What Finish to Use

[Tom Bender]

What finish will minimize the grain on Oak? I'd like to keep the medium color and the look of wood but not show off the bold and distracting grain.

[John TenEyck]

If you dye the wood to the color you want and then finish it with satin clear coat you won't see the grain nearly as much as if you use a pigmented stain with gloss clear coat. You can make the grain almost disappear if you fill it with neutral grain filler and then use a gel stain followed by a satin clear coat. You have options.

John

[Tom Bender]

Thanks John, I don't think I want to stain, the color is fine, so just a neutral grain filler then a topcoat. Easy. Can you recommend a grain filler?

Tom

[John TenEyck]

Behlen's Pore-O-Pac and Old Master's Natural Tone Woodgrain Filler both work well. I can buy the latter at my local Benjamin Moore. The reason I said to use a gel stain over the grain filler was to further diminish the grain. You don't have to change the color; you can use a neutral base, or one with just a little color.

In any case, make some samples with whatever you think you might like to find out if you really do.

John

[Tom Bender]

Two big boxes and Sherwin Williams had never heard of grain filler, just plastic wood!

So I am testing filling with something else with mixed results.

Microspheres in 1 pound shellac, sand, polyurethane varnish, covers some of the darkness in the pores.

Patching plaster in 1 pound cut shellac, sand, polyurethane varnish, covers better but shows a bit more white.

I think the plaster is better.

BTW this is a table top so it needs the poly, which I will scuff to reduce the shine.

[Mike Monroe]

I find Old Master products at the local True Value/Ace Hardware stores. They're also the only place that carries Deft Clear Wood Finish locally. Don't know if TV/AH is in MI, but if they are, might be a place to check out.