newbie looking for a good finish

[gatesmr2]

Hi

first time here i,m getting into woodwork have made a few things and have used wax up till now, but would like to use something else.

I,m not into highly polished things thats why wax was a great start, but i,m just finishing a chest of draws that if i say so myself is coming on very well and want to use a more permanent finish (wax seems to wear off when rubbed ect)

ok now i going to start using oak ect but for now it,s pine not sure if this makes a huge difference

sorry if this is quite a boring question but as i say i,m just getting started so any help or advice would be great

Many thanks


Marty

 

[Chris Knight]

Marty,
Welcome to the forum.

Probably the easiest finish to apply and to get great results is an oil finish. These, despite their name are finishes which cure in time (dependent on type and temperature) to form a fairly resistant surface. They retain the "natural look" of the wood inasmuch they do not impart a very glossy look - more of a satin. If required, wax can be applied on top and often is.

There are many brands, my own favourite is Liberon Finishing oil.

Finishing is a complex subject and it's worth getting a book on it. A good starter book is Michael Dresdner's

 

[gatesmr2]

cheers waterhead

does the oil give a nice colour i.e more coats deeper colour i assume
have checked on axminster but does not say anything about colour

what sort of affect would i get on pine as i and the boss ( "MRS" :shock: )
like old looking if that makes sense i suppose antique almost

again hope this is not a stupid question and thanks for replying so quickly


marty

 

[dirtydeeds]

if you want traditional or "old" you wont like the answer. Wax

your wax probably hasnt rubbed off. its almost certainly soaked into the wood


as i understand it a wax finish has to be "established" ie waxed regularly until the wood wont adsorb any more, it depends on the timber

and again as i understand it beeswax is the quickest to establish

 

[gatesmr2]

Thanks for your reply dirtydeeds

I hear what your saying and really do like the effect wax gives
but if i continue to add wax surely it,s gonna get darker

Also have used it on a couple of bookcases and T.va cabinet worked a treat but on cabinet it gets used (things put on moved ect) more than the bookcases and thats where i,hm wondering if it,s so good for the chest of draws as the tops always seem to have loads of rubbish on them, as well as the odd cup or glass which could stain it.......
the corners where it,sa been rubbed by walking past you can see it wearing away.

Was wondering if there is anyway i can seal it ...........
Hope that makes sense

Marty

 

[Pekka Huhta]

Shellac is the traditional way of sealing the wood before waxing. French polish done with shellac is tedious and does not easily fir ro modern furniture, but just a few coats of shellac on the wood before wax makes the surface harder and prevents wax from soaking in too much.

My favorite finish is a few coats of linseed oil (deepens the color of the wood), then a few coats of shellac and finally a good rub with self-made beeswax polish (containing beeswax, linseed oil, turpentine and a dash of tar). Easy and very fast: a few minutes to wait for the oil to soak in, dry the surface from excess, then a few applications of shellac, ten minutes wait, rub with steel wool and then the wax. For best results you should wait for a few hours before polishing the wax, but if you are in a hurrry you can finish a small piece of furniture in less than half an hour.

Pekka

 

[Chris Knight]

Marty,
Any finish will darken wood to some degree and the more coats the darker, in general. A quick impression can usually be gained by wiping a little white spirits on the wood it will give you an idea of how it will look with a finish - assuming no stains or dyes are used.

If you want a darker look, then staining or dying is the route to follow. This can be problematic with pine as it can blotch badly unless blotching is controlled by a thin coat shellac first, or the use of a proprietary gel stain.

Shellac is such a useful adjunct to almost all finishing - used in a variety of ways and for various purposes, that it ought to be on every woodworker's shelf. If bought as de-waxed flakes (obtainable for specialist woodworking finishing suppliers at a reasonable price or from someone like Liberon and maybe Axminster at a probably higher price you can store it indefinitely. It is mixed with meths or other denatured alcohol a few hours before you need it.

To make an old looking pine, I would probably use a pigmented stain from somewhere like B&Q, although to be honest I hardly work in softwoods.

As with any finishing, the golden rule is to TEST IT ON SCRAP FIRST!!!!!!

 

[gatesmr2]

Cheers for the advice

Have been thinking about shellac for a while so think it,s time to have a go ................

Will let you know how i get on

thanks again

Marty