Where to do finishing?

[Aegwyn11]

I was hoping some people could inform me where they do finishing...inside/outside/garage/etc?

I'd really like to do finishing inside as it gets way too cold here to do finishing anywhere else for 4-5 months out of the year. With that said, I'm concerned about fumes and overspray. Are these things to be concerned about? If so, how are the people doing staining in their shops venting the fumes? Do you just circulate outside air? Thats what I was thinking, but that would require me put a separate heater in the room to keep the temperature up in the cold months.

 

[ForumMFG]

Aeg,

You do need to watch the temperature but just read the instructions on whatever you are using.  We have fans mounted to windows that circular the air and exchange dirty air for fresh air at our shop.  I would at least use a respiratory mask of some sort as well.  If you are working out of a garage, chances are your not going to get optimal air circulation no matter what you do.  If you circulate your air you do need to watch for over spray on whatever is outside such as cars if you are spraying, if you are doing wipe on then it shouldn't be an issue, right?.  We have a big finishing dept and no matter where you park, overspray will always find my car.  The way the building is set up and where you can park does not allow a safe distance not to worry about it.  If I were you, during the winter months I would just buy a really nice respiratory mask to protect yourself and call it a day.  That way you don't have to worry about fans, heaters and such.  Right now in the summer I finish in my garage and I just leave the door open when I do it and wear a mask if it is harsh stuff.

 

[Aegwyn11]

Forum - i actually wasn't so much worried about protecting myself while doing it (wearing a mask is mandatory ;D), as much as having the entire house reek of stain when done. Our shop will be in the basement... During our "sand the crap out of and then stain the deck" project, we did a few pieces inside and the stench was horrible...having windows open down there was MANDATORY for 24+ hrs, but that stain was a bit different (oil based 'semi transparent' that was damn near opaque and product instructions called to brush it on...almost more of a paint than a stain).

Is the lingering smell from stain involved in woodworking not that big of a deal?

 

[ForumMFG]

All stains and finishes off gas for a period of time.  It depends on what you use.  But for stain, I wouldn't worry about it to much if you are only doing small amounts but you are doing all your work inside your house so that can be an issue.

When you said "inside" I thought you meant the inside of "A building" and not the inside of your home.