Need help choosing type of finish

[Don Estep]

I am new to forum. I am making a office desk that has three types of wood on the top, Walnut, Pecan and maple. I do not want to stain or color the wood. I want each wood to show its natural color. Does anyone have any suggestions of a finish that will make the wood "pop" but not color it? I am new to woodworking and would prefer to buy the finish rather than have to mix it myself if possible.

Thanks for any advise you may offer.

[Ted Calver]

Don, I'm not much of a finishing expert, but I'd like to welcome you to the Creek. Perhaps one of the water-born finishes would work for you. If you use the advanced search function at the top right of the page and look for water-born finishes you'll see some answers from more experienced users.

[Howard Acheson]

Any finish, even plain water, will color wood. It's a question of how much, For a desk you want durable hard finish. The two best are Waterlox Original or Behlen's Rockhard. Both are oil based varnishes. But, both will add quite a bit of amber color. That's not all bad as it's amber coloring that "pops" the grain.

[Don Estep]

Thanks Ted and Howard
Check the previous posts about water born finishes and use of WaterLox and Behlen's. I see many notations that people using Waterlox.

Found the Waterlox website and thier how-to page but could not find Behlen's website.

Waterlox how-to seems very stright forward.

I am going to Rockler today for a router table demo so I am going to pick up a small can of each (if they have it) and try them out on some scrap pieces of each wood type to see how they look.

Which do you think is easier to use?

Thanks
Don

[Ted Calver]

Don, I haven't used Behlen's so can't comment, but I have used a fair amount of Waterlox and it does have it's drawbacks. It will give you a slight amber tint, but as Howard said really pops the grain. I like to thin the first coat and it doesn't really play well with mineral spirits. Penetrol is the recommended thinner. It requires a day of drying between coats and 30 days before it really hardens. I usually do three coats. Other than the wait between coats, the only other drawback is that it will rather quickly gum up in the can after it is opened. Many people decant into baby food jars or other smaller containers. I use Bloxygen and it seems to work...when I remember it. Good luck.

http://www.waterlox.com/assets/pdfs/counter-guide-FINAL.pdf

[Rich Engelhardt]

two best are Waterlox Original or Behlen's Rockhard. Both are oil based varnishes
As an FYI.
Scott Holmes just mentioned recently that Behlen's has changed.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?194803-Need-guidance-on-sanding-staining-and-protecting-this-bar&highlight=Behlen%27s

[Don Estep]

As I said on my last post I went to Rockler (Houston) to pick up a small can of Waterlox and Behlen's and to see a router table demo. What a let down. They were sold out of original Waterlox and did not have Behlen's. The router table "demo" scheduled for 11:00 AM never happened and I drove an hour and 15 minutes to get there. My wife dropped me off at Rockler at 10:45 and she went down the road to buy fabric and she said she would return at 12:00. So I still have to buy the Waterlox and Behlen's to test and I am still looking for the "right" router table top but it won't be at Rockler.

Have a great weekend
Don

[Kent A Bathurst]

Don -

The application of both the W'lox and the Behlen's is the same - that's really not an issue in your consideration of which to use.

[John TenEyck]

All solvent based finishes will add an amber tint to your wood. If you really don't want to add any color you should use a waterborne finish. There are several/many really good WB topcoats these days. A couple of ones often praised here are Target Coating's EM-6000 and General Finishes Hi Perf. Poly, Enduro Clear Poly and Enduro Lacquer. These finishes are water clear, which many folks don't really like and will only use over a dye or stain. But if you want water clear, they are the better/only choice over solvent based products. In any case, they are easy to use, and very hard and durable.

John

[Don Estep]

Thanks Kent and John for the info.
I need to get a small can of each type to test on scrap so that we (really means the wife) can decide which looks best on the wood samples. The only thing that I am sure of at this point is that I will not stain or dye on this project. Thankfully I do not have to decide right now because I still have several glue ups to do before I even begin to to the prep to begin finishing.

I am very thankfull to each of you for your advise
Don

[Scott Holmes]

Don,

I've been out of state for the last 2 weeks or so. I see you're in the Houston area. I'm in Tomball. The Rockler store has some good people there. Maybe they got a rush on finishes for Christmas. Woodcraft also carries both finishes.

There is very little difference in the look of the two finishes when cured. However, Watelox is available in satin and gloss; Behlen's is gloss only. AND it is now a poly...so, if the orginal Rock Hard Table Top varnish is not still available I wont be using it any more.

[Rick Moyer]

Also get yourself Bob Flexner's book "Understanding Wood Finishing". I am very much a novice but this book will answer ANY questions you have about finishing. Really well done in my opinion.