Pros and cons of finishing before assembly

[Kim C]

As far back as I can remember building things (since I was old enough to hold a hammer) I have always assembled whatever project I was working on then finished it. Whether a table or a loft bed, it just seemed the thing to do. Of course some projects (such as the loft bed complete with stairs and slide!) were a no brainer... too big to paint before assembly.

Recently I invested in some pricey, "top-of-the-line" brushes for staining and finishing. Don't ask me the specifics. I had a pro pick them out for me. I don't know brush details. Since the Kreg Jig brought my work to a new level I decided not to skimp on the finishing!

So, with the new brushes ready in the drawer of my new Kreg-built shop cabinet, I prepared several projects for staining and finishing at one time. In my mind this would create less clean-up and reduce wear and tear on the brushes. In addition to this new approach I decided to "mix it up" even further. I dry-fitted the projects, then disassembled them (which was easy with pocket hole joinery by the way) for finishing. I had read that some woodworkers prefer to finish projects this way.

Weeelllll, a whole 9 hours of staining later I am questioning this method. I did take a lunch break but most of it was spent staining. Keep in mind that this time was spent on a vanity, two side units, and a table with three drawers. I am all about efficiency. In fact most of my energy is spent thinking of ways for everything to be more efficient. So this method seemed to fit into that obsession. But now I am facing 2-3 more of these grueling days applying polyurethane and sanding... oooohhhh the sanding.

In addition to this, my shop is jam packed of pieces of wood everywhere. My husband took a look at it all and kindly tried to tell me it looked good. I will try to get a picture inserted here at some point.

So far I have learned the following things...

1. If I am going to continue this method I will need some really good drying racks. Preferably portable in some way and maybe with small nails for the wood to rest on so as not to leave marks.
2. Do this on a day you can open up every window and door possible. I don't think they make a ventilation system that will vent wood conditioner, mineral spirits, and a can of anything minwax. (Or at least not one I can afford)
3. To dry fit, I don't need to screw in every single one of the pocket screws. Just enough to judge a good fit.
4. Don't let anyone see this process or they will think you have lost your mind.
5. Post a blog about this on the Kreg Jig Owner's Community BEFORE attempting something as drastically different as this to the regular routine.

So, that leads me to my question...

What method do you prefer? Finishing assembled or pre-assembled? And any tips or tricks to share about finishing pre-assembled would be faaannnntastic!

[Alfred Langen]

Thank you all for your comments. My wife looked at the case the way it is and said "No, don't change it a bit. I will just put some furniture polish on it and it will be beautiful." By the way, the wood I used is Maple which was the left over remnants of a hardwood floor install. Each board was 50" or 64" and one side had been stained and finished.

[Kim C]

Yes if you are going to glue do it especially before you poly. I haven't had a problem getting the screws to go into the same holes. If aligned again the screw finds the hole. Be careful not to overdrive the second time though! ugh (found that out the hard way.) But on first assembly this last time I only drove in what screws were necessary just to see the fit. So some screws didn't have a hole on final assembly assuring tight fit.

I would think that planing of 1/32 of an inch would affect the re-assembly. The screw are going to want to pull into the old fit. This might throw off some of your joints 1/32 of an inch... which depending on the location could be sanded down I guess. Drilling new pocket holes might be a better solution in this case.

[Jeffrey Pike]

Hi Alfred before U taking the project apart on the back make some little locate mark were the shelves go than after sanding take some blue 3/4 tape and mark each shelf location this way the glue will stick to the wood. (Glue will not stick to stain and poly.)

[Alfred Langen]

Hi Kim
I am new to using the Kreg tool and for a simple project using some scrap lumber, I built a case to hold our CD's. Nothing fancy. I have not glued it (yet) and I am considering disassembling it and sanding off the previous finish or running it through my planer and removing 1/32nd of an inch.
My concern is in reassembling it. How do you make sure you are using the same holes? Do you fill the old holes and just go from there?
I may stain the case (it is Maple) and for sure I will finish it with polyurethane. My concern is how the glue will react with the poly.
Alfred

[KregRep]

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[Kim C]

I am torn. I did like staining while it was unfinished. And as Art says it makes sanding soooo much easier. I think the best thing for me to do is take a corner of the garage and make a drying rack there. I have the room then to move on to something else like James says. I started assembling a rack that hooks over the garage door track. Since I would want to leave the doors down anyway while a project was drying this would seem to be the most logical. So far I have 3 1x2's with hooks attached to one end and they are hanging from the track. That is a far as I got. Maybe I will post a forum topic on this and see what ideas come up.

[Art Paltz]

I had spent 40 years in the Paint & Coating Industry and have been a woodworker all that time. The one part of woodworking that I always hated the most was the finishing part. I was never good at it. Luckily, I had access to a lacquer spray laboratory when I first got out of College. They taught how to finish furniture like a pro. Unfortunately, with all of the environmental laws now in effect that option has been unavailable for some time. I had to revert to the brushing method and most of the finishes made today are not the same. I even started using shellac, wiping it on. At least this product quick drying but is limited the sheen & gloss range.
My first project after I bought my Kreg Jig was to make a table & chairs for my Granddaughter. I wanted to complete it in a hurry. First I have to say, it was the quickest table I have ever made and possibly the strongest. With all of the drips and runs that I normally have to fight with, I got the “brainstorm” to dissemble it, finish it and then reassemble it. Sanding in between coats was a snap, and I didn’t take off too much finish. I could also use a power sander on all of the surfaces. It is one of the best jobs I ever did using a brush. I am definitely going to use this method again.

[Jens Jensen]

I would always consider finish b4 assembly.reason is ie seems easier to get in all tight spots when there is open area for wiping stain or what ever the case might be

[David Ferguson]

Staining before assembly is a good idea especially if there is a chance for glue to squeeze out. You can wipe it off but, it always shows up when you're trying to do a nice stain job and sanding in tight corners is hard. I guess it all depends on what you're making.

[Jeffrey Pike]

I also have limited space ,what I like to do is to stain with a wipe on stain like watco penetrating stain and poly before I quite for the day that way the next day it will be dry. Then I can go on to the next step but I will half to agree that it is tough when you have a little shop. My shop is an L shape so it is pretty hard some times to do large projects. I'm in the middle of building a pantry cabinet with raised door .