I’m about to put up my raised panels in the guest bathroom. some of the fiddleback maple takes my breath away it’s so wonderful..
But I still haven’t decided on how to finish it.. it’s gotta be clear (to show that wonderful grain pattern off) but laquer or polyeurthane?
Replies
Frenchy, I really like the enduro w/b finish. Its easy o spray ad dries quickly. there is a additive to enhance the water and wear resistance. Not priced to bad either. Since you mentioned you want to keep the natural look, the ulta flat finish wont discolor, yellow ect and will keep it looking natural. I get mine from a local supplier but the main distributer around here along with tech support if need is http://www.compliantspraysystems.com
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Sancho Ron,
I looked for the finish you recommended and I wasn't able to find it at any of my usual sources. I did several finishes for my wife and she likes the look of shellac on the test piece I did. I'm well aware of shellac's relative weakness but it is easy to touch up at least. It's in a guest bathroom so it will be totally devoid of any UV light.
The light fixtures are crystal the walls are raised panel fiddle back maple The sink is French cistern porcelain so maybe the guests will get the idea that the room isn't really a mud room or a wrestling room
Since there isn't a bath nor should there be any real dampness what is your opinion of Shellac? I'm thinking of using a 3 pound cut clear
Shellac is ok. Im not real experianced with it as I usually spray the enduro. Anymore its all I use.
Im not sure of the durability. But I used it on my kids bedroom furniture with no problems and its been about 5 years.
Shellac is good in that is your not happy with the way the finish turns out you can re-spray and it will burn into the previous coat. It dries amazingly fast as it is alcohol base. It has different colors with the different types of shellac. For clear I think you would use a blond shellac.
Have you considered a tongue oil. Rocklers has a good sellection. A few coats will really bring out the grain of the wood. It should be ok to use because like you said It will be in a guest bathroom with very little usage and little moisture. Im not 100% sure but I think Rocklers sells a combo tongue oil and by general finishes. I forget the name but I used it on my coffee table and with my 3 young hooligans spilling everything from juice to chocolate milk/ coffee ect on it, It has held up pretty good. Its real easy to apply, wipe on , let set, wipe of excess repeat... It something to look into. I'll get you the nmae of the product when I get home tonight.
The only place I know you can get the enduro is either through Austins Hardwoods in Santa Ana, or through Compliant spray systems. If I remember correctly you are in the Bay area. Compliant is in San Clemente in Orange County between LA and San Deigo.
They sell a trial kit for something like 25 bucks. Ya get 1 qt sealer, 1 qt finish , 1 qt stain your choice of color. Since its going to be used in a room with out any/ much moisture you wont need the additive.
I will wet the wood surface with a damp cloth (damp not wet) let dry lightly sand the raised grain (if any) then spray the sealer I use a medium coat let dry sand with 180 the wipe with a damp wet cloth and spray a build coat... let dry and sand lightly, again wipe with ddamp cloth and spray finish coat.
Frenchy I never even have to rub this finish out. I use a hvlp accuspray. I hope this helps. I wish you were closer I would come and spray them for ya.Buck Construction View Image
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Buck,
Thanks for the info, No I'm in Minnesota, not the Bay area. I have the Rocklers tongue oil and used that but she who must be obeyed didn't like the look very much and polyurethanes all looked too plastic to her.. evan the satin ones..
I sprayed clear nitrocelluliose laquer and thought that was the cats butt! However she complained that it looked too cold to her..
As for the Rocklers tongue oil I used that on a grandfather clock I made about a decade ago and today the wood is so dry that I may as well not have anything on it.. Probably put too thin of coats or not enough coats (3) (unless that's the nature of tongue oils?)
Frenchy, I was reading through this thread waiting for someone to suggest an oil, which will "pop" the grain on highly figured wood. Now I see that Ron did so, and I second his suggestion.A single coat of oil will do the trick, then you can proceed to whatever final finish you prefer. Any oil will do---- Watco, General Finishes Seal-a-Cell, and even a Tung oil varnish can be wiped on. For me, I go with a pre-catalyzed nitro lacquer if I am spraying (available from any Hirschfields, and the maker is M.L. Campbell).If brushing, I prefer an alkyd poly, and my favorite is Ben Moore's Low-Lustre Polyurethane. EDIT: I think a preliminary coat of oil will warm up the surface (criticism that Lac is too "cool"). I think the BM poly I mentioned above is the best of the lot as far as rendering a non-plastic look. But BM also still makes an old fashioned varnish -- which they, not surprisingly, call Alkyd Varnish. Shellac is a great finish -- if you can accept its limitations, and are willing to invest a rather considerable effort in rubbing it out.
Edited 4/5/2005 6:13 pm ET by nikkiwood
As for the oil on your Grandfather clock, I would try recoating it. A new coat of oil will freshen the appearance -- just rub it down a bit first.
try this stuff,
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?DeptID=4042&FamilyID=7259Buck Construction View Image
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
here ya go...
http://www.compliantspraysystems.com/enduro_water_base_coatings/exterior_interior_poly.htm
dont forget the additive (I forget what tey call it) its the dead flat sheen ya want. Ill give it a totally clear natural look that wont yellow
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
I don't know how far you want to go on this. I wouldn't use an inexpensive nitrocellulose lacquer because of yellowing. Ten years from now it won't look very good.
Oil based poly (uralkyd) yellows badly, too, and lacks clarity, although its wear characteristic are good.
For a low -tech finish my first choice would be a CAB acrylic lacquer. It's water clear, inexpensive, doesn't yellow, and has good wear and moisture resistance.
For a high end finish I'd use a catalyzed amino-alkyd conversion varnish like M L Campbell's Krystal, or else a catalyzed urethane, a whole different animal from the oil based, which is really an alkyd modified with urethane.
Lots of choices, but those would be mine. The waterbornes are getting better, but stil don't compete in water and chemical resistance.
Michael R
Woodwiz, I'm very interested in this topic. Thanks for your input. Here in southwest Australia the local furniture galleries and high-end custom furniture makes all use a Swedish lacquer from Becker Acroma. It's a 2 pack "acid curing" low toxic lacquer (DM 307). I think it's nitrocellulose. (I'm not too familiar with CAD lacquers?) You can use varying gloss levels. It's a beautiful, hard wearing, easy to spray on product. There are also local Tung Oil / Polyurethane mixtures that give beautiful results, but do result in yellowing over time. Can you post some info / links regarding the lacquers you recommend?
Man, you're on the back side of the moon. Perth?
I couldn't get into B-A's site, but acid cure products are usually conversion varnishes with excellent chemical and wear resistance. It would be about the equivalent to M L Campbell's Krystal. The other finishes are way down the scale in terms of durability. Only bad thing about the stuff is that it's hard to get off if you ever want to refinish.
CAB stands for Cellulose acetate butyrate, and is a pretty good one-pack finish, but not up to the standards of an acid cure. The acid cure finishes I am familiar with are amino-alkyd resin systems. Some, like DuraVar also have nitrocellulose in them for a quicker primary cure, but they do yellow and aren't quite as durable..
I have no knowledge about what finishes other than the traditional ones are available in OZ. Ordering flammable finishes from other countries doesn't work to well.
What do you need to do that the acid cure finishes won't do?
Michael R
In the real land of Oz, Kansas.
I think the latest chart I saw with "durability" ratings showed the waterbased polyurethanes (floor finishes) as the most durable. Alas, although the older texts state that a Varnish finish was the standard to measure all others against, it seems that that chart didn't even list Varnish as an option.
That being said, the WB polyurethanes are also generally equisitely and unforgivingly colourless. IE They impart no warmth to the wood WHATSOEVER, at least in my experience. Ergo, even for a natural look, you gotta use a "natural" stain to develop the warmth.
And fer god's sake, don't use any steel wool....with WB finishes, it just creates little rust spots.
They can however be tinted in a similar fashion to a shading laquer, moreover they can be tinted with colours from the local borg store, so you can do it yerself.
They do dry fast, and spray well from what I've heard (so far I've normally brushed/wiped em on)
A simple trial would show if they gave the wood the appearance you want, with/without the natural stain.
Just my plebian Canadian thoughts.
Eric
in Calgary
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