Thread: How to finish huon pine coasters

I'd only use an oil finish on huon pine so as not to loose that lovely natural smell of the wood, not too many coats either unless you want a polished look. Huon is pretty resilient though, being very resinous, you could just leave it bare.

Originally Posted by mattstandingup

I'd only use an oil finish on huon pine so as not to loose that lovely natural smell of the wood, not too many coats either unless you want a polished look. Huon is pretty resilient though, being very resinous, you could just leave it bare.

Thanks for this suggestion. How would oil go with hot objects? The instructons suggest coating with something to prevent cracking of the timber coasters

No matter what you coat the timber with, constant exposure to heat will cause it to crack.

It will be dependant on the type of coating and naturally the heat source but if one uses a natural penetrating oil, this should not crack.
A true oil soaks in the timber and whilst constant high heat may mark it, one can quiet easily repair the surface easily if need be.

Here is the very helpful email answer we got today from Livos Australia:

The Kunos range is designed for interior timbers and would be well suited for your project. (Due to the natural nature of the product curing time is 4-6 weeks, where water should be avoided and cleaned up as soon as possible). We recommend the timbers are prepared to approx 150 grit. We recommend that the initial sand be not too fine to allow maximum penetration of the oil, followed by finer sanding or buffing in-between coats.

The Kunos counter top oil # 243 is the product I would recommend. It has the added benefits of being heat resistant to 50 degrees as well, this is able to withstand direct contact with hot cups, plates etc. The Kunos oils are also certified food safe so can be used with confidence should there be direct contact with food.

The Livos oils are penetrating oils, leaving no layer on top to become brittle and restrict the timber. While they are durable they are also natural so can mark through contact with chemicals, however these marks can be quickly and easily spot repaired as well as rejuvenated if necessary. The products are available as sample pot sizes if you wish to try out prior to applying to the whole surface.

I agree that an oil would be the best choice. I have found that single pack varnishes react funny with the oils in the timber and either remains tacky or dries soft.

Dengy,
If you've already got Tung oil or Scandinavian Oil around the place, they'll do just as well as the Livos I would think. If you don't, then you may as well buy what's best for your wallet!

Regards,

Rob

It really depends on how hot and how sloppy you are. Traditionally, Huon Pine was finished with button shellac. Yes, yes, the ethanol based shellac reacts with the oil over time. That's GREAT. It gives a georgeous crinckly crackly dark orange brown finish with time. Once the shellac has hardened it will take almost any spill and any heat and it will add to its patina. Even something excessive is reairable with fresh shellac Now, if you want impervious fake plastic go with polyurethane --very long lasting but never changes, never develops patina. The oil finishes are somewhere in between, neither authentic nor impervious But why bother -- either go for impermeabe, never changing polyurethane, or let time mellow and improve with button shellac. You can even brush the shellac on for a coaster -a bit of a travesty but we purists will forgive!

In the end I decided to try the Kunos Countertop Oil #243, as it has good heat withstand properties. I flooded the huon pine with the oil from a brush, let it soak in for 10 -15 minutes, then wiped it off with a lint free rag. I then repeated this twice, 24 hours apart, and after a further 24 hours I rubbed it with Liberon 0000 steel wool.

The end result was a beautiful silky smooth coaster in what I think is a natural HP looking finish. I have put them out in the sun quite a bit as it takes 4 - 6 weeks to fully harden - it has a large linseed oil component in the kunos. I remember in my cricketing youth waiting weeks for the bats to dry and harden after applying several coats of linseed oil

Many thanks for all the help and suggestions, I have learnt lots

That was 10 years ago. The coasters are used on a daily basis, and have not required a 2nd coat.

Thats a good update Dengue. Ten years of serviceable life for a frequently used surface is a pretty good result and a handy benchmark for those using Kunos oils. During the past 5-6 years I have found myself using finishes such as danish oil, organoil and hard wax oils rather than polyurethanes . It's reassuring to find others are getting good results.

Regards
Twosheds