FinishWorks - Featured Finish

Featured Finish

Cerus-n-Stain™

Simplify Your Finishing Process with FinishWorks

Traditionally, achieving a ceruse finish has been a complex and labor-intensive process. The old method involved multiple layers and steps, including a base color, two coats of sealer (sanded between each), a pigmented glaze stain to highlight the grain, and a topcoat. This could add up to at least six steps.

For many, this traditional ceruse finish method is too costly and time-consuming—until now.

Cerus-n-Stain reduces the number of labor-intensive steps by up to 50%. This streamlined method combines the ceruse and base stain in one step, eliminating the need for multiple sealer applications. The result is an easy, efficient, and highly effective process.

Learn More About Cerus-n-Stain

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AristoMax

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AristoVar

A Ceruse For Every Mood

FinishWorks is proud to lead the market in modernizing this cherished art form. Transform your wood surfaces with the ease and elegance of Cerus-n-Stain.

View some of the gorgeous colored finishing options you can achieve with Cerus-n-Stain below.

Cerused Chalk

Chalk is a tone-on-tone finish, that creates subtle layers of complementary color directly on the wood. Pair it with chrome and nickel hardware, jewel colors, and darker wood finishes, for a modern eclectic style.

Cerused Blue Emerald

First introduced in our Premier Color Collection, this popular jewel tone finish now features our Cerus-n-Stain technology. It pairs well with trendy, brown wood finishes and white painted finishes, like RNC-1001 Decorator White.

Cerused Wool Blanket

Wool Blanket is a multi-step finish on white oak. It features a taupe-gray toner foundation, hand padding for dimension,
and a cerusing glaze for grain accent. Protected by a low sheen topcoat, it pairs beautifully with solid paint colors for a classic two-tone effect.

Cerused Peacock Teal

A semi-transparent jewel tone finish offering a blue-green hue with white ceruse defining the grain. A translucent “water-spot” spatter adds depth. Initially introduced on ash burl veneer, it now suits red oak and other open-grain woods, providing elegance with a variety of hardware choices.

Cerused Whisper & Sand

Designed specifically for red oak, this finish offers a refined, contemporary look that complements various interior styles. It blends light caramel shades with neutral gray tones, enhanced by a subtle ceruse.

Cerused Shale

Shale includes value-added steps like semi-transparent veiling and transparent spatter for depth and movement. This innovative approach can be applied to most finishes, enhancing visual value without labor or cost.

Cerused Coffee

This classic, neutral brown finish with white cerusing offers richness, clarity, depth, and grain contrast in one step. With a low sheen and close-to-the grain appearance, it’s fitting for the casual eclectic lifestyle.

Cerused Bark

This mid-tone finish with warm undertones fits today’s trend of warmer wood tones without red hues. It’s an elegant finish that adds depth and character to any color palette.

Cerused Graphite

Want a modern take on the classic Espresso finish? Cerused Graphite highlights wood's natural beauty with a dark brown background, white cerusing, and a casual sheen.

Benefits of Our New Ceruse Finish Process

Efficiency

Reduce labor-intensive steps by up to 50%.

Cost-Effective

Save time and money with fewer steps.

Enhanced Finish

Achieve a stunning ceruse effect with less effort.

Our finishes, your vision.

Step-by-Step Guide to Our New Ceruse Finish Process

Rodney McFalls, our Director of Color Styling and Interpretive Design, has pushed his team to simplify the traditional multi-step cerusing process. The result is Cerus-n-Stain, combining ceruse and stain in one easy application. This innovation reduces both production steps and labor costs.

Simply add our ceruse medium to most any wiping stain color and apply as usual. The ceruse particles naturally gather in the wood grain and crevices, wiping clean from the surface. A sealer with active solvent then highlights the ceruse particles, creating a defined grain accent.

1. Surface Preparation

While wire brushing can create a deeper grain pattern, it's not necessary for great results. Begin by sanding the entire surface with 180 grit sandpaper and removing the sanding dust using forced air.

2. Applying the Cerus-n-Stain

Apply the stain like any other wiping stain—either spray or wipe it over the entire surface. Allow approximately 30 seconds for the stain to penetrate before wiping off the excess. To ensure proper staining of the open grain, wipe first in a circular motion, then in the direction of the grain.

3. Dry Time

Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for the stain's dry time. While forced air and heat can speed up the process, a 30-minute ambient dry time is usually recommended before applying the final sealer or topcoat.

4. Enhancing the Effect

The ceruse effect will be visible in the grain at this point, but it can be greatly enhanced with an active solvent. Applying a solvent spray or an active solvent within a sealer or topcoat will cause the ceruse medium particles to swell up to four times their original size, making the effect prominently stand out in the grain. This enhancement is almost immediate and permanent.

5. Enjoy Your Beautiful, Cerused Finish

Cerusing enhances the natural beauty of wood, giving it a timeless yet contemporary look. It works exceptionally well on open-pored hardwoods like oak, ash, and walnut, which absorb the ceruse paste effectively. This technique is versatile, ideal for furniture, cabinetry, and even flooring.

Ready to revolutionize your finishing process?

Contact us today to learn more about our cutting-edge solutions. At FinishWorks, we are dedicated to helping you achieve stunning finishes with ease.

Looking for more on the latest design inspirations?

Whether it's finishing your décor with ceruse or more, we offer advice to get the most out of your finishing options. Check out our blog, The Finish Line, for tips, tricks, and more.

The Finish Line Blog