Enhancing wood grain under poly varnish

[Dave Cohen]

Finishing two wooden garden benches that will be finished with exterior poly/varnish...one is cherry and one is quarter sawn (red) oak and I wanted to bring the look of these woods out....

BLO works nicely for cherry, could I use that under the poly/varnish for the cherry ?

If OK, would it also enhance the QSRO ?
thanks

[glenn bradley]

BLO and other oils enhance the figure by absorbing more into soft areas than into hard, porous vs. dense if you will. It will work on both and create more distinction than say, clear shellac. Be sure to give it very adequate time to dry.

As always try a little on a piece of scrap that has been through your sanding/prep protocol. What is 'just right' to some is 'barely there' or 'too much' for others.