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Thread: smooth finish on checked wood

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2015
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    Ingleside, IL
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    smooth finish on checked wood

    Looking for some advice on finishing some shelves. Naturally, she picked some pretty rough looking boards and of course wants to store towels on them. So any suggestions on a finish that will fill those small checks and cracks, and provide a nice smooth finish will be much appreciated. The knot holes will get epoxy, clear. Anyone ever use Verathane's triple thick poly?
    20180320_080734.jpg20180320_080810.jpg
    Stand for something, or you'll fall for anything.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    You don't need to fill the cracks. (And SHMBO probably choose those boards because she likes the cracks. Some people like rustic.) Towels are not going to fall into the cracks. What will bother her will be splinters that stick up to grab the towels. Put several coats of varnish on the boards. Resand a bit. While you're resanding, particularly look out for splinters. Rub the surface with a towel to find them. Knock them down, and add one more coat of varnish to get an even sheen. Done.

  3. #3
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    May 2015
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    Thanks Jamie - ya, it's the towels catching that I'm worried about. And, yes, SHMBO likes that rustic look. I've had very bad times with varnish - I used some spar varnish on a build several years ago and it's still not dry. (only a slight exaggeration). What brand / kind of varnish do you like to use?
    Stand for something, or you'll fall for anything.

  4. #4
    Since you will be filling the knots with epoxy, do the same on the checks and splits. Sand or scrape it all flat. Then wipe on a couple coats of Wipe-on Poly. Will look great and will be easy to finish.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
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    Issaquah, Washington
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    Bill,
    Similar to Prashan's approach, I would fill everything with WestSystem epoxy (no nee to add any dye), sand to 220 and then 2-3 coats of Arm-R-Seal. Easy and nice.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    San Francisco, CA
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    10,304
    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Carey View Post
    Thanks Jamie - ya, it's the towels catching that I'm worried about. And, yes, SHMBO likes that rustic look. I've had very bad times with varnish - I used some spar varnish on a build several years ago and it's still not dry. (only a slight exaggeration). What brand / kind of varnish do you like to use?
    Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane.

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