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View Full Version : Some finishing tips please



Mike Binder
07-30-2010, 12:36 PM
Hello All,

I have been on this site for quite some time now, but this is my first post. I am almost finished with a sewing table for my wife and was wondering what the best finishing would be for it? I am fairly new to making furniture so this project has taken me alot longer then most of you probably. It is made completely with red oak. I look foward to hearing what you all have for me. Thanks. :confused:

Scott Holmes
07-30-2010, 1:29 PM
You will want to use a hard varnish not a tough varnish. Polyurethane is tough but not very hard. Waterlox Original or Behlen's Rock Hard Table Top varnish would be good choices as would Pratt & Lambert #38. (less color in the P&L)

Filling the grain on the top will most likely score some points for you with the seamstress.

johanes purnama
07-30-2010, 6:00 PM
Oak wood has a nice grain and pores.
With proper finish you can make a nice product.
Many finishing models can be used for this wood with very good result.

Bill Davis
07-30-2010, 6:22 PM
Not a quick answer to your question but one that will serve you for a long time to come in your woodworking is to get Bob Flexner's book Understanding Wood Finishing. He is also soon out with a new book Flexer on Finishing (http://blogs.popularwoodworking.com/editorsblog/The+Advance+Copy+Of+Flexner+On+Finishing+Im+Very+P leased.aspx?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PopularWoodworking+%28Popular +Woodworking%29&utm_content=Google+Reader). He has super useful information on most all finishes and techniques. I'd rate it a must have. Wish I'd had it when I started woodworking.

Chris Friesen
07-30-2010, 8:06 PM
Some good suggestions already. If you decide not to fill the grain, I'd suggest that you thin the first coat substantially otherwise it may tend to bridge the pores rather than sink into them.

Mike Binder
07-31-2010, 8:21 AM
Thanks for all the great tips everyone. I will have to check out that book as well. Finishing seems kind of scary because I do not want to screw that up. Once my project is finished I will post it in the projects forum. Thanks again all.

Mike:D

Joe Chritz
08-01-2010, 12:40 AM
There is no "best" finish, just best for a particular application.

For the one you are doing I would definately think about filling the grain and going with a wiping non poly varnish. Behlen's rockhard as mentioned is a very good and readily available finish. You do need to thin it to make it wiping though.

Do some tests with the filler as it can be tricky to work with.

Joe

Larry Fox
08-01-2010, 9:38 AM
Guys, surprised I have not seen a reply for just filling the pores on top and using shellac. I don't know much about sewing but how much abuse is the piece likely to take to steer everyone towards something like a Behlen's rockhard?

Scott Holmes
08-01-2010, 11:15 AM
Filling red oak with shellac will be very laborious... Pores are very large and the shellac will re-dissolved deeper into the pores. A pore or grain filler will work much better.

Larry Fox
08-01-2010, 7:31 PM
Sorry Scott - was thinking of filling pores first using something like pore-o-pac and THEN using shellac as the topcoat.