The Chair is Finished...

After returning from the Windsor chair class and while Vanessa was still here we sanded our chairs in preparation for paint. Before painting the chair it got a coat of walnut stain that was diluted 1/2 stain - 1/2 water. If the paint wears off to expose bare wood you won't see the light color of the wood underneath rather you will see the dark walnut stained wood.

Next the chair received a coat of Old Fashioned Milk Paint in color Salem Red.

The next coat is Pitch Black. Many old chairs had several coats of paint applied to them. With use the underlying color comes through in the natural wear areas. To simulate this I took a pan of water with a cloth and rubbed wear areas exposing the underlying color.

Lastly, the chair got 3 coats of Golden's brand Natural Tung Oil Finish followed by a coat of paste wax.
Vanessa and I are planning to make another chair in March. I plan to make a Nantucket rocker (it's like the second chair on the left).