Thread: ironbark

Hi babsbabe,

by Bench, I'm assuming you mean work-bench not something to sit on.

That being the case and wanting a shiny finish you've got to go with Danish Oil. Lots of it, several coats over a few days and then another in a month or so and again whenever it looks like it needs a spruce up.

You've got to do all faces (at least for the first couple of coats) including the underside or you'll get problems in the future when the humidity in the air changes and moisture can be absorbed by the untreated face.

I've also assumed that it's already flattened and smoothed not a rough sawn finish.

The local forum members can give you a brand name for the DO.

Please post a pic when it's done (or as a work in progress), I've no idea what Ironbark looks like.

thanks for the info
its a kitchen bench and it needs one more sanding .the bench is already in the kitchen noway of being able to do the underside,plus the slab weighs 450 kilos was hard enough getting it on top of cupboards im not moving it again hahahaha
dont want to use oil to much work to maintain. .i have done linseed oil and turps on it for the last 2 years now as it was still green. cheers barb

If you've been rubbing Linseed Oil into it all that time I very much doubt you'll get much else but oil to stick to it.

The problem I think you'll find is Linseed oil does not give a very good Gloss/Shiny finish like you say you want.

I would still suggets a couple of coats of DO over the Linseed for the finish you want. It's very hard wearing and should only need a couple of wipe-downs a year to refresh it.

You can use a safe natural finish and still achieve a nice gloss. Not so plastic looking but also not hard to maintain. have a look at the Bundendore Gallery, they have actually used it on their cafe tables. They have used the Livos Kunos countertop oil. If though your slab is too finely sanded, you wont get much penetration. ..Sand to 180 then gradually move up from there.