Trick of the Trade: Keeping Track of Your Finish Made Easier

This issue’s tips come from Troy Stanfield at Plankd Flooring in Mt. Barker, Australia:

I like to mark containers of finish with the date I’ve opened them so I can see at a glance which ones are the oldest that need to be used up first. This may seem like Captain Obvious strikes again, but if you’re in a hurry or you’ve got a full storage space, you can quickly see what’s been opened without having to lift every container up. That helps rotate out the oldest or used stock. (A good idea is also to keep these at the front of the shelf so you don’t have to go searching.) Secondly, even though the container may have pre-marked measurements, they’re often covered by the label, as is the case here in the photo at top left. So I mark the level of finish left alongside the numbers with a permanent marker after every job. This helps to know exactly what quantities I have left. You could keep a spreadsheet or list of stock on hand—however you prefer. I use a trade accounting software that stores this information for me. That way when I’m quoting for the next job, I know exactly what I’m getting low on and need to order.