Thread: Advice on a finish for Red Cedar

Many moons ago I used a two pack Estapol on a red cedar item. NEVER DO THIS.

A good quality oil or wax finish will give the best look, but looking at it from a practical point
of view i alow sheen Estapol or something similar may be the go.

I've found that a coat of shellac as sanding sealer, followed by Kunos oil, comes up really speccy on ARC. I sand to 800 grit, but you probably won't want to go that high on a rocking horse. Kunos isn't usually a glossy finish, but on ARC you can bring it up almost to a gloss finish if you wish, by using more coats.

With any coating on a rocking horse, you would need to ensure it is safe for any little hands...and maybe mouths that come in contact with it, unless off course it will only be a show piece. You can actually vary the sheen level of the Kunos somewhat by buffing in-between the coats before applying the next coat. This flattens the wax crystals in the coating and gives more light reflection, which makes it appear glossier. The oil, wax, resin mix really enhances the colour and structure of the timber. Its a natural coating on a natural substrate.

How did you go?