Danish oil often easiest finish

Q. I bought some unfinished furniture to save money and now I am not sure how to finish it. I have no experience in finishing and would like something simple, if possible to give a wood-tone effect. Some of the furniture is made of poplar and some of pine. Can you help?

A. I recommend trying any finish first on a small, inconspicuous area to see if you like it.

That said, one of the easiest finishes I know about for hardwoods like poplar is Danish oil. This is a one-step finish – just brush on or wipe on a liberal coat, let it penetrate for the time specified in the directions, then wipe off the excess.

Danish oil is available in a number of wood-tones at some home centers and paint stores. The Watco brand has been a favorite of woodworkers for many years.

Danish oil doesn’t work so well on softwoods such as pine. Before applying a wood-tone finish to pine, it is best to first apply a wood conditioner (another paint-store product), which seals the wood and helps prevent blotches.

If you want more gloss than Danish oil provides, a good alternative is to start with a wood-tone finish such as Minwax Wood Finish. This stains wood nicely, but has little or no gloss in itself. To get gloss, follow up with several coats of wipe-on varnish.

Unfinished furniture is often a good buy because much of it is made of solid wood instead of the particleboard found in some finished furniture. Some unfinished furniture will benefit from additional sanding, however; the smoother the surface, the more attractive the finish will be.

A powered finishing sander (about $50 and up) makes this easy work, or just wrap the sandpaper around a wood block. Use 120-grit or 150-grit sandpaper.

Q. Our house, built in 1955, has a concrete porch that was resurfaced some years ago. It slopes toward the house and causes leakage problems. I have used concrete patch repeatedly and applied Drylok waterproofing paint, but it peels and breaks up in a year or so. Is there any solution short of breaking up the slab and pouring a new one?

A. A lot depends on the general condition of the slab. If it is basically in good condition and there is a concrete contractor in your area who does slabjacking (also called mudjacking), it might be possible to give the slab a proper slope away from the house without breaking it up.

Slabjackers drill holes through the surface and pump in a special material that forms a new base. It takes special equipment and not all concrete contractors are equipped to do it, but it is worth checking out.

Another option, if the slab is basically in good condition, is to add an overlay or new layer of concrete on top that will be properly sloped. The new layer is generally several inches thick.

Finally, Drylok waterproofer should not be used on floors. It is an excellent product if properly used on walls and other vertical surfaces.

Q. I plan to have a new boiler installed. Some of the pipes have asbestos insulation on them that will probably be disturbed during the installation. Is there a less-expensive way to take care of this instead of paying an asbestos-removal specialist?

A. I can’t recommend any shortcuts to handling asbestos insulation. The basic rule if there is asbestos in a home: If it is in good condition, let it alone; if it is in poor condition, have a specialist remove it.

Asbestos isn’t dangerous unless you breathe the fibers. Your best bet is to discuss the problem with a couple of the contractors who are experienced in replacing old boilers.

It is possible the pipes with asbestos insulation won’t need to be disturbed. Some contractors also have methods for encapsulating asbestos; covering it with plaster of Paris to form a harmless shell is one method.

Make sure any contactor you hire is aware that you are concerned about asbestos perils and get a clear explanation of what safety steps will be taken. If experienced contractors advise hiring an asbestos-remedial specialist, I think you would be wise to take that step.

For more information on dealing with asbestos, visit www.epa.gov and enter Asbestos in Your Home in the search space.