Wood finishing refers to the process of embellishing and/or protecting the surface of a wooden material. The process starts with surface preparation. Once the wood surface is prepared and stained, a number of coats of finish may be applied. Finally the surface may be polished or buffed using steel wool, pumice, rotten stone and other polishing or rubbing compounds depending on the shine desired. Often, a final coat of wax can be applied over the finish to add a slight amount of protection.