Finish for bathroom Iroko cabinet - advice needed

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ScottGoddard

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Hi,

I have built the below from Iroko, it will have a sink on top and is for out downstairs toilet - Looking for advice on the finish.
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What do you want it to look like Scott? Start from there.

Choosing the finish for a project can be made simpler by going through a simple checklist, starting with looks since that rules in or rules out various things already. Then what level of protection is required, the application method you'd prefer, what maintenance schedule you'll accept and last but not least what you can afford and/or get easily.

Go through these and often there's only a single contender.
 
thanks,
I prefer Matt or semi gloss.
Protection - needs to repel water
I have hard wax oil that covers the finished, but not sure if its good at repealing....

Also wondered if there was any good or bad finishes for Iroko...
 
To see whether the hard wax oil you have provides good enough protection you need to test it as you'd use it, so finish an offcut exactly as you'd finish the stand: same surface prep, same number of coats applied exactly as you plan to and here's the bad bit, then allowed to 'dry' fully before you test how it holds up to water.

If you can wait that long I think you'll find it won't do enough, but it's the only way to be sure.

ScottGoddard":159c0lyj said:
Also wondered if there was any good or bad finishes for Iroko...
There are views on what are good or bad finish choices for some species. A lot of it is simply down to personal preferences which is mainly to do with looks (with a component of what's currently in style, flavour-of-the-month-itis).

Going back to your first point, say you use a water-bourne finish on iroko. Because these don't impart any colour enhancement to the wood, coupled with the matter surface finish you prefer the wood will end up looking very drab. So matt water-based polyurethanes could be said to be bad finishes for iroko because they don't make it look good (while still being decent enough as far as protection goes).

Oil-based varnish is what I would have chosen myself because they provide the most reliable waterproofing in a consumer-level finish, so this would automatically have picked it for me at stage 2, and handily they also make the wood look great IMO so it was already on the shortlist from point #1 :)
 
I wonder whether a lick of
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may also help prolong the finish.

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Isn't that intended to be used on bare wood?

Reading the application guidelines for this product ( "...preferably applied by dipping to ensure all sides of the wood are covered. Dip the wood for approximately 2 minutes...") suggest it needs to be applied heavily enough that it really saturates the surface, which it can't do if previously sealed by a finish. So it'll sit on top, and as an oil/wax blend it's less suitable for that since these dry softer than all-wax products.
 
ED65":18a37znh said:
Isn't that intended to be used on bare wood?

Reading the application guidelines for this product ( "...preferably applied by dipping to ensure all sides of the wood are covered. Dip the wood for approximately 2 minutes...") suggest it needs to be applied heavily enough that it really saturates the surface, which it can't do if previously sealed by a finish. So it'll sit on top, and as an oil/wax blend it's less suitable for that since these dry softer than all-wax products.
I'll have to re-read up on it but I think it's meant to be used before the hardwax oil to give even better protection. You've got me wondering now though....I think I bought it with the intention of using it on coasters and worktops. Umm...

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Just had a look at the back of the tin.
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I think that means that the hardwax oil should be applied afterwards ? It has quite a long drying time so I'll have to be careful with that.

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