Contemporary Relationships between Wood & Finish: A Step-By-Step Guidebook and Design Planner for the Layperson and Professional [Paperback]

Michael Fallarino (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"For those who prefer to leave it to the experts, Fallarino has included tips on negotiating jobs and contracts." -- The Independent, February 2001

"It’s interspersed with philosophy, poetry, and personal history." -- The Paper, April 2001

"Opinionated and full of anecdotes. We have no problem recommending this book to both DIYers and professionals." -- Builder’s Booksource Newsletter, Summer 2001

"Read these cautionary tales before your next finishing venture... You may want to try this five-step deck coating process." -- American Painting Contractor, April 2001

About the Author

Michael Fallarino began finishing wood professionally as a teen. After graduating from the State University of New York at Albany in 1976 with a B.A. in English and education, he re-entered the contracting theater as a full-service professional, specializing in restoration, finish carpentry, and finishing.

During the twenty years he was active as a full-time contractor, he acquired a Master's degree in psychology at Goddard College, certification in East Indian medicine, and credentialing as a professional herbalist.

Mr. Fallarino has written extensively for a range of national and regional publications on subjects ranging from wood finishing to music to herbalism, and recently created a music show that enjoyed a run on DirecTV. He has also lectured on herbalism and holistic health and in spring of 2000 was part of the Vogue magazine/Lord & Taylor department stores "Wellness Wednesdays" series in New York City. He is chair of the public relations committee for the American Herbalists Guild, and the author of a volume of poetry, Street corner Adept.

He recently founded Pan-Global Gumbo, Ltd., an interdisciplinary media corporation dedicated to the development of educational media and the celebration of planetary culture.

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Good Gumbo Books (December 4, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970062214
• ISBN-13: 978-0970062215
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 6.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,443,028 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Zen and the Art of ..., May 20, 2001

By 

Virginia Dunwell (Marin County, Ca. USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Contemporary Relationships between Wood & Finish: A Step-By-Step Guidebook and Design Planner for the Layperson and Professional (Paperback)

I'm a non-professional -- call me a tinkerer -- who likes to paint: furniture, walls, inside, outside, you name it. I also like to do a good job and sometimes that's tough for an amateur. But then I found this book. It is a veritable dictionary of painting advice and trouble-shooting tips, from how to prepare old wood for painting to how to protect your fingertips as you move into the hypnotic world of a big sanding job; from discussion of stains, dyes, glazes and penetrating oils to how to paint a new fence and preserve the wood. But the real bonus for me is the writing: in a "How-To" book, Fallarino has smoothly inserted anecdotes, aphorisms, and tales of woe and triumph from his own early days as a painter that keep you reading. The result is a "Zen" feeling - a sense of the organic relationship of a worker to the work - familiar to anyone who's ever slipped into the rhythm of rolling long rows of color onto pristine walls or watched a surprising grain pattern emerge under just the right finish. Any down-side to this book? Yes. You could get so involved reading it you let your brushes dry. Of course, if you do, Fallarino tells you how to fix that, too.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well written. Accessible information and case studies., March 31, 2001

By 

S. Mathews "whydoineedthis" (upstate NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Contemporary Relationships between Wood & Finish: A Step-By-Step Guidebook and Design Planner for the Layperson and Professional (Paperback)

I became aware of this book because I worked on the design and production of it. However, as a homeowner who has puzzled over differences between paint and stain, wondered whether I was doing a proper job and how long the finish should last, I was delighted to discover a book that held answers to all my questions, and then some. I would recommend this book to any homeowner, whether you plan to do-it-yourself or hire someone to finish your wood. The information is accessible to the layperson. The case studies illustrate well the problems you may encounter and how to solve them. Five stars!