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Thread: Newbie needs help with finishing – several questions

  1. #1

    Newbie needs help with finishing – several questions

    Hi all, this is my first time posting and in fact the first time I have attempted to finish anything, so please be kind – and SUPER specific 🙂
    I hired a guy to make a kitchen table for me out of ash. Unfortunately his mother had a stroke and before he could finish the table he left town. So I now have an unfinished table top in my garage. I have to finish it, and then figure out how to attach it to the pedestal — but that’s a problem for another day.


    My finishing questions have to do with sealing, raising grain, using a slurry and hand-rubbing. The look I am going for is kind of natural, not super glossy, and very smooth and buttery. I will not be staining it. I plan to use Original Waterlox Sealer/Finish, based on what the guy told me before heading out.


    My questions are:
    1) Can I use the Waterlox to create the slurry, or do I need to use a different oil based product, say, a pure tung oil to make the slurry? Is 320-400 grit (wet/dry) the right grit?
    2) Do I need to raise the grain before filling/slurrying it?
    3) Do I need to put down a sealer somewhere in this process? (I mean, if I can’t use the Waterlox as a slurry agent.)
    4) According to Waterlox’s website, it is not wise to sand in between the first few coats, but their instructions are a bit hazy after that. When to sand, and with what grit — I think this is because there’s so much personal preference involved. So what have you guys done that has worked for you?
    5) Lastly – when it comes to the final coat – buffing? With a cloth or steel wool?

    Thanks to all who answer — I was never expecting to have to do this, but now that I am I’m excited to get started and see the results (eventually!).

  2. #2
    There are people on here that can help you more so than me. I would guess experiment on the bottom to get the results u want. Also after putting on finish cover it above the surface, Apx 6”, with a large piece of cardboard or something to keep the dust from settling on it. Ash is an open grain wood and your waterlux, is an oil based product, should be fine for the whole process. I wouldn’t raise the grain with water. You can fine sand it to fill the grain with 300 -400 grit if desired. When you have what you want on a small area of the bottom, then do the top. Put at least one coat of finish on the bottom also.

    I hope someone who knows finishing chimes in!!!!!! There is a post a couple before yours, “prep befor finishing has some really good information on it that may be helpful.
    Last edited by Charles Grauer; 09-07-2019 at 1:05 PM. Reason: More info

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Peshtigo,WI
    Posts
    1,395
    I may be wrong, but I think that trying to fill the grain in ash with a sanding slurry will take a lot of sanding and you'll become frustrated with the process.

    It might be better to use a grain filler and then finish with the Waterlox.
    Confidence: The feeling you experience before you fully understand the situation

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Bucks County, PA
    Posts
    198
    I’ve used Waterlox on a number of projects. It’s an easy to apply and durable finish, but takes patience. Plan on 6 coats minimum and don’t be worried if the first three look uneven. It will even out as the finish builds.

    I Apply by wiping with cheese cloth. Make a pad by folding it over a number of times. Wear gloves and be sure to dispose of the cheese cloth in a water filled bucket to avoid spontaneous combustion. Apply Very thin coats and allow it to dry 24 hours between each coat. Don’t over wipe it as it will soak into the wood. First three coats- just put them on. After the third coat is dry, lightly sand with 400 grit to remove the dust nibs, then apply two more coats. Sand again lightly with 400. Be sure to remove any sanding dust with a slightly damp microfiber towel after sanding.

    Personally I would not grain fill ash, but if you want to do it you can apply it after the first two or three coats are down as a sealer.

    Waterlox is a very close to the wood finish. It is not a high build plasticy looking finish. It will have a higher sheen for the first couple of months, but turns a nice satin over time. It will darken the ash some as it has an amber tone. Like I said, have patience...

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    San Francisco, CA
    Posts
    10,304
    Figure out how to finish the construction -- that is, making and attaching the base -- before you apply finish. If you apply finish beforehand, you're likely to scratch it while you're finishing the construction.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Anaya Palay View Post
    Hi all, this is my first time posting and in fact the first time I have attempted to finish anything, so please be kind – and SUPER specific 
    I hired a guy to make a kitchen table for me out of ash. Unfortunately his mother had a stroke and before he could finish the table he left town. So I now have an unfinished table top in my garage. I have to finish it, and then figure out how to attach it to the pedestal — but that’s a problem for another day.


    My finishing questions have to do with sealing, raising grain, using a slurry and hand-rubbing. The look I am going for is kind of natural, not super glossy, and very smooth and buttery. I will not be staining it. I plan to use Original Waterlox Sealer/Finish, based on what the guy told me before heading out.


    My questions are:
    1) Can I use the Waterlox to create the slurry, or do I need to use a different oil based product, say, a pure tung oil to make the slurry? Is 320-400 grit (wet/dry) the right grit?
    2) Do I need to raise the grain before filling/slurrying it?
    3) Do I need to put down a sealer somewhere in this process? (I mean, if I can’t use the Waterlox as a slurry agent.)
    4) According to Waterlox’s website, it is not wise to sand in between the first few coats, but their instructions are a bit hazy after that. When to sand, and with what grit — I think this is because there’s so much personal preference involved. So what have you guys done that has worked for you?
    5) Lastly – when it comes to the final coat – buffing? With a cloth or steel wool?

    Thanks to all who answer — I was never expecting to have to do this, but now that I am I’m excited to get started and see the results (eventually!).
    I may be too late but you need to either get the table finished and out of the garage. The heat and humidity out there can do a real whammy on the table.

    If you are trying to go with the natural color of ash you need to stay away from oil based products. They tend to yellow with age and really looks bad on ash. For ash an acrylic coating would be a better choice. The most common to you would be a water based polyurethane.

    The wood ash will have a texture to the finished wood like oak does. If you are trying to make a glass like finish on the top you would need to first use a grain filler. It's kind of like thin putty that fills the grain so the finish goes on smooth. You brush it on like paint and let it sit and thicken into a paste and then rub off the excess with a coarse cloth in a circular motion. I also sometimes use a squeegee like you clean the windshield of a car with. Once dry lightly sand off the haze that is on the surface and proceed with the finish. A lot of them come in a natural color but the paint store can color them so it looks natural with the ash wood.

    Any finish you use be sure the finish is completely dry before buffing. This could be as much as a month with some finishes. A buffer can generate enough heat to soften the finish and pull it out in clumps. Anyway a buffer or polishing compounds will make the finish glossy. If you are wanting a satin finish it's better to use a satin finish. It's very difficult to create a satin finish with steel wool and not have it streaked.

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