Finish Recommendations

I have been making some tables and other things that include some lovely grain in birch that a local man mills.

Here is a picture of some tables I made at Christmas, so you can see the grain I am talking about.

Attachment 401447

The breadboard end is what I have been calling "tiger's-eye" birch, though there might very well be a proper name, if anyone knows it.

My question is about the finish. So far I have used a marine spar varnish, which seems to bring that unique grain out very well. The water-based finishes I've tried have not been as good at highlighting that nice feature. On the other hand, the varnish yellows with time. (These tables matched a larger coffee table I made several years ago, and when placed side-by-side the effect was pronounced).

Is there a finish anyone could recommend that would make the grain pop, but not yellow with time?

Except when I feel shellac is more appropriate, I use Tried & True finishes exclusively. I especially like their varnish oil. I've used it on light and dark woods, softwood and hardwood, and couldn't be happier with the results. Really enhances the grain without that ultra shiny look. For optimal results it is very important to follow their directions for use. Informative videos on their website as well. Btw, I am in no way affiliated with the company other than as a loyal customer.

Thanks for the lead. I’ll check it out.

I haven't tried Tried and True, but I suspect they'd have the same yellowing 'issue' other oils and oil-based varnishes do.

Shellac and Lacquer are generally regarded as less yellowing than varnish.

For my money, if I want grain pop, I embrace the ambering effect of oil or oil based varnish.

Maybe try to pop it with shellac. Any WB finish should go over that and not yellow. Also maybe try Target sealer and a WB topcoat. Good results with that too.

T&T is based on BLO that's been heat treated rather than using metallic driers. It provides an amber color like almost any other oil finish. I'm a fan...of the pure oil and the oil/beeswax formula. The varnish oil, at least when I worked with it a little many years ago, wasn't as pleasing, but that may have been "operator error" as I was very new to the sport of woodworking at that point. These day's I pretty much just use the pure oil version and have been using the same container of the stuff for what seems like forever! It goes a long way.

Target Coatings 8000cv is waterbased, but it provides a very subtle amber effect. If you are seeking the look of oil based without yellowing over time, hit it with either Target coating's sanding sealer, or neutral stain base first, and then finish it off with the 8000cv.

The sanding sealer or neutral stain base will give it the richness and depth that blo does, but with the dry time and cure time (not to mention ease of clean up) if water based.

Very nice work there! I have been using Pratt and Lambert (almost said Whitney) alkyd #38 varnish diluted 50/50 with naphtha and using a 4 or 5 coat wipe on technique. After 5 years, no yellowing so far. I prefer the satin version. A light hit with #400 on a automotive sanding block after the last two coats leaves a baby smooth finish. No plastic look, in fact looks as though there is no finish, just bare wood. Been getting similar, but not quite as good, results with Minwax wipe-on satin poly. Presume this is for indoor use, even though you are using spar varnish? If outdoor, that is a game changer.

Most durable non-yellowing finish you put on a table is 2k poly. ML Campbell's version is Polarion. It's 2 part, mixes 5:1. You'll pay about $75 gal after getting catalyst.