What finish to use?

[cqvillas]

Hi All,

I'm currently working on making a TV cabinet out of Red Ceder and I'm still deciding what finish to use on the final product. I like the idea of using wipe on poly but I haven't used it before and I have a few questions.

1. What finish would do that type of wood justice, gloss or stain? I know this is a personal choice but I'm sure there are more experienced users of this product and timber.
2. Do you just apply the wipe on poly straight to the bare sanded timber or do you have to use a grain filler or sanding sealer first?

Would appreciate any points of view regarding other finishes to use as well.
Thanks in advance.

[movay_2008]

I just finished some rosewood carvings and sealed them with beeswax (10-20%). linseed oil (50%) and penetrol (at least 10% ). It dries slowly but hard, and with a pleasing sheen that can be buffed. Finish is most to do with how fine you can sand down too, and its not always easy with red cedar as it burns easily due to a high concentration of something that also blunts tools easily - I have a mental block... starts with m... a metal sort of element I think.

Penetrol is...
The Flood Company Australia » Marine Products » penetrol-marine (http://www.floodaustralia.net/marine_products/penetrol-marine.php)

[IanW]

cq - Cedar is one of those woods that can take just about any finish you like, so it's a matter of deciding what sort of surface you are after - gloss, satin, & what sort of durability is required, etc. Nothing else makes Cedar come alive like shellac, applied by one of the "French polish" techniques (pic of cedar sideboard). Most people blanch at the thought, and it's often made out to be a terribly mystical process, but it's actually not hard to get a pretty good effect on your first try - just hard yakka, mostly.

If you want water & alcohol resistance, you can use some sort of solvent-based finish like Estapol or similar, as a slow-build finish in a manner similar to French polishing. Water some down more than half with turps, slather it on & let it soak in, then wipe it off before it gets sticky. The idea is to wipe it off 'til there is nothing left on the surface, then let it dry, & repeat. After about 4 or 5 goes, a finish will start to build, with no brush marks - it's the same principle as French polishing, you are applying avery small amount of solids on each application. You stop when you get the surface you are happy with. With a bit of practice, this method can give you a finish like a spary job.

Whatever method you finally decide on, be sure to practice on some well-prepared scrap, first....

Cheers,

[cqvillas]

Thanks for the info guys. I'm still keen to use the wipe on poly but just not sure the about the best method of use on this type of timber. I think I'll give Rustins a call.

Cheers

[AlexS]

Wipe on poly works well if applied carefully, and it's a good choice for furniture. First, sand to 800 grit. Give the cedar a coat of shellac as a sanding sealer, and lightly sand to 800 again. Give a fairly generous first coat and wipe off any excess. Let it harden for a day, then lightly sand again to 800. After that apply 2 very light coats a day until you have about 6 coats all together. If you've used gloss poly and want a really high polish, leave it for a week and cut it back with car polish.

[cqvillas]

Wipe on poly works well if applied carefully, and it's a good choice for furniture. First, sand to 800 grit. Give the cedar a coat of shellac as a sanding sealer, and lightly sand to 800 again. Give a fairly generous first coat and wipe off any excess. Let it harden for a day, then lightly sand again to 800. After that apply 2 very light coats a day until you have about 6 coats all together. If you've used gloss poly and want a really high polish, leave it for a week and cut it back with car polish.

Thanks for the reply AlexS, I'll take that on board.