Hi guys,

I'm mostly going to be producing art on Cherry and Maple frames, and I've found my results to be quite good when I apply a few coats of finish before etching. It allows me to wipe off that scorch very easily with a slightly damp rag, and the pieces get that extra visual pop. Where I'm struggling right now is choosing a cost and time effective solution. I was wondering what some of you more experienced guys might recommend.

So far I've tried:

-A very basic water based finish (Varathane Clear Sealant) that I roll on with a spongy roller. It's a 1 day job and I get away with 2 coats on the front, 1 everywhere else.

-A high end product like Livos, which is oil based. It takes a ton of time between coats, is flammable and smells bad, so I don't plan on sticking to this. It's also brutally expensive.

-Mineral Oil, which is dirt cheap and doesn't smell like anything. I was quite excited about this one, and then read that it never really sets, it just stays liquid.


I was on the verge of deciding to try something like Tung (minus the solvent part), when I figured maybe opening up this discussion here might be more productive. I think I'll stay away from walnut oil for allergy reasons (customers). I also decided to open this in this section because I do think it's very much etching specific. Thanks in advance everyone