they are used for, some different screwdriver types, and some things that you can use as an alternative to a screwdriver, it’s time for you to get out there and put your newfound knowledge to the test. Remember to always consider the application and the potential impact on your workpiece before using a screwdriver for anything other than its intended application.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are Screwdrivers For?

Different types of screwdrivers are used to secure and remove different types of screws. Screwdrivers and screws are generally designed to work with one another, although the screwdriver is typically developed to fit the screw and not vice versa.

Are Screwdrivers Hand Tools?

Screwdrivers are classified as hand tools since they are driven by hand and not by an automated mechanism. Although, these days there are loads of electronically driven screwdrivers of varying shapes and sizes to choose from.

What Are the Three Types of Screwdrivers?

There are loads of types of screwdrivers out there for special applications, but the three primary types of screwdrivers are flat-, Phillips-, and Allen-head screwdrivers. These are the most common due to the screws they’re designed to work with being the most commonly used fasteners in many industries across the world.

Der Beitrag Types of Screwdrivers – How to Stock Your Toolbox erschien zuerst auf Your DIY, Crafting and Painting Guide.

What Is Varnishing?

Put very simply, varnishing is the activity of coating a surface with a material that produces better aesthetics, gloss, and a fair degree of protection for the said surface. Varnishing is typically conducted using a resin diluted in a liquid that can be applied to a surface using techniques very similar to painting.

In the context of wood, varnish is considered to be a form of wood treatment achieved through the application of resinous liquids to the surface of wooden items. After it has been applied, the varnish should permeate through the surface of the wood, into its fibers and thus achieve two things. Firstly, it will alter the aesthetics of the wood with the type of varnish used playing a key role in determining the color. Secondly, the varnish will seal all the pores of the wood’s surface once it has dried.

Visually, varnish appears like a coating of film covering the wood’s surface. Once completely dry, the varnish will be able to disallow dust particles and liquids from seeping into the wood. It is common practice to varnish wooden objects designed for regular use on account of how effective varnish is at increasing the longevity of wooden items. Beyond dust and moisture, varnish also protects the wood from damage that could be caused by exposure to sunlight, abrasion, stains, and impact.

Varnishing Types: A Brief History

The word’s etymology dates all the way back to the era of antiquity when the Greeks used it to describe the amber and sap extracts that can be found in trees. These tree resins were used then, as they are now, to coat wood to change its appearance and protect it from damage.

However, the earliest recorded examples of varnishing stem back from the time of the ancient Egyptians who made use of resins not only to create more resilient wooden tools and objects but also for their signature burial rituals involving mummification. Perhaps the most famous example of varnishing resins being used for mummification would be that of King Tutankhamun, whose remains show signs that the resin used to embalm him was still too high a temperature. This has led many historians to believe that the Egyptian King’s burial was a rushed procedure.

Although we most certainly do not use varnish for the same purposes in today’s world, the types of resins and ingredients present in the ones we use today do not differ all that significantly from the ones used way back then. The first varnishes were composed using tree sap, a naturally forming resin, and a solvent (i.e., the vehicle). These mixtures would be painted into the surface of wood using either a brush or a cloth. Modern varnishes now contain a combination of natural and artificial resins and chemicals to produce a more visually pleasing and resilient coating.

These are not the only examples of the craft of varnishing developing independently during ancient history. More so, wood was not the only thing people knew how to varnish back then. There were also several regions within Asia where formulas containing a complex variety of ingredients were used as a means to apply varnishes to all sorts of surfaces for a large number of practical and aesthetic purposes. Even way back then, we knew how to varnish silk to render the material resistant to water, to maintain a healthy polish of certain precious metals, and even to maintain the combat effectiveness of weapons.

There is no doubt that varnish is a remarkable invention that has seen an innumerable number of applications throughout history. However, this does not change the fact that varnish remains one of the most hazardous materials to work with when treating wood. The reason why varnish can often prove to be dangerous has to do with the fact that most varnishes these days are produced using a tall order of binders and solvents that, apart from being noxious and dangerous to inhale without proper protection, are also highly flammable.

Although varnish is no longer flammable once dried, it does pose health risks when working with it in its liquid state. We would keenly recommend that you make sure that, when you are applying your varnish, you are doing so in a well-ventilated area and that you properly dispose of waste materials and application instruments once the job is done.

Types of Varnish

As alluded to prior, you are spoiled for choice when it comes to picking out the perfect varnish for the job that sits before you. No matter what the task at hand may be, there is an appropriate corresponding varnish. While still falling under the blanket definition of what constitutes a varnish, many demand their own unique application processes to function properly.

Below, you can find a brief breakdown of the types of varnish you will most likely be using as well as the benefits and issues most closely associated with them. We will also indicate to you what applications they are designed for. This being said, we’ve created a short rundown of all of the varnish types you could come across, some of the pros and cons associated with them, and what their intended applications are.

Now that we have established the most common types of varnish that are suitable for application on wood surfaces, as well as their key attributes, feel free to stick with us as we discuss each example in greater detail.

Spirit-Based Varnish

In the treatment of wooden furniture items, we may give turn to a varnish called French polish. All this means is that a spirit-based varnish is being used. French polish has, for hundreds of years, been used to protect wooden objects and tools. French polish was and still is a popular option for the treatment of wood given that it not only makes the wood more resilient to environmental damage but also aids in the improvement of its aesthetic qualities.

While most modern varnishes are produced using a mixture containing synthetic materials, French varnish is unique in that it is produced using the compounds secreted by a specific phylum of East Asian beetle. The secretions released by these beetles appear as a flaky substance that, when diluted in alcohol, produces a varnish suitable for the protection and beautification of wood.

Another commonly associated word for spirit-based varnish would be “shellac”. This, however, is a popular conflation. Shellac and spirit-based varnishes differ in terms of their consistency, with the former being much thicker than the latter. While spirit-based varnish is rather runny, we find shellac to be waxy.  This being said, we do often see crafters using spirit varnish as a primer in preparation for the application of additional varnishes such as shellac. This is especially popular in woodworking projects pertaining to the creation of musical instruments.

The type of finish left behind by spirit-based varnish is that of a thin surface layer with a transparency that does not affect the quality of the texture or the visibility of the grain. Thin as it is, however, this prevents this clear varnish for wood from being able to offer much in the way of protection from environmental factors such as weather and UV rays. This is why you often see this color being used as a primer for more durable varnishes.

Acrylic-Based Varnish

Among the many reasons why varnishes can be dangerous to work with has to do with the fact that they contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). If inhaled, these chemicals can cause respiratory issues – hence why you are encouraged to always conduct varnishing in well-ventilated areas, preferably outdoors. However, acrylic varnish is an incredibly popular alternative to other more typically risky options of varnish types. This is on account of acrylic-based varnish containing little if any VOCs. Thus, acrylic-based varnishes can be applied indoors if necessary.

What makes acrylic varnish so much safer to use is the fact that it uses water as the vehicle. However, this does not only make it safer to use. Water evaporates incredibly fast, so acrylic varnishes typically dry much faster than their counterparts. If you are working against the clock, this varnish is exactly what you need to be using. Additionally, the acrylic polymer in these varnishes offers substantial protection from UV light. What this means is that it prevents the finish from fading over the course of time.

The finish you can expect from acrylic varnish types is that of a transparent coating that rests snuggly atop the surface it is applied. Both the grain and texture of your wood ought to be unobscured as well. That being said, however, there are still several varnishes of the acrylic variety that are designed to produce different sorts of finishes. Whether you want to stain the wood darker or lighter or retain its natural grade; acrylic varnishes offer you the option for variety.

One primary issue to remain concerned about when working with acrylic varnish is the fact that it can be quite runny and thus difficult to handle on account of it being water-based. That being said, however, water-based varnishes carry a high degree of viscosity and are thus in fact easier to clean up in the event of spillage. Additionally, perhaps the biggest issue with acrylic varnishes that avid woodworkers would jump to address is that acrylic polymer cannot penetrate and disperse uniformly into wooden surfaces. This does have the potential to cause the development of patchiness across the surface of your wood.

Exterior Varnish

As the name clearly suggests, exterior varnish is designed for application to wooden structures meant to remain outdoors. This is an excellent choice of clear varnish to use on wooden workpieces meant to sit in outdoor settings. It offers immense protection against environmental factors such as UV and rain and can also elevate the aesthetic qualities of the wood itself.

If you reside in a region that is host to harsh or unpredictable weather patterns and want to protect your outdoor furniture, you cannot go wrong with exterior varnish. This is particularly the case should you not like the idea of using paint. UV light, rain, moisture of any other kind, and abrasion are prevented by exterior varnish which greatly reduces the chances of your wood either splitting or rotting over the course of time.

Exterior varnish is incredibly hydrophilic, meaning that it is capable of completely sealing the surface and pores of wood and rendering it repellent against moisture. One issue with completely sealing wood, however, is that cutting off the supply of oxygen would lead to the wood becoming brittle over time. Exterior varnish addresses such concerns by allowing the wood to breathe.

If by now you still do not find yourself convinced of the efficacy of this varnish, you must then also take into consideration the fact that exterior varnish also contains chemicals intended to prevent fungal particles from developing on the wood’s surface. These chemicals are referred to as fungicides, which not only protect your wood from fungal infection but also deter infestations of insects such as termites and grubs. But, with great power comes great responsibility and you can expect this varnish to take quite a while to dry.

Polyurethane-Based Varnish

This has got to be among the best options for robust varnishes out there, but such things should be expected from thermoplastics. Durability is the name of the game when it comes to polyurethane (PU) varnish. The coat produced by this varnish is extremely durable and can protect wooden objects from some of the toughest climatic conditions out there. The most typical sort of application for this varnish will be in high-traffic areas.

If you are looking for a strong varnish for outdoor structures, your search ends with PU varnish. The varnish is also remarkably versatile in terms of application potential considering how heavy-duty it is. However, as can be expected of all other forms of polyurethane coatings, this varnish does not protect wooden surfaces by seeping into the pore, instead hardening around the wood and forming a rigid external layer of protection. Like paint, but better.

But since PU varnish cannot seep into the wood, it does not achieve as much of a firm bond with the wood fibers as would be the case with most other kinds of varnish. What this means is that you have to first apply a primer to the surface of the wood. In doing so, you will be guaranteed that there will be enough surface friction between the varnish and the wood to account for proper adhesion. The finish to expect from a PU varnish depends on your choice of product. Typically, we have three options to choose from; satin, matte, or gloss.

What makes PU varnish so remarkable is its list of robust attributes, which trump even those of exterior varnish. Beyond impact, moisture, and abrasion, PU varnish also protects the surface against heat and acids. The one Achilles heel that PU varnish does have, however, is that despite its durability it does not offer much in the way of UX protection. That being said, you can easily account for this by applying PU varnish in thicker coatings. This way is an easy way of minimizing the risk of damage to your surface through exposure to direct sunlight.

Yacht Varnish

If you are more so in the market for a durable yet clear varnish that does not obscure the grain, you could instead look towards yacht varnish. However, you may struggle to find uses for it outside of its primary function. Also sometimes referred to as “spar varnish”, this product was specially designed for use on wooden boat components. More specifically, it was used to protect the hulls and spars of boats, the latter of which are the dense, thick rods of wood on which the sails are supported. Not only is this varnish incredibly durable, but it is also remarkably flexible, which is a great attribute to boast considering how spars and masts tend to bend as the sails catch wind.

Initially, yacht varnish was used on seafaring vessels to protect the wood from water, sea salt, sand particles, and high winds. During the first several years following the invention of yacht varnish, very little attention was given to its aesthetic qualities. Nowadays, however, yacht varnish can be more than just purely functional, coming in a wide variety of colors and sheened finishes. Yacht varnish is still used extensively among boaters to beautify and protect their vessels.

If you have ever been to the ocean on a hot day as a child, chances are your parents insisted you apply sunscreen to protect your skin from sun damage. This same thing applies to wood, with high exposure to UVs resulting in wear over time. Here lies another astronomical benefit of yacht varnish; It is superbly UV resistant as well!

Reflecting on a prior point, however, we must encourage you to think about the pros and cons before choosing to use this varnish for anything besides wood that you expect to be exposed to high volumes of water. For outdoor applications on dry land, we would much rather recommend you use something like exterior varnish. While yacht varnish does supply superior durability, it comes at a high cost that more often than not outweighs the benefits.

Oil-Based Varnish

What is varnishing wood with oil supposed to achieve, exactly? We promise that the more you think about it, the more it begins to make sense. For starters, oil is hydrophobic, meaning it can deter water from seeping into the surface of wood. With moisture protection out of the way, we can begin to consider the aesthetic benefits of all the combinations between woods and oils you could achieve.

Drying Oils

If you have any prior experience in woodworking, you should be no stranger to the concept of drying oils, which are the naturally sourced oils used to varnish wood. This technique was initially discovered in Asia where it was popularized by fishermen who used drying oils to protect their small boats from moisture absorption and damage. These techniques made their way, port to port until they eventually got adopted by the global community. Oil-based varnish remains a popular choice to this day.

There is the argument that drying oils are not true varnishes, per se. A key ingredient in all other varnishes on this list is a solvent of some kind, which dry oils in their pure state lack. While oil may get away with being both the binder and the vehicle in paints, the same rules of definition do not apply when it comes to types of varnish. Thus, oil-based varnishes are typically considered to fall under the category of wood treatment products. While they do provide a small degree of layered protection against basic concerns like moisture, impact, and pests, they cannot compete with the durability afforded by any of the other varnishes on this list.

However, they can help elevate the looks of wooded workpieces and offer a wide range of varnish colors for wood. If you are going for the looks as opposed to utility, we would suggest that you look into oil-based varnishes. Oil varnishes are perfect for indoor wooden furniture that typically remains in a fixed position. Many other wooded household items, features, and decorations can be polished using oil varnish as well.

Drying oils get their name on account of how the oil component of the varnish dries once it has seeped into the wood’s surface and bonded with the fibers. This occurs following the evaporation of the solvent component. The oil will undergo the slow process of oxidation, during which it will begin to set on the wood as it hardens until solid. Drying oils also have numerous other applications as a sealant for a number of other projects, including linoleum flooring.

The use of drying oils to treat and varnish wooden workpieces is a tradition steeped in history, a craft mastered and passed down the centuries. Nevertheless, this classic form of varnishing simply cannot hold a candle to the durability of modern varnishes. Reapplication and maintenance will be frequently required to retain a smooth and undamaged surface. The purer varieties of oil-based varnishes, in particular, offer little to no protection to the wood beneath.

Drying Oils Make Wood Look Good

But while we have plenty of contemporary varnishing products to choose from that outperform drying oil’s durability, there are very few of them that can as effectively help preserve the original, natural tones and textures of wooden objects. In a sense, drying oils are almost similar to leather food in this regard.

Better yet, the process of varnishing wood with drying oils is a relatively easy process. In fact, many woodworkers and homeowners enjoy the process despite the recurrent need for maintenance. One might even go so far as to say the process of maintaining wooden workpieces using drying oils is a ritual that a lot of people find absolutely enjoyable. Especially when working with popular drying oils such as those made of linseed, one cannot help but appreciate the earthy, nutty aromas they sometimes emanate.

Alkyd-Based Varnish

The only difficulty in defining what constitutes an alkyd-based varnish is the fact that it could refer to a varnish from any of the prior categories before. Alkyd, which is a mixture involving vegetables, is an ingredient used so frequently among the many varnish types out there that it warrants its own classification.

Why is alkyd such a popular additive among varnishes? For starters, alkyd can not only improve the durability of a varnish but also decrease the expected drying time. With it also leaving the grain and texture of the wood unobscured, the typically clear finish provided by alkyd also improves the overall aesthetic value of wooden workpieces.

Above all else, however, what makes alkyd such a universally adopted additive is the fact that it affords a substantial improvement to a varnish’s threshold of resistance against fluctuating temperatures and exposure to UV rays. This is a key selling point of alkyd since a core requirement of all varnishes designed to treat outdoor wooden workpieces is for them to offer protection from direct exposure to sunlight. Such an attribute, alongside its exceptional resistance to condensation, makes alkyd the prime option for wooden poolside decks.

Beyond its adequacy for application on wooden objects and furnishing located exterior to the house or anywhere otherwise where it may be in direct sunlight for extended periods of time during the day, alkyd also offers a decent variety of optional varnish colors for wood. Since vegetable oils comprise a large percentage of alkyd’s composition, the combinations and ratios of these oils can be tweaked to produce different finishes that can achieve several aesthetic benefits. Whether you wish to intensify, lighten, or darken your wood’s tone, there is a variation of alkyd-based oil suitable for the job. Needless to say, alkyd is perhaps the most versatile product in the varnishing industry.

Lacquer

Avid wood crafters who have made it this far down the list might begin to cringe at the mere inclusion of lacquer. For people who are well versed in the craft of wood treatment, lacquer is decidedly not considered a varnish despite its similar functionality. This might be because of lacquer’s key superior quality; it is incredibly easy to use. Most varnishes cannot really compare to the ease of use afforded through the use of lacquer, especially given that you can purchase an aerosolized version of the product.

While varnishes tend to provide more resistance against UV rays, lacquer still protects wooden surfaces from moisture, impact, abrasion, cracking, acids, and even alkali. This being said, though, many lacquer products may begin to discolor and turn yellow over time. It can also scratch easily.

But lacquer still has a handful of other redeeming qualities to consider, such as the fact that can be easily maintained or removed. If you are scared of commitment, lacquer keeps the relationship casual by being as easy to remove as it is to apply. This means that you need not worry too much about overapplication or regretting your decisions if you do not like the finished product. You can also always use a bit of acetone to completely strip lacquer from wooden surfaces. There are also lacquer thinners designed specifically for this purpose. And, for the cherry on top; lacquer tends to be very affordable. You are best off using lacquer outdoors, however, since they do contain VOCs.

Wow, we really did not expect this article to be this long, yet here we are! And if you are as well, then we would like to extend our congratulations and thanks! Hopefully, have developed or consolidated your understanding of how to treat wood with several of the most popular varieties of the product. We wish you the best of luck on your future woodworking projects. Just remember that the safest way to apply varnish is by doing so outdoors.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Varnish?

Varnish is a resinous liquid most commonly used to treat and protect wood from environmental damage. Varnish can also be applied to wood for the improvement of aesthetic qualities.

Are There Different Varnish Colors for Wood?

There is a vast range of colored and tinted varnishes. Many varnishes are specifically designed to stain or otherwise alter the color of your wood. You can pick and choose between dozens of color options depending on your preferences.

Der Beitrag Types of Varnish – Guide to Protective Coatings erschien zuerst auf Your DIY, Crafting and Painting Guide.

What Is Rust?

Rust is essentially a substance that forms as a result of the corrosion of metal surfaces. When exposed metal interacts with oxygen and moisture, a process known as oxidization occurs. This process acts as a catalyst for the corrosion of the metal surface, resulting in what all know as rust. The less moisture, oxygen, and heat a metal surface is exposed to, the lesser the chance of it oxidizing.

If you’re wondering whether rust forms on all metals – it doesn’t.

Rust forms on metals that have a high concentration of iron in the molecular structure, metals which have come to be known as “ferrous metals”. Ferrous metals contain bits of iron in them, and when these bits of iron are exposed to moisture and oxygen they will begin to oxidize over time, resulting in what is known as “spot rust”.

There are metals that have been refined to such a degree of purity that they contain no iron. These metals are incapable of rusting and are often used in applications where moisture, heat, and oxygen are abundant, but a strong metal is needed. These types of metals are known as “non-ferrous” metals, and some of the most popular variations of these are aluminum, copper, zinc, bronze, and titanium.

Some of these metals form naturally while others need to be put through a refinement process to make them pure. These metals tend to be more expensive than ferrous metals due to their properties. Being non-magnetic and completely resistant to the effects of oxidation means that these metals are extremely popular, and thanks to how the law of supply and demand works, they can fetch a pretty penny.

Rust is not a desirable characteristic for a ferrous metal to have because it’s capable of spreading and corroding the entire piece. Additionally, rust poses a potential hazard, as even though it poses no harm to you if you touch it, getting cut by a rusty piece of rusty metal means that you could potentially contract tetanus, which can cause serious discomfort if left untreated.

If a metal workpiece is allowed to rust continually, it could result in it being completely corroded, resulting in the eventual disintegration of the workpiece. If you’ve ever seen an old car that’s been left outside for a few years, you’ve likely gotten a pretty clear picture of just how persistent and devastating rust can be if ignored.

Can Rust Be Removed and/or Treated?

You might find yourself in a situation where an object has begun to rust or already has a decent amount of surface rust, and you would like to remove it. Back in the day, one of the options would be to soak it in motor oil and hope for the best. Thankfully, we live in the age of information, and we’ve prepared a short list of rust removal techniques for you to try out, including using something as simple as vinegar! Does vinegar remove rust? Let’s have a look!

Scrubbing Your Metal Workpiece

As human beings, we tend to like taking the simplest approach to problem-solving, even if we expend more time and energy. After all, doing some mindless labor tends to be easier than meticulously planning out something before doing it, right? Well, if you abide by this philosophy, we think that this rust removal method is right up your alley. Simply scrubbing or scraping rust off the surface of a metal workpiece is the most bare-bones approach to rust removal there is, and in some instances, it could be your only option. There isn’t much to it, all that you need to do is get your hands on some steel wool or a scraper and get to putting in that elbow grease.

This method can be labor-intensive and tiring, which will likely result in you changing your scraping arm more than once if your workpiece is particularly large.

It is quite effective though, and if you’d like a more thorough solution, you can use this method in conjunction with some of the others we’ll mention below to get rid of rust quickly and permanently. Keep in mind that this method will only work on surface rust. Surfaces that have been extensively corroded should be treated with specialized products, provided they don’t need to be replaced entirely. Checking the extent of the corrosion on a given workpiece should be done first before attempting to get rid of the rust in question.

Using Baking Soda on Your Metal Workpiece

If you’re not in the mood for quite that much manual labor, you could try using some baking soda solution. Baking soda has been used for many years in applications other than baking, and it’s actually quite a versatile substance if you explore its uses. While it can be used to ensure your baked goods rise as intended, it can also be used for general cleaning purposes and to disperse foul smells.

When it comes to the removal of rust, baking soda is one of the most effective ways to ensure that your surface rust is removed effectively. How does it work? Well, basically when baking soda is combined with water and applied to a rusted surface, it creates an alkaline solution that dissolves the resulting oxidized metal, which can then be removed from the surface.

The rust can be wiped away with a cloth or you can use a scraper or some steel wool. Regardless of which you choose, the rust should come off with relative ease once it’s had a chance to set in. If you’re wondering how to use baking soda to remove your rust, all that you need to do is mix your baking soda with some water and apply it directly to your surface. Once applied, simply allow the baking soda to set into the rusted surface for a while. You should see the baking soda mixture begin to foam lightly once it begins to interact with the rusted metal, and once it stops the surface rust can be easily removed.

When using this technique, be sure to check that you have enough baking soda solution for your entire workpiece.

Using White Vinegar on Your Metal Workpiece

Using white vinegar to remove rust is actually a common practice all over the world. While dedicated chemicals for rust removal are great, using white vinegar can work in a pinch, especially if circumstances won’t allow you to use a substance that emits potentially harmful fumes. Vinegar is actually a mild acid, and it is pretty safe to use considering that it’s used for cooking pretty regularly. Does white vinegar remove rust the same way that baking soda does? Well, not really, even though both methods are functionally similar. Unlike baking soda, which forms an alkaline solution when interacting with rusted metal, white vinegar is naturally an acetic acid that is capable of dissolving the bond between the oxidized surface and the metal workpiece beneath.

Wondering how to remove rust with vinegar? It’s actually a lot easier than some of the other methods we have mentioned.

All that you need to do is apply your white vinegar directly to the affected surface and allow it to set in. You should be able to see the rust particles lift away from your metal surface within a few minutes, at which point they can be removed along with any excess vinegar using a clean cloth. Once the rust pieces and excess vinegar have been removed, you should ensure that you neutralize any residual vinegar left on the surface by washing it with some soap and water. Failing to do so could result in damage to your workpiece, and the stench of white vinegar likely to linger in the area for some time.

Using Potatoes on Your Metal Surface

While it might seem a bit silly, potatoes are actually really good at removing rust from metal surfaces. Why are they so good at removing rust? Well, potatoes contain a chemical called oxalic acid, a naturally occurring substance that just so happens to be able to break down rust, be it to a lesser degree than dedicated substances.

Potatoes can actually be used to clean a number of surfaces thanks to how the acids contain a slightly corrosive element to them. It’s actually these acids that make potatoes break down when they become rotten, and this same acid can be used to clean countertops, brass, the blades of knives, and even cookware like pots and pans.

If you’re wondering how exactly to use a potato to clean these metal surfaces, all that you need to do is cut the potato in half, spread some baking soda over the exposed section, and give the surface in question a thorough rub with the potato. Once you’ve given it a good rub, allow the acid to do its thing and rinse the surface under running water. While the acid produced by the potato isn’t powerful enough to corrode even an exposed metal surface, it can leave a nasty feeling residue on the surface of your workpiece.

On the plus side, removing rust using this method means that your workpiece is left with a rather pleasant, fruity odor that’s sure to put a smile on your face.

Using Lemon Juice on Your Metal Surface

This is a bit of a lesser-known trick for getting rid of rust. While most of us consider lemon juice a nice addition to a bowl of guacamole, it’s also an effective acidic solution for a number of applications outside of the kitchen. Lemon juice is one of many fruits that contain citric acid, be it in a higher concentration compared to fruits like oranges. This concentration of acid is what makes lemon juice so sour, in addition to some other elements in its composition. This makes it one of the best solutions to removing rust aside from dedicated rust removal agents.

If you’d like your lemon juice to be a bit more potent, you can mix it with additional mild acids like white vinegar.

Wondering how to use lemon juice to remove rust from a mental surface? All that you need to do is place some coarse salt on the surface of your workpiece (available at virtually any grocery store) and then add the lemon juice on top of it. Allow the mixture to sit on the surface for a little bit and then wipe off the remnants. What you want to avoid when using lemon juice to remove rust is leaving it on for too long. Depending on the severity of the rust you are trying to remove, you might need to leave it on for more than a few minutes, but don’t leave it on for too long or it could end up damaging your mental surface, causing it to rust over again.

Using Cola on Your Metal Surface

You’ve probably heard the story of someone cleaning old coins by submerging them in cola for a few minutes, but does cola really remove rust? Well, sort of. Cola consists of a number of substances, including carbonated water, colorant, sugar, and the active ingredient in most popular sodas, phosphoric acid. The latter is commonly used in most products produced specifically for rust removal, which is why cola is so effective at removing surface rust. This being said, drinking too much soda isn’t great for your stomach lining as it will quite literally eat away at it. It’s great for rust removal though, and all you really need to do is pour some on the surface of your workpiece or submerge it in said cola.

Just as if you were using pure phosphoric acid, you shouldn’t leave it on your workpiece for too long or it could start corroding the surface. As with some of the other methods we mentioned previously, all that you need to do once you’re happy with the removal of your rust is pour some water over the surface to neutralize the acid and remove the sticky residue.

Now that you know what rust is, how it forms, and a few less conventional ways of getting rid of rust, it’s time for you to get out there and put your newfound knowledge to the test. Remember to always neutralize acidic substances on your metal surface once the rust has been removed no matter how mild they might seem. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Vinegar Remove Rust?

Wondering how to remove rust with vinegar? Vinegar contains a mild acid that allows it to eat away surface rust on metal surfaces, even if it does make them smell a bit funny. All that you need to do is apply vinegar to the surface of your workpiece and neutralize it with water once the rust has been removed.

What Quickly Removes Rust?

One of the best ways to remove surface rust from a metal workpiece is by using vinegar. Vinegar contains mild acids that allow it to remove oxidized particles from the surface of the workpiece, after which they can simply be wiped away.

What Is the Best Way to Remove Rust?

Although dangerous in high concentrations, phosphoric acid is the best way to remove rust from metal surfaces. There are a number of over-the-counter substances that contain phosphoric acids in sufficient amounts to allow for the removal of rust.

Der Beitrag Does Vinegar Remove Rust? – How to Remove Rust With Vinegar erschien zuerst auf Your DIY, Crafting and Painting Guide.

Anatomy of Pliers

Just as there are different types of pliers, there are many different parts of pliers too. Understanding the parts of pliers will ensure that you know how to operate them correctly and how to repair them should they break. Pliers are actually pretty simple, so here is a quick breakdown of the basic anatomy of pliers:

• Tip
• Pip grip
• Cutters
• Jaws
• Fulcrum/pivot
• Handles

The anatomy of pliers is similar to that of scissors or hand-operated clamps. You have the handles that you use to compress and release the grip of the pliers. You then have the fulcrum or pivot point which the jaws and handle of the pliers are connected to. The jaws of the pliers can vary considerably – they can be long, short, robust, small, bladed, or blunt.

Most pliers have a combination of cutters and a pipe grip section, which can be used to cut and grip various materials respectively. The tip of the pliers is what most people use the most, as it can be used to grip, twist, and even close a number of things. Pliers are a must-have if you’re a DIY enthusiast, or don’t like calling a repair person for every little thing around the home. Some types of pliers have more intricate anatomies than the ones described above. This can be to produce a greater gripping force on your workpiece, to lock the pliers in place, or to alter the amount of force the pliers produce in a given scenario.

Always check the instructions provided by the manufacturer to ensure that you know how to operate your pliers correctly.

General-Use and Special-Use Pliers

As with most hand tools, there are some commonly used pliers and ones that are used for more specialized applications. While general use pliers can be found in your local hardware store, special-use pliers might need to be ordered directly from manufacturers or online. Types of pliers and uses can vary considerably, this being said, let’s have a look at a few of each.

General-Use Pliers

There are loads of pliers types out there for all means of applications. Different pliers types are operated differently, can be locked in place, and some even have more than one function. Here are some of the most commonly used pliers types out there and some of the less common ones that you might not find at your local hardware store.

Keep in mind that you should always use pliers for their intended application to avoid damaging your workpiece and/or causing harm to yourself.

Slip-Joint Pliers

Slip-joint pliers are one of the most versatile tools on the planet. They’re capable of a wide variety of tasks and they’re useful in both professional environments and they tend to be pretty helpful around the home. These pliers have been around for a long time and have received various modifications and innovations over the years. What are slip-joint pliers used for? They can be used to hold or bend a material, stamp or grip pieces of sheet metal, make a piece of wire into a loop, cut small or soft types of wiring, remove nailing, and even pry loose varying types of fasteners.

What are slip-joint pliers used for beside gripping things? If you find yourself lacking a wrench or screwdriver you also have the option of using this type of plier to drive or remove bolts and nuts! These pliers can be found in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, which makes them arguably the most versatile pliers on the face of the planet. They are also available in a narrow nose and bent nose configuration for applications where the conventional nose configurations are too big. The handles can also differ considerably for electrical or submerged usage.

Water-Pump Pliers

As the name suggests, this type of plier has been designed for the express purpose of gripping various pipers and cylinders while they are being worked on. They are available in different sizes to accommodate various cylindrical objects, and even their grips can be different to compensate for environmental factors, or when working with piping that could be electrically charged. Water-pump pliers can be used to remove piping or tighten/loosen nuts and other fastening devices that are used to hold piping together.

The jaws of these pliers are able to move freely, and their pivot point can be moved up and down to increase the distance between the jaws. This allows you to grip piping or locking mechanisms of varying sizes, which makes this tool a must-have for those in the plumbing trade.

Needle-nose Pliers

Needle nose pliers are one that is used almost exclusively by electricians. This type of plier starts off wide near the fulcrum and then slowly tapers off to a sharp point at the tip. It’s a great tool for handling small wiring in spaces that might be too much of a squeeze to use other types of pliers in. It’s operated like other types of conventional pliers by gripping the workpiece between the jaws and squeezing the handles together.

They usually don’t have much of a serrated grip, but they do have a cutting face near the fulcrum, which can be used to cut wiring and other malleable materials. The petite nose of these pliers can be used to handle small bolts and nuts after they have been removed or when they are being positioned. There are different types of needle nose pliers that can be used for a wide variety of applications. Different types of needle-nose pliers can vary in size, color, and shape depending on the application they were intended for. Keep in mind that needle-nose pliers aren’t particularly robust, so care should be taken when you’re working with them.

Linesman Pliers

When most of us picture pliers, this is the type of plier that usually comes to mind. Previously known as bell pliers, these pliers are used for a number of applications where a robust and reliable tool is needed. It is used for those in the metallurgy trade to bend and twist different types of metal, and in the electrical trade, they are usually used to twist particularly thick wiring for joining and installation. The jaws of these pliers are slightly serrated which makes them a great tool to grip and twist material with. They also have a bladed section located closer to the fulcrum which allows them to cut and trim wires or malleable metals.

Their grips can vary from metal to wood, to plastic, and even rubber. It’s easy to see why these are a crowd favorite across many professions.

Locking Pliers

If you work in an engineering or woodworking trade, the chances are that you’ve used one of these at some point. They are one of the most useful types of pliers and their uses vary from gipping a workpiece while painting, to using them as a clamp to secure a workpiece to a flat surface. The distance between the jaws of these pliers can be adjusted using a screw mechanism located in one of the handles. The locking pliers are commonly known as vice grip pliers as they allow you to grip an object and then lock the jaws of the pliers in place while you work on it.

The “lock” is engaged when a certain amount of force is applied to the grips, and they are disengaged when a little lever is flipped inside one of the grips. When discussing types of pliers and uses, this is by far one of the most versatile and easy to use of the bunch. Just because they can be used, doesn’t mean they should be used though. Locking pliers are available in a variety of sizes, all the way up to 12 inches.

They can produce an incredible amount of gripping force, which, in combination with their serrated jaws, is capable of causing serious damage to your workpiece and/or the pliers themselves.

Special-Use Pliers

When discussing types of pliers and their uses, special-use pliers are particularly interesting. Special-use pliers are those that you wouldn’t find in everyday applications, and you might not even be able to get your hands on a pair at your local hardware store. Most of these types of pliers have been designed to fulfill a specific need in a particular industry or occupation, so let’s have a look at some of them, what they do, and where they’re used.

Eyelet Pliers

Eyelet pliers are designed for one purpose and one purpose only; to insert eyelets. Don’t know what an eyelet is? They’re those little metal rings that you thread a drawstring to, mostly found on sweatpants, hoodies, and laced shoes. The eyelet pliers are quite heavy and robust, using a spring to regulate the pressure applied by the jaws and separate them once the eyelet has been inserted.

Circlip/Snap-Ring Pliers

If you know what a circlip or snap ring is, then you know that it can be a challenge to insert or remove without the right tool. Many people try using needle nose pliers for this application, but these retaining devices have been designed to only be removed with circlip pliers, or you could risk damaging them. These usually have long handles with a short fulcrum and jaw set. The tips of these jaws have small, flat, needle-like protrusions on their ends, which can comfortably be inserted into the holes of a circlip/snap ring.

These pliers work inversely, as the jaws expand when the handle is squeezed together, allowing you to expand the circlip/snap ring.

Canvas Pliers

This one is pretty straightforward. Canvas pliers have short handles for increased control, and pretty short jaws too. However, the jaws are flat and wide to allow you to grip canvas material and stretch it over a wooden frame. This process is usually a two-person job, but by using these pliers you can safely and securely construct a brand-new canvas all on your own!

Wire Cutters/Diagonal Pliers

The names of pliers tend to give away their intended purpose, and the wire cutters are no different. As the name suggests these pliers are used to cut wires, and they’re pretty good at it too considering that their jaws are bladed. They typically have long handles that are curved toward one another for increased grip, and a short, sharply bladed set of jaws that are used to cut and even trim wires in a pinch.

Nail-Puller Pliers

Nail-puller pliers are the kind of tool you want if wood crafting or fence installation is something you do regularly. These types of pliers are used to dig beneath the surface of a workpiece to grip a nail head that is flush with its surface. The pliers are then closed around the nail head by squeezing the handles together, at which point the nail can be pulled out of the workpiece in question.

Bail-Making Pliers

Bail-making pliers can be strange to look at, especially if you’ve never seen them before. Bail-making pliers are used for the purpose of making and sizing different types of jewelry. Each jaw has a small cylinder protruding outward, which tapers and steps off into even smaller cylindrical protrusions. The wire is wrapped around these to size up different types of jewelry. These can be used to make a wide variety of jewelry including rings, looped earrings, and the joining links of chains.

There aren’t really any major applications for this type of plier outside of the jewelry-making trade, and as a result, it tends to be one of those obscure tools that not many people know about.

Hose-Grip Pliers

Hose-grip pliers are used to grip little hoses that would otherwise be too slippery or too small to grab by hand or with long-nose pliers. When closed, the tips of the jaws of these pliers have a little circle, which is made of two halves attached to the tip of each jaw. These pliers are opened, their tips positioned around the hose in question and then closed to grip them firmly. These are ideal for removing and installing fuel lines on motorcycles and gas-powered weed eaters.

Grommet Pliers

Where the eyelet pliers are designed to secure inserts for things to be threaded through, the Grommet pliers allow you to insert grommets that block off a hole or recess. They are functionally the same as eyelet pliers with the only difference being that they do not punch holes, which is ideal if you’re trying to seal off a recess.

Hose-Clamp Pliers

Another instance where the names of pliers give away their intended application is with the hose clamp pliers. These pliers aren’t quite used to clamp hoses though, they are actually used to grip and expand the clamps used to secure hoses while they’re being positioned. They have a unique formation at the tip of each jaw which allows them to interact with hose clamps, which expand when squeezed by the jaws of these pliers.

Battery Pliers

Considering that any bolt connected to the battery terminal can be dangerous, you might find yourself thinking twice about removing them with your hand or metal wrench. It’s for this exact reason that the battery pliers were invented. These pliers allow you to safely secure and loosen the bolts that secure the terminals of car batteries. The handles of these types of pliers are insulted which means that even if the pliers do conduct a charge, you won’t risk getting shocked! To make things even easier for you these pliers are perfectly shaped for the removal of battery bolts that are usually square in shape.

How, you ask? Well, the pliers have short, serrated jaws which can grip these bolts safely and securely.

Oil-Filter Pliers

Oil-filter pliers are one of the most application-specific pliers out there, considering that you literally cannot use them for any other application other than removing oil filters from internal combustion engines. These feature a conventional handle and fulcrum mechanism, which is a set of jaws that are curved. The grips/handles are closed, allowing the jaws to wrap around the oil filter, at which point it can be threaded out of the engine block.

Fencing Pliers

Fencing pliers look like little hammers with a spike on one end instead of a pein. These pliers are used for the installation and removal of fencing wire. The sharp end allows you to remove staples, while the hammer face allows you to drive them in. The jaws of these pliers are bladed to allow you to cut, crimp, and grip fencing wire, while the fulcrum can be adjusted to allow you to cut different sizes of fencing wires with greater ease.

Piston-Ring Pliers

Piston-ring pliers are another type of plier that is completely specific to one application. As the name suggests, this plier is used to install and remove oil and compressing rings from an internal combustion engine’s piston. When the handles are squeezed, their curved jaws spread open (inverted operation) allowing you to separate or install rings.

Brake-Spring Pliers

If you weren’t around when drum brakes were the only option on cars, this type of pliers might seem a bit useless to you. Back in the day, however, they were an indispensable part of any automotive mechanics’ toolbox. They are made entirely of steel, including the handles and jaws of the pliers. Both jaws are curved sharply to the right and have little pins protruding out of their edges. These pins are used to insert and remove the spring that operates the drum brake, which can wear out along with the drum itself.

These tools aren’t used all that much these days are disk brakes are much safer and don’t lock up as easily as the aforementioned drums do.

Push-Pin Pliers

One of the most annoying problems to encounter in your workplace or at home is when a pushpin becomes nearly impossible to remove by hand. These pliers allow you to close in under the head of the pin and force it upwards. The pin will then be popped out of place, freeing it from the surface and allowing you to continue working.

Chain-Nose Pliers

A pretty unique pair of pliers even by the standards of special use pliers are the chain nose pliers. These pliers, like bail-making pliers, are used exclusively in the jewelry-making trade. They are characterized by their flat inner jaw and rounded outer jaws, which allow them to manipulate metal and squeeze loops together, which is a common operation in jewelry making.

Running Pliers

Running pliers are one of the most unique types of pliers out there because of the material that they work with. These pliers are designed to cut glass that has been scored. They have wide, nearly flat jaws with an adjustable distance. They also have a center line that ensures you’re always in contact with the scored line on the glass sheet you’re cutting. The distance between jaws can be adjusted using a crew located on the side of the fulcrum.

Sheet-Metal Pliers

These pliers are cool, but they do require a bit of elbow grease to use effectively. They have wide, flat jaws which allow you to grip a piece of sheet metal and bend it back or forth. The handles of these pliers are usually short to ensure the proper application of force during the bending process.

If you bend sheet metal regularly or work in metal fabrication these are must-haves.

Spark-Plug Pliers

If you aren’t an automotive electrician or engineering student, then the chances are that you have never heard of these. They resemble long-nosed pliers but instead of sharp tips, their ends are stubby and insulated to ensure that the removal of spark plugs, coil packs, and other electronic automotive components doesn’t result in nasty shock.

Ring-Splitting Pliers

Ring-splitting pliers are also used in jewelry making, and even though they can be used in occupations, their operation and primary function remain largely the same. If you find yourself stuck with tightly coiled rings of metal that you’d like to separate, these are the pliers you want on hand. One jaw is long and flat, and the other has a pin that faces the direction of the other. When the pin is placed between these rings and forced downward by closing the pliers, the rings will split.

Now that you know about the different types of pliers out there, both the common types of pliers and those that are reserved for special use, it’s time to get out there and put your newfound knowledge to the test. Remember to always use pliers for their intended use only to avoid damage and/or injury.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Do Pliers Look Like?

What do pliers look like? If you find yourself wondering what pliers look like, they’re pretty easy to spot. In most cases they resemble scissors with jaws instead of blades. Pliers consist of three primary components including the jaws, fulcrum, and handles, all of which are designed to allow you to grip, cut, twist, pull, and puncture your workpiece. The function of any given set of pliers can vary considerably.

What Type of Tool Are Pliers?

Pliers are classified as a type of hand tool. They are designed to allow you to grip an object or workpiece and are available in various shapes and sizes for a wide array of applications. Other hand tools include hammers, chisels, and files.

What Should Pliers Not Be Used For?

Pliers should only ever be used for their intended application. Most general-use pliers are designed for pulling, twisting, cutting, and turning an object. You should never use your pliers as a hammer, scissors, punch, or file as it could result in damage to your workpiece or injury to yourself.

Der Beitrag Types of Pliers – A Deep Dive Into Types of Pliers and Their Uses erschien zuerst auf Your DIY, Crafting and Painting Guide.

Anatomy of a Hammer

There are loads of different types of hammers out there. Different types of hammers are designed for various applications, but at the end of the day, the primary function of any one hammer is to, well, hammer things. This being said, let’s have a look at the different parts of a hammer, what the different parts of a hammer are used for, and why they are designed the way they are.

Generally, a hammer will consist of between eight to nine parts. These parts are:

• Grip: This is the part of the hammer that you hold.
• Handle: This is the part directly above the grip.
• Eye: This connects the handle to the head.
• Head: This is the part to which the peen/claw attaches.
• Cheeks: These are the side faces of the head.
• Head and neck: These are the parts of the hammer that are used to strike things.
• Peen/claw: The end that typically faces you will have either a peen or claw, which can be used to round off things or pull fasteners, respectively.

Each type of hammer will have a different weight and size to suit a certain application or trade, and it’s best to familiarize yourself with which hammer type is best suited for each application to avoid any confusion in the future.

Types of Hammers

Now that you know what each part of a hammer is used for and why it has been designed a certain way let’s have a look at some of the types of hammers you might encounter, what they are used for, their individual characteristics, as well as their size and weight. Keep in mind that while some hammers can be used interchangeably, it’s best to use the hammer type that is best suited for your intended application.

The Clawed Hammer

Starting off with a classic, we have the claw hammer. This type of hammer is a fundamental part of pretty much any handyman, contractor, and even artist’s toolbox. It’s quite simple, these are generally outfitted with fiber, wood, or insulated steel handles to absorb shock and ensure a good grip when being used. These hammers are commonly sold in weights of around 16 all the way up to 14 ounces.

Why is it called the claw hammer? Well, because of its claw!

This claw is usually V-shaped with a slight curve to it. It’s designed to allow you to use leverage to remove nails and other fasteners from a workpiece. If you’re going to be using this type of hammer quite a bit, particularly the claw end, get one of a decent quality to ensure the claw doesn’t break away from the head of the hammer.

The Ball Peen Hammer

If you’ve done metallurgy or watched the discovery channel in your life, then you’re probably well acquainted with the ball peen hammer. This type of hammer is generally used in engineering and metallurgy industries for the purpose of shaping metal and rivets.

These hammers tend to be hard-wearing, and generally have a wooden handle to aid with shock absorption.

They’re also able to withstand loads of abuse and heat fluctuations while experiencing little to no metal fatigue. They’re also a pretty decent tool to have around the house if you need to hammer in some nails or flatten any fasteners. Compared to most claw hammers, they are quite small, being sold in weights of around two to four ounces at the heaviest.

The Cross and Straight Peen Hammer

Another tool that seems to be very common in both engineering and home use is the cross and straight peen hammer. This tool is most commonly used to shape and form metal workpieces, even though it’s quite small.

This type of hammer is best characterized by the uncurved peen, which can be used to strike pretty much any material.

These hammers have a relatively small face compared to their counterparts, but this is because they’re intended to strike with precision instead of brute force. The difference between a cross and a straight peen hammer is that the straight peen hammer’s edge is parallel to the handle, whereas the cross peen’s runs perpendicular to it.

These hammers typically have a weight of around four ounces.

The Sledgehammer

If you’ve watched a horror movie in the last decade or so, then you probably know what a sledgehammer is, even if you’ve never been outdoors before. These hammers are huge, heavy, and typically operated with both arms. Their grips and handles are made out of hard-wearing wood species that not only resist the effects of shock, but also prevent it from transferring to the user.

What would use a sledgehammer for? Well, it is heavy and has a solid steel head, so it’s pretty good at breaking things. Thanks to this it’s often used to take down walls (solid or not) load-bearing pillars, nail in railroad spikes, and drive chisels into tough surfaces.

As we mentioned previously, these can be heavy, ranging anywhere between seven and 14 pounds.

The Club Hammer

Think of the club hammer as a light-duty sledgehammer. It’s called a club hammer because of its size, and it does feel like you’re clubbing a workpiece instead of driving into it when being used. This hammer is heavy, short, and is capable of light debris removal and demolition work if the job demands it.

It’s generally used in metal and concrete work.

This hammer is used to drive chisels into concrete surfaces, remove or damage metal and/or concrete surfaces, or simply break things. Its head is quite large, with similarly sized faces on both ends, making it a pretty robust tool.

These usually feature dense wooden handles to assist with sock and stability, and they generally weigh between one to two-and-a-half pounds.

Special-Use Hammers

As the name suggests, special-use hammers are used for specialized trades and/or scenarios. These hammers can be hard to find and usually aren’t stocked in your typical hardware store. This being said, let’s have a look at a few of them, why they’re made, what they’re used for, and what some of their characteristics are.

The Brass or Copper Mallet

This type of hammer is used in applications where you wouldn’t want to risk damaging the surface of the workpiece. These hammers consist of metals that are far more malleable than those used in construction, load-bearing, or fastening applications.

They aren’t so malleable that they’ll be damaged, but just enough to ensure they don’t damage the surface of your workpiece.

A lot of the time these hammers are used for applications where a workpiece needs to be driven into a recess, but the face it’s being driven into cannot be damaged, either for aesthetic or operational reasons. They’re also used in applications where a softer metal needs to be used to drive a harder metal.

The Blacksmith Hammer

This type of hammer, as the name suggests, is used by blacksmiths. They resemble sledgehammers, and in most cases, they have handles made of the same type of wood. However, the head of these hammers is often made of hardened metals that are used to draw iron and shape other metals.

Unlike the sledgehammer, this hammer has a peen on one end and a face on the other.

We should mention that while this hammer will suffice for small blacksmithing projects it can get exhausting to use these on particularly large projects. These days many in the metallurgy trade prefer using a mechanical hammer or press.

This being said, these can take up a lot of space, require more maintenance, and can be quite expensive.

The Electricians Hammer

Think of the electrician’s hammer as a small claw hammer. These hammers are used by home electricians to remove wall mounts and pins that may be in contact with live wiring. Since the grip and handle of this hammer are insulated, there is no risk to the operator of electric shock.

This makes this hammer the ideal tool for any scenario where you suspect a metal workpiece may be electrically charged.

The Bushing Hammer

The primary purpose of any hammer is to allow you to drive into a surface, usually to secure something and remove it. The bush hammer is a bit different in this regard, as it has a face resembling that of a manual meat tenderizer. Instead of leaving its pattern on a fine cut of steak though, this hammer allows you to leave an imprint on a masonry or concrete surface.

Bushing hammers are essential tools for carving stone.

The Drywall Hammer

The drywall hammer might look a bit strange but it’s one of the best tools to have around if you’re doing a home renovation or contracting. This hammer has a face on one end and a notched blade on the other.

The blade can be used to cut off the end of drywall sheets and the notch can be used to hold drywall nails in place, which is pretty cool.

The Mechanic/ Engineering Hammer

This hammer is essentially a cross-peen hammer with a uniquely shaped head. In the automotive repair and customization industry, this hammer is used to secure, remove, or even shape bodywork in some instances.

This hammer is highly resistant to shock, heat, and corrosion, which makes sense considering the application.

The Planishing Hammer

A rather unique hammer, instead of being used or excessive force this hammer is used to shape and smoothen a variety of workpieces. This hammer has a face and peen, with the face being used to smoothen any surface that has been worked by the peen.

This hammer is used to form bezels, forming metal against mandrels, and even size rings!

The Welding Hammer

If you’ve ever done fabrication work, then you should know this one pretty well. If not, the welding hammer is a tool designed to chip off slag from a workpiece that has been welded. It’s pretty unique in appearance, sporting a spring on the grip. The head features a chisel on one end and a vertical peen on the other, allowing you to bow cut and chip slag where needed.

This hammer is often sold with a welding unit, but they can be purchased separately too, be it at quite the price. Why? Like any specialty tool, they aren’t used every day and because they seldom break (if ever) they can be a pretty penny to find and/or replace.

The Trim Hammer

The trim hammer is one of the smallest special-use hammers out there. This hammer has been designed to drive and remove the little nails used to install trim. In appearance, this hammer has a long handle and small grip ensuring greater leverage.

It has a flat head on one end and a slightly curved claw on the other.

The Rip Hammer

The rip hammer is pretty generic in appearance and if we’re being honest could be used for a wide variety of applications. Its intended use, though, is to allow contractors and home improvement enthusiasts to tear through various materials like wood and drywall. It has a long handle, half of which is used for grip. Its head consists of a long, curved claw and a flat-faced head.

This hammer is one of the best tools for manual disassembly considering that it has a long reach and therefore creates a lot of leverage for the user. Trained teams are capable of using this in combination with other tools to deconstruct entire floors of buildings in just hours, which is a great testament to the effectiveness of this tool.

The Double Face Hammer

The double-face hammer resembles the club hammer in both appearance and application. Like the club hammer, it Is generally used in metallurgy or blacksmithing. This being said, the hammer is short, has a heavy double-sided flat-faced head, and can be used in any application where little leverage and maximum weight are required.

The Blocking Hammer

The blocking hammer is one that is used for blacksmithing and metalworking almost exclusively. The blacksmith version is characterized by its medium length and a thin head that features peen on both ends. One of these peens is often smaller than the other and is used by blacksmiths to shape metal. Once a metal has been heated and placed on the anvil, this is the tool that is used to shape it.

The blocking hammer used to shape metal sheets is larger and resembles a mallet.

The Brick Hammer

The brick hammer is another really specific hammer. These are used to cut or chip away small pieces of brick, which is pretty useful in construction and sculpting applications. This hammer is best characterized by its short handle, its long thin head, and the blade and chisel on either end of the head.

This is one of the most commonly used tools by contractors and landscapers.

The Chasing Hammer

If you’re looking for a hammer that’s truly strange in appearance you’ve found one. The chasing hammer is another trade-specific tool that you wouldn’t really find at your local hardware. This hammer has a somewhat tapered handle and a small head. One end of its head consists of a rounded face, and the other an ordinary peen.

This hammer is used exclusively to shape various types of jewelry.

The Hatchet Hammer

If you’re looking for a tool that you can both cut and hit with, this might be just what you’re looking for. Featuring a head that has a hammer face on one and an axe on the other, this is every woodwork enthusiast’s favorite type of tool. Besides being one of the coolest-looking tools around it is also one of the most versatile.

The culinary version is called a kitchen axe.

There isn’t really an intended application for this one, as it can be used for chopping firewood, or it can be used for quick cuts in wood crafting. This being said, it’s one of those tools that pay for themselves, making it one of the best investments for any toolbox.

The Power Hammer

People are capable of incredible things if given the right tools and motivation to get the job done. Unfortunately, sometimes a regular old hammer simply isn’t enough and you need something bigger, something that won’t get tired of swinging, and is capable of producing a lot more force than you can for the job at hand.

Enter the mechanical hammer. These aren’t the kinds of things you’d keep in your toolbox, considering that they’re huge machines. These days they’re fully automated, allowing you to do labor-intensive work quickly. They are generally used for bending, forging, and pressing materials that otherwise would be too difficult or time-consuming to do by hand.

The Rock Chisel/ Hammer

Not every hammer is used to tear things apart, flatten things beyond recognition, or hammer in nails. Some hammers have been designed for delicate applications like jewelry making and even installing drywall as we mentioned previously. The rock hammer, despite its name, definitely fits into this category.

The rock hammer is used in archaeological excavations to ensure that items and places of interest aren’t damaged during the process. It consists of a shirt handle, and a pick at one end, which allows the user to remove debris with considerable precision considering some of the other hammers we’ve looked at so far.

The Soft-Faced Hammer

Like the rock hammer, we mentioned previously, this type of hammer has been designed for precision work instead of brute force. The face of this hammer is often made out of wood to ensure that whichever surface you’re working with isn’t damaged during the prices. This hammer resembles a mallet in appearance.

It has a long handle with a grip that reaches halfway up the hammer. These hammers can consist of materials besides wood though, as modern ones can have two rounded polyurethane faces or even rubber faces attached to the head. These faces are often replaceable with high-end brands, which is a feature unique to this hammer type.

The Joinery Mallet/Hammer

This one might have eluded you if you’ve never done woodwork before. The joinery mallet is used exclusively for wood joinery. It is a type of  “soft” mallet designed to prevent the wood and joints from being damaged while being driven in.

These mallets can be used for a number of wood-crafting applications in addition to joinery, but this is where they are most commonly used.

The Scaling Hammer

The scaling hammer is not designed to scale mountains as the name suggests (unfortunately) Rather The scaling hammer is not designed to scale mountains as the name suggests (unfortunately). Rather, this hammer is used to remove things from surfaces. This hammer is medium-sized and usually has a pretty thin handle with a rubber grip stretching halfway up.

Its head consists of two-bladed peens on each end, one parallel and the other perpendicular to the handle.

As you can probably tell by its appearance, this hammer is not used to drive things into surfaces. Instead, this hammer is used to scrape and chip away at corrosive coatings like rust and scales that have formed on surfaces. It’s a great alternative to using the age-old combination of a conventional hammer and a chisel.

Now that you know about the anatomy of a hammer, the different types of conventional-use mallets you might come across, and some special-use hammers you might not have known about, it’s time for you to get out there and put your newfound knowledge to the test. Remember to always work cautiously with hammers as they’re capable of causing considerable damage to you and your surroundings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are There Different Hammer Sizes?

Are there different hammer sizes? Yes! There are loads of hammers out there that differ in both size and weight. Larger hammers are typically heavier and therefore produce more force when used to strike the surface of an object, whereas smaller hammers allow for more precision.

Are There Different Hammer Forms?

Are there different hammer forms? Yes! There are hammers for pretty much every occupation and application you can think of. Some hammers are bladed, soft, and some are even made of synthetic materials to reduce shock.

What Are Five Safety Rules When Using a Hammer?

A hammer might seem like a simple tool that doesn’t require any safety considerations, but it can be dangerous under the right circumstances. The five main rules when using a hammer are to always wear personal protective gear, inspect the head of the hammer, always strike at a parallel angle, ensure you have the right type of hammer for the application, and always wear gloves graded for the application.

Der Beitrag Types of Hammers – Your Complete Guide to Hammer Tools erschien zuerst auf Your DIY, Crafting and Painting Guide.

Using a Spray Painter to Apply Lacquer

We always want to use our best to complete our projects, which means that often we spend so much time trying to select the correct consistency and color while imagining the finished product in our minds. Sometimes the perfect way to complete your piece is with a stunning sheen finish, and the perfect way to achieve this is to use lacquer.

So, you may wonder how best to apply lacquer? You could potentially choose to use a roller and a brush but that runs the risk of leaving brush strokes and over applying, so we would rather recommend you apply your lacquer using a sprayer.

Before sprayers were mass-produced, affordable, and versatile, you would have had to purchase a sprayer that had been specifically designed to apply lacquer, and if you were not able to afford one, you either had to get a professional to do it for you or take a risk in trying to apply the lacquer using your standard sprayer.

Luckily, these days, there is an assortment of sprayers available that can handle both standard paint and lacquer. These sprayers have a significantly higher PSI (pounds per square inch) output and come with a large spray nozzle which works well with the sticky and thick consistency of lacquer.

You will require a high-pressure output on your lacquer spray gun to ensure that the lacquer is applied effectively. The reason for this is that paint is a lot thinner than lacquer and therefore the pressure required to ensure the correct viscosity for the application of paint is a lot less than the significant volume of pressure required for the lacquer spray gun’s tip to force the substance through. This ensures the lacquer is atomized and applied adequately to the workpiece, offering you the clear protective layer that you are hoping to achieve.

HLVP (High-volume low-pressure) sprayers are the best option when working with lacquer thanks to their adjustable air pressure, which means your lacquer has enough pressure to be expelled, and the consistency it offers. This means that you are less likely to experience splatter (which can be a serious hassle to clean up).

Is Lacquer Applied Differently to Spray Paint?

You would naturally assume that there is a specialized approach to applying lacquer as it is such a different material in comparison to paint, but actually, the application method is relatively easy. You simply decant the lacquer in your paint canister (also referred to as a hopper) , adjust your air pressure as needed and then begin the application just like you would spray a layer of paint.

There are certain techniques, tricks, and tips that can assist you with the perfect application and bonding of your lacquer, but you do not have to use them. If it is your first time working with spraying lacquer you can build up your experience and it is easy to teach yourself how to spray lacquer.

If you are working with a piece of furniture which is roughly medium in size or an item that will be living outside most of the time, you might need to apply several coats to ensure the longevity of the item and ensure your finish is preserved.

We recommend you apply the first coat and then allow it time to set. Once set, you can use some sandpaper to roughen up the surface, ensuring that you are working in the same direction as the wood’s grain. You can then apply the next layer. If you then repeat this process three more times you will be left with a finish that will last for a very long time. The lacquer will protect your surfaces from scratches and will decrease the likelihood of water damage and premature rot.

Keep in mind that lacquer has a relatively thick consistency, so if you fail to clean your paint canister and/or spray gun when you have finished applying the lacquer, you will have resulting clogs, which are particularly messy to remove. You need to clean not only the mechanisms found inside your spray gun but also the spray nozzles and tips when working with lacquer. This is because if the lacquer is not cleaned out after use, then these components will become clogged with hard, dried lacquer and will be completely useless.

A good option to the lacquer potentially clogging the tips and nozzles is to work with multiple spray tips that can be changed and detached with ease. This way you can simply take the spray tip and drop it in some solvent to clean it and just attach a new one so you can continue working.

HVLP vs. LVLP for Lacquer Application

When it comes to painting sprayers, the age-old question is which is better: an HVLP or an LVLP sprayer? At the end of the day, there is no outstanding winner, each is better suited for their relevant application, so selecting which one to use all depends on what you are trying to achieve.

HVLP: High-Volume Low-Pressure Sprayers

As previously mentioned, there are particular jobs for which an HVLP sprayer is best suited, and in terms of spraying lacquer with an HVLP sprayer, this is your best option. The reason for this can be found in its name, thanks to an HVLP sprayer processing a high volume of liquid at relatively low pressure.

At the point of atomization, you will get a consistent pressure concentration. What this means is that it ensures the liquid (in this instance lacquer) is pressurized at the spray tip until you are ready to pull the trigger, this causes it to be forced through the tip resulting in it being atomized and spraying onto your workpiece. The HVLP sprayer is loved by many hobbyists and professional craftsmen when it comes to working with lacquer.

LVLP: Low-Volume Low-Pressure Sprayers

You will require constant pressure, due to the thick consistency of lacquer, to ensure it is atomized instantly when you hit the switch. Otherwise, your lacquer will not be pressurized adequately, and this will mean that you will wait a long time, once you have pulled the trigger, for the necessary pressure to build up to force the lacquer to move through the spray tip. Best-case you will end up with lacquer messily splattered over your painted workpiece.

The worst case is that your spray gun will not be able to generate sufficient and consistent pressure to atomize the lacquer inside the spray tip. Remember that it is pretty simple to remove any cured lacquer from a single recess such as a spray tip, but removing lacquer from the whole spray gun with small, intricate orifices is particularly difficult. Spraying lacquer with HVLP is a much easier process.

Selecting the Appropriate Feed Configuration for Lacquer

This can be a difficult question to address as different sprayers are equipped with different feed configurations. A pressure feed is characterized by a separate tank that holds your lacquer. This will ensure the compressor pressurizes and channels the substance through to your pressure gun so you can apply the lacquer.

Attached under the paint gun is the paint canister on a siphon-feed. The neck of the canister feeds paint upwards into the nozzle. While on the other hand, a gravity feed is inverted. This means that the paint canister can be found on top of the spray gun with the neck of the canister feeding lacquer downward into the nozzle.

A lot of DIY-ers like this gravity feed and pressure feed configurations when applying lacquer, due to the thick consistency of lacquer.

While gravity might not be assisting with a pressure feed, it helps to have the lacquer ‘pre-pressurized’ directly into your spray gun. However, when working on a small-scale application like crafting or furniture, the gravity-feed configuration is the go-to option thanks to the advantage of having both air pressure and gravity aiding in the process. Gravity feed is also popular when tackling smaller projects thanks to the small quantity of lacquer required, meaning you will not be cleaning lacquer out of a huge canister and none of it goes to waste.

What to Think About Before Buying a Spray Gun for Lacquer

There are some amazing sprayers available that offer all the bells and whistles you could think of, this does not mean that they are good-quality sprayers. There are particular requirements a spray gun must meet to work effectively with lacquer. If the sprayer does not meet these requirements, you run the risk of damaging your whole sprayer unit. What follows are some aspects you should take into consideration before you purchase your spray gun.

Power Output

Lacquer as a solution is very dense, this means it will require substantial pressure to atomize for spraying. If your sprayer’s power rating is low, it will have difficulty in providing consistent or sufficient pressure for the lacquer. This can cause your sprayer and your feed line to clog up, which can be a huge mess to clean up. It is even messier to clean up if you have never previously taken your sprayer apart.

Another issue with using a sprayer is that low power output could result in lacquer being splattered all over your workpiece because of insufficient pressure. You can consult the manufacturer’s website or the sprayer’s packaging to determine the sprayer’s power rating. Before purchasing your sprayer, always check the power rating.

Keep in mind that the recommended output for a lacquer sprayer is 1100 PSI and higher. The higher the PSI level, the easier it is for the sprayer to atomize the lacquer.

Liquid Capacity

It can be frustrating when you have a paint canister (also known as a hopper) that is on the small size, but as you already have it, you are forced to use it. When you are working with a scheduled capacity plays a big role, it can be so frustrating to have to constantly refill your lacquer while you are in the middle of a pass, particularly when you have found a rhythm.

While a smaller canister than you require can slow your work process when you are expelling the last remnants of lacquer you could end up with a resulting splatter on your workpiece. Before buying your sprayer, always look at the maximum volume it can handle, and then compare this with the kind of work you would normally do. This should determine which kind of canister you will require. You will then be able to determine if the canister provided-in-box will be sufficient for you.

If the in-box canister is not sufficient for your application, you can consult the manufacturer’s website to see if your specific canister can be purchased with larger canisters. If the manufacturer does not offer one for the sprayer you wish to buy, have a look at the pressure rating and thread size of other available canisters made by the same brand.

Cleaning

Nobody likes having to deal with the cleaning. When you have spent time working hard on priming, painting, and applying lacquer, the last thing you want to deal with is to clean your sprayer. However, when working with a varnish spray gun or a lacquer sprayer, you must clean both the paint canister and spray gun.

Remember that you are not simply cleaning for the sake of cleaning. If you leave any varnish or lacquer in your sprayer it can result in irreparable damage to the primary components or even clogging of your supply line, nozzle, and spray tips. Take some time to adequately clean out your sprayer using a low-pressure cleaner, sprayer-safe solvent, or even taking the affected components and soaking them in some solvent.

While spraying lacquer with HVLP you will create a lot less residue than when using a LVLP sprayer, do not just stop there. This being said, you should do some research and practice before taking your sprayer apart (at least at a basic level) so that when you need to clean it out, you will not be beginning from scratch.

You will also need to know what removes the particular type of lacquer you are using should you make a mess. You do not want to try to use any solvent, as it could make the situation even worse. Maintaining and cleaning your sprayer is important to ensure the longevity of the machine.

Tutorial on How to Use a Lacquer Spay Gun

We hope this article has equipped you with sufficient knowledge to use a paint sprayer to apply lacquer. Remember to check the nozzle size, power output, canister size, and mobility of the unit you select, and remember safety is paramount!

Frequently Asked Questions

How Does One Apply Lacquer?

How to spray lacquer you may ask, just add the lacquer to your sprayer when you have completed the finishing coat of paint to your item. You want to give a seamless and consistent first pass with your sprayer, but keep in mind that lacquer dries very fast, so you will have to work quickly and accurately. When the initial coat has dried, you can add a coat or two, sanding down the first layer in the same direction as the wood’s grain before applying each coat. This is how you spray paint lacquer onto wood specifically.

Is Lacquer Waterproof?

The majority of lacquers will offer a waterproof layer to the materials that they are applied to. Other coatings offer a waterproof layer of protection as well, like varnish for wood, or polyurethane-based coating for furniture like outdoor furniture and countertops.

Can You Apply Lacquer Using a Spray Gun?

Of course, you can use lacquer in a spray gun, as long as the spray gun has sufficient power to disperse the lacquer effectively. The required power output for a sprayer to be able to spray out the likes of lacquer is 1100 PSI and higher. You will cause damage to the unit should you use a spray gun with a lower output to spray lacquer.

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