How to Make Wood Shine Like a Diamond: My Step-by-Step Polishing Process

There’s something magical about taking a raw piece of wood and turning it into a gleaming, mirror-like masterpiece. Whether I’m handcrafting wooden jewelry, designing sculptures, or finishing furniture, the secret to that flawless, diamond-like shine lies in the process—and I’m here to share every step.
If you’ve ever wondered how to polish wood to a high gloss or how to make stabilized wood shine like glass, this guide is for you.

Step 1: Start with the Right Type of Wood
Not all woods polish the same. For a deep, high-gloss finish, I always choose dense, fine-grained stabilized wood such as mahogany, ebony, or rosewood.
Why stabilized wood?

  • It’s more uniform and durable
  • Holds polish exceptionally well
  • Resists moisture and warping
  • Offers long-lasting brilliance

This is the foundation for a show-stopping shine.

Step 2: Sanding – The Key to a Mirror-Like Surface
Proper sanding is the backbone of any high-gloss wood finish. It determines the smoothness and reflectivity of your final product. Here’s my sanding method:

  1. Start coarse – I begin with 120-grit sandpaper to remove imperfections and shape the piece. This is the most critical phase because the final shape is set here.
  2. Work through the grits – I move step by step through 400, 800, 1500, 2000, 5000 and even 10 000-grit sandpaper.
  3. Grit 800 is my gateway to smoothness—it prepares the surface for polishing.
  4. Always sand with the grain, but I also carefully consider angle and grain direction for the cleanest result.

All sanding is done by hand—no machines, just eye measurement and precision.

Step 3: Polishing – Unlocking the True Shine of Wood
This is where the wood comes to life. Starting from 1500-grit and up, the surface begins to reveal its gloss.

  • I use a series of polishing compounds, moving from medium-cut to ultra-fine abrasives.
  • At 2500 grit, the true shine emerges. It exposes natural reflections and patterns, especially in stabilized wood.
  • Any imperfections? I go back to earlier grits to fix them—no shortcuts.

The final polishing stages are done with 5000 and even 10,000-grit materials. These final passes expose the deepest grain patterns, giving the wood a glass-like, high-gloss finish without using varnish.

Step 4: Finishing with High-Gloss Oil
To protect the polished surface and deepen the shine, I apply:

  • Double-refined linseed oil – It adds a natural, durable sheen and enhances the wood’s color, depth, and pattern.

This final touch gives the wood a finish that rivals polished gemstones—smooth, reflective, and absolutely stunning.

Whether I’m crafting luxury wooden jewelry, one-of-a-kind sculptures, or custom furniture, this meticulous polishing process transforms every piece into a radiant work of art.
Explore my handcrafted wood collections here.