When working with a soft wood is it always a good idea to ease the exterior corners just a bit?
I'm always worried that sharp corners will bruise, dent, splinter more easily than rounded (even if only slightly) corners. I doubt you can apply enough coats of poly to make any difference. But sometimes I'd like a sharp corner for the looks alone.
FoggyTown
It really is somewhat of a personal preference. One thing that has influenced edges is veneered and laminate covered tops. In the case of either you have to leave a sharp edge.
I think a slightly hand broken edge is a thing of beauty. It adds that natural feel to a piece. It does add in lessening the possibility of splintering (in some woods) and will lessen the apperance of dents and dings. It is also crucial for film finishes to help them stand up better, a sharp edge will wear trough almost immediately with use. I pretty much break every edge that will get touched.
If I am in production mode, I put some 220 on a palm sander. The finer grit slows the removal process so I can control just how much to break it. If I am using a hand block then go with 150. I'll usually run one pass at a 45 to the corner to break it, then two more pases to round of the edges of that chamfer. Keep in mind this is hopefully on a very small scale. I also try to be consistent so I get the same feel all over the piece.
for crisp corners that will look good down the road a bit use something harder. of light colored woods, hard maple looks nice with crisp corners....
All sharp corners SHOW dings/dents/etc more visibly than rounded/eased edges, soft woods MORE than harder woods, but they ALL will show the dings/dents of life MORE when you have a sharp edge to look at
Sharp corners vs rounded/eased corners, with the same IMPACT over the same AREA in the same wood species will deform/ding the SAME. With harder woods, the depth of the ding/dent will be less than in softer speacies, but for all but the most gentle bump will ding/dent when struck
John
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.