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If you follow decorating trends, you probably know that Corona furniture is widely popular on the market right now. The low price and beauty of this furniture make it a popular choice for new home owners and remodelers alike. For hobbyists who prefer to purchase their furniture in the unfinished state, Corona offers a finishing challenge with a highly rewarding payoff.
Corona furniture is made from Mexican White Pine, a species of the white pine which grows worldwide. The most important characteristic of this wood, from the finishing standpoint, is its porosity. If you're unfamiliar with the term, porosity is a measure of the space between the molecules of a given substance; the greater the space, the more porous the material.
White pine is porous to the extent that it soaks up finishes very rapidly. For this reason, it tends to be very difficult to stain consistently across an entire piece. This can be both an advantage and a disadvantage.
If you're going for an old-world or antique look, high porosity works to your advantage. Where we look at furniture almost as an art form today, it was purely functional in the days when Mexican pine was first used. Back then they finished the wood as best they knew how; even and consistent staining was not a high priority. Age also causes even the best finishes to fade and spot over time.
If even consistency is important to you, apply a coat of clear sealant before you stain. But be warned, even this requires a bit of practice to get right. You might want to find a few pine scraps to perfect you technique with, before you start working with your actual furniture.
Regardless of whether or not you use sealant, the choice of stain colour is important. Stains and sealants make the wood appear darker with every coat. Since you generally use a minimum of two coats of stain and one coat of sealant, be prepared to choose products that will make it possible to arrive at the right shade when you're done. If you're unsure, a visit to a local furniture dealer or professional wood finisher can be a big help.
Stain should be applied in easy strokes, using a brush or rag, and moving in the same direction as the grain. A light sanding between coats removes any residue left by stain that might bubble up. When you're satisfied with the stain, seal the furniture with a coat or two of polyurethane. Use the same technique that you did with the stain.
When all is said and done, your finished Corona furniture will give you many years of good service. And it will look great too!