Finishing Black Walnut slab with bark on live edge - Noob

[Ryan Wills]

I have a question about finishing this.
What is your best plan of action I have read many but there were 2 ways that seam to be favored by most.

1. Use Waterlox original sealer/finisher - using wipe on technique not brush
(I have read to put up to 9 coats with light sanding every 3 coats)

2. step 1 - Use Behlan Solar-Lux Dye (American Walnut) with 50% dilution of a reducer (2 coats)
step 2 - Zinser Sealcoat - then sand (1 coat)
step 3 - Old Masters gel stain (wipe on and off very quickly) (1 coat)
step 4 - Deft clear wood finish spray (3 coats)

Which one is more preferable to you or is there another way you prefer

The one thing I haven't read about is the treatment of the bark on the live edge. How do you go about finishing this?
Would the spray lacquer be preferable in this situation over wiping? What about brush?

btw this is a 36" long x 15" wide x 1.25" thick and is going to be a small coffee table

Thanks

[Jim Becker]

I've never found a need to add color to walnut, especially air-dried walnut. I oil, seal with shellac and then use whatever clear top coat I plan. (usually water borne) Walnut gets lighter over time, BTW.

[Ryan Wills]

I've never found a need to add color to walnut, especially air-dried walnut. I oil, seal with shellac and then use whatever clear top coat I plan. (usually water borne) Walnut gets lighter over time, BTW.

Thanks for the reply. What would you use as an oil, seal and top coat then?
Would this be wipe, brush or spray preference?
How would you go about treating the bark on live edges?

[Jim Becker]

Let's start with the bark. Bark is a tough row to hoe...and it may very well remove itself over time. Nature of the beast. As moisture content changes, the bark isn't going to adhere very well, so consider removing it and dressing the edge to leave it natural, but solid wood.

I use BLO, de-waxed shellac (typically Zinsser Seal Coat) and Target Coatings EM6000, but the product doesn't matter....it's somewhat personal preference. Oiling is done by hand and I typically spray the shellac and clear coats. I'll brush shellac on small objects (and I've learned how to do so...it's not the same technique as paint or varnish), but for larger things, I spray. I don't usually use oil-based finishes, but if I did, they would be brushed or wiped. Spraying oil based finishes, which dry very slowly, is a messy, thankless, task, IMHO.