Thread: Keep light oak light.

Sorry admin,

I just found a forum for Finishes and I just realised I should have posted this question in there. Move if need be to appropriate forum and sorry for the mixup.

Cheers

Ann

WB POLY will keep the finish as light as it is in the raw.... NOn yellowing finish, it is and it will resist the oils and grime of a kitchen.

Thank you Hickory,

I'll give that a try. I'll test patch a clear water based ployurethane finish. (I'm presuming that's what you mean when you said WB POLY).

I'm off to the store now to buy some. Will let you know how it goes.

Cheers

The 'problem' with most water based stuff is that it's water clear, often with a blue tinge and it makes the underlying wood become very cold in appearance.

A sealer coat of blonde shellac should take the edge off the blue, but may make it slightly green changing the problem from cold to sick.

I usually add a touch of red and yellow colour to the poly to warm it up. Works very well, and you don't need much to make it work.

If the straight poly is too cold, try adding some colour to it. If you are still in the 'suck it and see' stage, it can't hurt any.

The water based poly is working nicely. As it turns out the wood is red oak so there is plenty of warmth in it to compensate for any cold blue tinge in the finish.

I tried an oil based Poly and it added a warm glow to it making it too red so this is working quite nicely.

I also tried using a water based wood sealer first then the WB Poly but the sealer gave it a splotchy dirty appearance so I'm going with the WB Poly straight onto the raw wood and use 3 to 4 coats.

Looking good on my test runs.

Cheers all

I am still finishing our kitchen cupboard doors (a bit like writing war and peace, 4 years so far and still going).
I am using water based poly on the doors, ones coat, one day to dry, cut back gently by hand with some 400 grit wet and dry, reapeat process for as many coats as you wish.
To take off the 'plastic' look I finish off with a good furniture wax.

Iain, 4 years!!! :eek: That's devotion to the job. I'm sure it will be well worth all the work and the wait when it's all finished.

I just wanted to lighten them without too much effort to make do until we can afford new cabinets so as long as they are lighter than what we have now they'll do for a while.

If I was to get as particular as you are about your cabinets they might look too good and I'd never get new ones so I have to leave them a bit rough looking so hubby buys me new ones down the track sometime.

Cheers - Ann