End Table Top

[Hans Braul]

I am building an end table where the top is cherry with many imperfections in it - not sure what the right term is but the result is little divits in the surface. I like the look - it gives the piece some interest. I am planning to finish the piece with a wipe-on poly for water resistance (drinks placed on the table). My question is - what should I use if I want to fill the little divits prior to the finish coat?

Many thanks
Hans

[Chris Barton]

If you want the depressions to be perfectly flat you could try epoxy but, I'm not sure that your finish will stick to the epoxy. Otherwise, take some cherry saw dust and mix it with some stainable glue and fill the divots, sand smooth and finish.

[Jim Becker]

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with Chris on this...there is no such thing as a "stainable" filler or glue that will ever blend in well, especially on an agressive UV and oxidation reactive species like cherry. Marketing aside, they just don't please.

If your "divots" are large enough or deep enough that you can't plane them out or fill effectively with a clear paste-wood filler after oil/shellac, whatever "first steps", then you might consider simulating pitch pockets common in cherry by filling with black-dyed epoxy.

You could also fill them just prior to final top coats with a colored filler pencil, using a darker shade to compensate for the cherry darkening over time, but it requires a good guess to get it right. Too dark is better than too light, IMHO, however, as that would somewhat simulate natural blemishes better.

[Hans Braul]

Thanks guys. Here are a couple of pics to show what I'm talking about:
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I kinda liked the funky stuff. Not sure how it will look in the end, but it's worth a try. I might just leave the indentations as is. Any other thoughts welcome!

Regards
Hans

[Tony Falotico]

I would be very tempted to leave them as is, put several coats poly on (in) them.

Jim, if they are not too deep would it be possible to "fill" with poly ?? (or build them full with many layers of poly ??)

[Jim Becker]

Hans, those are pitch pockets and somewhat black-brown. Try very finely ground coffee and med-thick CA to fill them in some scrap. Sand smooth; scrap if you want to and then apply your finish regimen as a test.

[Hans Braul]

Great advice Jim - thanks. Just one thing - What is CA? Not up on the lingo.

Regards
Hans

[Travis Porter]

CA = crazy glue

[Robert Trotter]

Hi, Hans.

I am definetly not a finish expert but you seem to like the looks of the wood with the 'defects'. So unless they are deep enough to upset a glass or something like that put on them, I would tend to not worry about them. It would just give a bit more of an aged looked and feel to it.


My Mum loved antiques and the like and it would have that kind of look and feel that antique pine table have I would guess.


But if they are deeper then look into some of the other advice on filling them in enough to make things plaved o the table stable.

Robert