| Plywood wine rack plans are popular among some | | | | Plywood layers can splinter and chip easily when you |
| wine enthusiasts as plywood comes in standard sizes, | | | | cut it with a power saw. To avoid ending up with an |
| is considerably cheaper yet strong and stable. There | | | | ugly edge, always use an appropriate, sharp blade for |
| is seldom any problem with warping and shrinkage. | | | | cutting plywood. Make sure the good face of your |
| However, working with plywood can be tricky at | | | | plywood is closer to the outside of the blade. If you |
| times. Woodworking experts share their secrets and | | | | are using a table saw, the right side should be facing |
| tips on buying, cutting and staining plywood. Read | | | | up. If you are using a handheld circular saw, it should |
| these tips if you wish to build a beautiful and sturdy | | | | be facing down. |
| wine rack. | | | | Paste a strip of masking tape to both sides of the |
| 1) Tips On Buying Plywood | | | | sheet, directly over the cut line. Make sure your saw |
| Plywood manufacturers are constantly pressured to | | | | is running at full speed before making your cut, |
| keep prices low. Quality is often the first thing to be | | | | pushing the sheet with a steady, consistent speed all |
| sacrificed. When buying plywood, look at the face | | | | the way through. Remove the masking tape when |
| veneer, if it is to be exposed. The grain should | | | | you have finished the cut. |
| resemble several pieces of solid wood, 6" to 8" wide. | | | | 3) Tips For Finishing And Staining Plywood For A |
| Every other piece should be a mirror image of the | | | | Decorative Finish |
| next one. This is an indication of good veneer. Such | | | | Sand the plywood with the grain lightly with 80 grit |
| bookmatched, plain-sliced veneer costs considerably | | | | sandpaper, followed by 100 grit sandpaper. Stain with |
| more, but it is worth the investment if you want to | | | | a semitransparent or opaque stain. You can also use |
| build an attractive wine rack. | | | | paint and finish with a clear topcoat. |
| The second thing to consider is the overall flatness | | | | Be mindful that when applying stain to plywood, |
| of the sheet. Despite its reputation for flatness, | | | | sheets with wood patches or synthetic putty repairs |
| plywood sheets will usually have some degree of | | | | do not accept stains as readily as the surrounding |
| bow, but this should be minimal. Pull a sheet off the | | | | wood and will result in a different color. For this |
| stack and examine a long edge. If the sheet is badly | | | | reason, use opaque stain or paint finishing if you use |
| warped or twisted, do not buy it as there is likely a | | | | plywood with synthetic repairs. Southern pine |
| problem in the core layers. | | | | plywood typically has fewer and smaller repairs than |
| The third thing to examine is the edge. More plies are | | | | Douglas fir. |
| generally better, and hardwood cores are better than | | | | To get a better idea as to how your finished wine |
| softwood. Also, the joints between the layers should | | | | rack will look like, always test your finish on a scrap |
| be smooth straight lines. The grain should be even | | | | piece containing a patch or repair. |
| and close. Do not choose a sheet with voids, checks | | | | For best results, use a 100-percent acrylic resin latex |
| or knots on the edges as you can be sure that there | | | | paint formulation. Brush the finish with the grain. Apply |
| will be many more within the sheet. | | | | a minimum of two coats of opaque stain or one coat |
| Next, take a close look at the edge of the face | | | | primer and one coat paint (two coats are preferred |
| veneer to examine its thickness. If the veneer's | | | | for best long-term performance). Apply the finish all |
| thickness is hardly visible, the veneer is probably too | | | | the way to the panel edges, especially lower drip |
| thin and you will likely have trouble sanding and | | | | edges, and the panel back, too, if it is exposed. |
| finishing. | | | | By following the tips above, you can be assured of |
| 2) Tips On Cutting Plywood Without Splintering And | | | | successfully implementing your plywood wine rack |
| Tearing | | | | plan. |