The technique of "soaking"
Description
Soaking is intended to achieve targeted swelling of wood fibers. This operation mainly concerns solid wood. The swelling makes visible any compressions, impressions, color differences, adhesive residues and adhesives before etching or varnishing. This avoids irreversible etching errors. Can also be used on plated workpieces. In particular, this makes it possible to reveal sizing defects, in other words "blisters". This simple technique makes it possible to raise the "hair" of the wood and to obtain a beautiful surface much more quickly during a varnishing with products with water base.
Preparation
Fill a glass or plastic container with hot to hot tap water.
Application
Apply warm water using a sponge (natural sponge) in the direction of the wood fibers. Be sure to immediately recycle areas with high absorbency. In order to fully wash the workpiece, ask for example on triangular bars. Leave on for a short time, wring out the sponge and remove the excess.
Drying
Allow to dry overnight at 20 ° C, on triangular bars sufficiently spaced.
Subsequent treatment
Thus pre-treated, the wood surfaces are now ready to be sanded with "precise" abrasive products based on wood species. It can then be etched, varnished or otherwise surface treated.
Remarks
Always work with a glass or plastic container. Do not use metal work tools. Since the tannins are dissolved and absorbed by the water during soaking, it is necessary to regularly renew the hot water used for the application and to clean the sponge thoroughly.