Thread: american redwood finish

Originally Posted by phil wilson

Hello Everyone,

I have a beautiful piece of American Redwood (1800 x 600 x 40) which I am going to use for a coffee table top.

I've sanded and sanded until it is now very smooth with great features from knots and grain. I tried using China oil on a sample piece and it just soaked right into the wood. I'm after a finish that is durable, silky smooth and adds depth to hightlight the knots and grains without using a polyurethane.

Anyone have suggestions on the types of finishes and methods they could recommend.


Phil

Can't help with the finishing ,but I'm sure with the wealth of knowlege and experience available through this forum you will get something to make that piece of timber glow.

When you get it finished please post some pics.

Kev

Redwood will absorb tung oil or BLO; however, eventually you will build a finish. If you don't want to put on so many coats, I'm talking more than 10 to 15, in my experience with BLO then you'll have to consider shellac, or varnish, or some oil and varnish combination. Maybe the tung oil will build fasted that BLO, but I'm guseesing you'll have to put a lot of coats on, and it will take a long time for that many coats to really dry.

If it were me, I would try a combination of 25% tung oil, 25% high quality varnish, 50% turps, and a bit of Japan drier so it dries dust free. You will still need more than one coat, I'd say four will do it.

I have been using hard burnishing oil & sanded in wet using 1500 grit wet & dry paper comes up well then just use a wax finish over that. ( nice natural look )

BTW there was a good thread about this not long ago & it was titled along the lines of '' how do you get a mirror finish ''

Hi,

Thanks for the replies, I found some stuff called "minwax wipe-on poly" which I'll have a go with on a piece of scrap and see how it comes up, has anyone else tried this stuff?

The reason I didn't want to use a polyurethane finish was due to brush strokes in something this size, but this wipe on finish might just do the trick.

The shiney stuff in the middle of the slab is epoxy which I've used to fill in holes, I'm hoping this will be a nice feature in the finished product.

The slab is currently sanded to 180 grit and I've wet it using metho to bring out the grain for the photos.

Here are some pictures:

Attachment 50720

Attachment 50721

Attachment 50722

With a decent brush and some careful application you won't get brush marks. Especially now the weather is cool.

As long as you have a clean area with minimum dust about you should be able to lay on a nice brush free coat of any poly/varnish/enamel.

Floor areas far larger are done using these materials without marks showing in the finish.

The paints should dry slow enough for you to spread them out over the surface brush them level and they will flow out to a flat surface before the material sets. Not much easier surface to paint than one which is horizontal.

Originally Posted by durwood

With a decent brush and some careful application you won't get brush marks. Especially now the weather is cool.

As long as you have a clean area with minimum dust about you should be able to lay on a nice brush free coat of any poly/varnish/enamel.

Floor areas far larger are done using these materials without marks showing in the finish.

The paints should dry slow enough for you to spread them out over the surface brush them level and they will flow out to a flat surface before the material sets. Not much easier surface to paint than one which is horizontal.

Hi Durwood,

I tried using Wattyl two pak, 7008 and had a horrible time, mind you is was summer but I waited till very early morning or late afternoon to apply and I never really achieved a finish I was happy with.

I am very new to this finishing caper and have alot to learn

Phil,

This may help you

http://www.stephen.hull.btinternet.co.uk/brushes.html