This is the 5 Best Tips for Finishing Wooden Rings. In this post, you’ll learn the best ideas for finishing your rings, which will make them look beautiful for a long time.
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Updated 2023
Finishing Wooden Rings
After you spend all of that hard work and time making a wooden ring, it’s time to apply a finish. This is where a lot of ring makers stall a little bit, because it doesn’t seem super obvious in the beginning what type of finish you should apply.
It’s actually fairly easy though, because there’s really only a few that make sense, and I’ll show you all of them coming up in this post. They range from super easy to a little bit more involved, but they all make an excellent finish for your wooden ring.
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No matter what you do, definitely at least use some kind of a finish in order to bring out the color and protect the wood. Even a basic oil is perfectly fine, and it’s much better than leaving the wood bare.
See Also: Essential Wooden Ring Making Tools List
Oils are Very Easy and Look Good
Quite possibly the easiest finish for wooden rings is a hand applied oil. The beauty of this finish is that if you can wipe it on and wipe it off, you are already qualified to apply a fantastic looking oil finish.
Oil is not super protective against scratches and abrasions, but if you take care of your wooden rings, you shouldn’t have to worry about that too much. What oils do incredibly well on the other hand is bring out the depth and color of your wood choices.
You can use any natural oil like linseed oil or walnut oil, and they will penetrate the surface of the wood, make the pieces pop, and the colors will look brighter and more saturated than they did before.
To finish a wooden ring with an oil finish, simply dab a tiny amount onto a clean cloth, and use the cloth to wipe the ring on all surfaces. Allow the ring to dry, and you’re ready to wear it.
See Also: 16 Helpful Tips for Using Birchwood Casey Tru Oil
Film Finishes Can Rub Off Sometimes
Film finishes are nice, but they can rub off sometimes. Even the best lacquers and polyurethanes will eventually give away under the moisture that naturally happens while wearing a ring on your finger.
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For this reason, I don’t normally recommend film finishes. However, if you are really comfortable using this type of finish, there is a hybrid product that gives you the look of an oil but still builds a little bit of film on the surface. It’s called tru-oil.
This will pop the grain and make your wooden rings look extraordinary, but it will also provide a little bit of a film that will give you a pinch more protection than a basic oil.
See Also: How to Finish Wood with Tru-Oil
Consider CA or Epoxy Coating
If you really want to create a coating that is super protective, take a look at applying a CA finish or an epoxy finish. Both of these involve completely coating the ring in a layer of clear plastic, and then buffing that layer to a high sheen.
CA is the acronym for cyanoacrylate. This is basically superglue. All you do is build up layer after layer, and eventually you have a clear plastic cover that protects your ring, and that can be buffed to a high gloss.
You can also do the same thing with clear epoxy, creating a layer on the surface of the ring, sanding it smooth, and then buffing it until it’s very glossy.
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Both of these processes produce a layer on the wood, and they are much more protective than oils and other finishes. However, they can be a little bit a natural looking in some instances, and it’s also a lot of protection for a little wooden ring.
If you take care of your ring, you really don’t need very much of a finish at all.
See Also: How to Choose the Best Epoxy Resin for Wood
Buffing is the Fastest and Easiest
Of all the different types of finishing that you can do, the easiest of them all is definitely buffing. This is where you use wheels and compounds to polish the actual surface of the wood to a high gloss.
To be clear, you’re not actually applying any product to the wood itself. Instead you are polishing the surface so smooth that it shines like it has been finished.
You can also combine this technique with an oil finish. Essentially you just apply the oil, wait until it cures, and then buff the surface. You get the beauty of the oil, plus the sheen of buffing, and it’s a very good look.
See Also: How to Buff Wood to a High Sheen
Handle Your Rings Carefully
No matter what you do when it comes to finishing your wooden rings, you definitely want to handle your rings carefully, and treat them different than metal jewelry. You also want to explain to your customers that they also need to do the same.
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Wooden rings are not the same as metal rings. You can’t treat them the same. The materials are so vastly different that even attempting to treat them the same way is kind of unfair to the wood. It would be like asking the metal to look as pretty as the wood. It’s unfair.
So, choose the finish that creates the most beautiful look on your rings, and then handle the rings with care when you use them. Take them off when you wash your hands, and leave them on the sink when you take a shower or do dishes.
If you do these few things, your rings will last a lot longer, and look a lot better.
See Also: How Durable are Wooden Rings?
People Also Ask:
What finish do you use for wooden rings? You can use a large number of finishes on wooden rings, including oils, CA, epoxy, lacquer, and more. Each finish gives it;s own unique look, and you should try several before deciding on your favorite.
How do you seal a wooden ring? The best way to seal a wooden ring is by finishing it. Any film forming finissh will create a layer that protects the ring, and helps the wood keep the brightest colors for the longest amount of time. It also protects from moisture and grime.
How do you protect wooden jewelry? The easiesy way to protect your wooden jewelry is by finishing it. Cloose a film finish and apply it according to the directions from the maker. Then, allow it to fully cure before you use the item.
Your Action Assignment
Now that you know these five great tips for finishing wooden rings, it’s time to take action, and head out into the shop. Finishing is no longer a challenge for you now, so you might as well get that ring project started.
Pick yourself some nice pieces of wood, and create some classic lamination designs that always look good no matter the current style. Then, sand them perfectly so they are absolutely blemish free.
After that, apply the finish of your choosing, and allow the wooden ring to dry as long as needed. I recommend oil finishes in the beginning, because they are the most natural looking, and you may just end up sticking with them for your entire ring making career.
However, if you do decide to add another layer, consider buffing your rings after your oil has cured. It’s an amazing look, and you’ll love buffing wood once you start doing it.
If you have any questions about finishing wooden rings, Contact Me and I’ll be glad to answer them. Happy building.
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