Finish for Box Elder

[Lorraine Price]

We have a gorgeous Box elder bowl completed and do not want to use a Waterlox on it. The wood is a clean white with reds and blues in it. We are afraid the Waterlox will make it a yellow color and we do want to avoid that.

Is there a non yellowing finish as good as waterlox? Darkening is not a problem, just not the amber color.

Thank you in advance

[sheldon pettit]

We have a gorgeous Box elder bowl completed and do not want to use a Waterlox on it. The wood is a clean white with reds and blues in it. We are afraid the Waterlox will make it a yellow color and we do want to avoid that.

Is there a non yellowing finish as good as waterlox? Darkening is not a problem, just not the amber color.

Thank you in advance

Well, lets see.... Yes there are many finishes or coatings better than waterlox, especially as to ambering or yellowing, but most are catalyzed finishes normally sprayed on. So I'm not certain of the type of application your looking for, but being a turner, i would expect your looking for a wipe on type of finish, correct me if I'm mistaken please :)

If by chance spraying is out of the question, then that definitely narrows the field, so it would now help to know if the bowl will be used or just a decorative showpiece? If for use with wet and dry goods, then their is none i can recommend as being as good or better than waterlox, but will give you what you desire and that would be either vinyl or acrylic coatings which can also be purchased in spray cans, you may need to refreshing them more often than the waterlox, but even in worst-case scenarios, they are easy to remove and redo as to others. Best to wash and hand dry right after use, no dishwashers please:)

If for ornamental use, the same would hold true as to types of non yellowing coatings and of course the coating would last much longer. I'm not sure what you mean by "Darkening is not a problem, just not the amber color." I no of no coating that would give darkness without coloring to some degree.



There may be others that are available, but none that i'm aware of. hope this helps.

[Prashun Patel]

I hear you. I turned a good deal of spalted box elder this fall myself. Blonde shellac is paler than Waterlox. Polyurethane is whiter still. Poly can yellow over time but you should keep that bowl away from a lot of direct sunlight anyway to preserve the flame.

The easiest way to a clear white finish on bowls for me is a spray can of Deft Finish (lacquer). It is easy to apply and comes out nice and level.

If you are planning to eat out of this bowl, then you might stay with tung oil.

[Lorraine Price]

I do not mind a spray at all.

What I mean by darkening, is that I have used a beeswax/mineral oil finish on some of my spoons and it does not at all turn a whiteish wood, yellow, it just deepens the colors with no amber tint. The waterlox does give it a yellow tint, that is not appealing to me on a white wood such as Box elder.

It will be used for dry goods, not washed in a dishwasher!


I will try the Deft. I would like to use the beeswax/mineral oil mixture, but it is not as long lasting and will need to be redone more quickly than a waterlox or tung oil finish.