Oak side table

[undergroundhunter]

Hi,

I'm in the process of building an oak side table for my living room its the same design as in the photo (mine has less QS timber though). Its time for me to think about finishes and I'm more than a little confused about the products available.

Up to now all my projects have been finished in oil (linseed, BLO or tung) and then a few coats of shellac to seal, obviously shellac is not a good option for this as there is a chance of hot drinks/ spills etc.
I did use some satin varnish over a shellac sealer on some coasters but it was water based and is a matt finish and I'm not that keen on it. So I want to keep the natural colour of the oak as much as possible (I want to let it colour naturally) I also want a satin finish that is resistant to heat and spills, has anyone got any suggestions?

Matt

P.S. I don't have any fancy spray equipment so either brush or wipe on will be necessary.

 

[Glynne]

I like the look of Osmo hard wax oil over oak.
It will colour it slightly but will be ideal in terms of durability as it is designed to be used on floors.
It is also really easy to patch up small damage areas without having to cut the whole surface back.

 

[ED65]

Up to now all my projects have been finished in oil (linseed, BLO or tung) and then a few coats of shellac to seal, obviously shellac is not a good option for this as there is a chance of hot drinks/ spills etc.

How about oiling and shellacking the whole thing as per normal and then wiping a few coats of oil-based poly onto the top? That'll give you the look you're used to (you won't be able to see the poly) while providing the needed water resistance to the top which is generally the only part that needs it.

If you don't have any oil-based poly then I would suggest you buy gloss instead of satin, the sheen can be adjusted as you like after it has cured using some gentle abrasion from steel wool, a nylon pad or one of the abrasive powders if you have any of that.

 

[custard]

Your table clearly has a strong Arts & Crafts influence. The spiritual home for Arts & Crafts furniture making in the UK is the Edward Barnsley Workshop. They always used to finish Oak with wiped on Danish Oil, but increasingly are switching to Osmo (by the way, no shellac in either case, unless you've got the patience to let an oil finish absolutely dry then overcoating with shellac may well look pretty nasty a few years down the road). Oak and Osmo make a great partnership. Don't get overly focused on the need to protect the surface, unless you go for something like two pack varnish the real degree of actual "protection" you'll get isn't really all that great, where as a two pack finish looks decidedly nasty and "plastic-y". Oak's a tough old timber, well capable of looking after itself, and the massive advantage of Osmo is the ease of refinishing.

Here's Barnsley applying Osmo to Oak furniture that's destined for an arduous life where it will be subject to plenty of spills and scrapes.

http://www.barnsley-furniture.co.uk/por ... ge-oxford/

Good luck!

 

[woodbrains]

Hello,

I agree that Osmo or similar is a good finish for your table. However, don't write off shellac based on its 'reputed' lack of water or heat resistance. It is all relative. Compared to polyurethane varnish, neither oil nor shellac is as good in this regard. But varnishes and lauquers, as Custard says, are plasticky looking. If you want a more beautiful wood surface then a certain lack of durability has to be tolerated. The mitigating factor will be ease of reapplication, which shellac or oil are easy. Shellac is no where near as fragile a finish as reported, either. Obviously a full French polish is time consuming and harder to repair, but thin coats of shellac cut back to mat or slightly satin finish on oak looks good. Is easy to repair And quite a lot more durable than you think. I'm less keen on the overly yellowing effect of oil, which worsens over time. White polish is a favourite with me. If you like the warm tone of oil then that is fine.

Mike.

 

[thetyreman]

another option would be spray lacquer as the final coat, after oiling and shellac.

 

[woodbrains]

another option would be spray lacquer as the final coat, after oiling and shellac.

Hello,

Not sure that is a reliable combo. Shellac contains wax which many top coats won't adhere to and cellulose based lacquers are incompatible with oil.

Mike.

 

[custard]

The OP said he wants wipe on and doesn't have spray equipment.

 

[ED65]

Compared to just oil or shellac on top of oil I would say you definitely gain worthwhile protection from even a lowly consumer-level poly, just a few thinned coats will substantially resist water penetration which would produce a dark stain or leave a white mark otherwise. Adds little extra time to the finishing schedule too, perhaps only two days if the drying conditions are good.

Obviously you can speed things up further and skip the shellac, go straight to wiping on the varnish

 

[ED65]

About the plasticy thing, varnishes and lacquers don't have to look that way at all. Any more than French polishing looks plasticy. 'Tis all about the total thickness and surface gloss. Don't go overboard on either and varnish or lacquer can look superb.

Equally superb I should say as differing finishes aren't nearly as unique looking as is often implied. It's worth looking up the history of the development of Danish oil to see a prime example. And it's the reason various tests are published to distinguish the finish on an older piece (how it scrapes, solvent sensitivity) because you can't tell by looking.

 

[woodbrains]

About the plasticy thing, varnishes and lacquers don't have to look that way at all. Any more than French polishing looks plasticy. 'Tis all about the total thickness and surface gloss. Don't go overboard on either and varnish or lacquer can look superb.

Equally superb I should say as differing finishes aren't nearly as unique looking as is often implied. It's worth looking up the history of the development of Danish oil to see a prime example. And it's the reason various tests are published to distinguish the finish on an older piece (how it scrapes, solvent sensitivity) because you can't tell by looking.

Hello,

This is true, but then you compromise durability. Unless you build up the finish with the prescribed number of coats, then all bets are off concerning the water resistance, scratch resistance etc. so you may as well use oil and have an easily repairable coating. There is always a compromise between looks and durability and looks always get worse the better durability gets.

Mike.

 

[undergroundhunter]

So I think the consensus is Osmo but which one? Its not very clear (to me anyway) the difference between the products.

Thanks so far guys.

Matt

 

[custard]

Again, don't get too anxious about it, the fact is the range of glossiness with Osmo really isn't that huge in the scheme of things. You want Osmo Polyx, either semi-Matt or Satin (flip a coin, they're both actually very close).

By the way, here's an article by Marc Fish where he mentions using Osmo,

http://www.marcfish.co.uk/docs/F&C181%2 ... iendVD.pdf

If you leave Osmo on too long (say longer than about an hour) it starts to get sticky and then sets very hard. So apply it thickly and give it plenty of time to soak in, but then make absolutely sure you buff off all the surface residue with plenty of clean rags or you'll have a hell of a job getting it off the next day.

When you've got furniture makers of the stature of Marc Fish and the Barnsley Workshop using Osmo to such an extent why wouldn't you give it a try? They didn't choose Osmo on a whim, they tested it carefully and over a long period of time, subjecting it to water and red wine and all manner of nasties. Their reputations are on the line and the cost of refinishing is ruinous, so they made sure it does what is says on the tin. Seriously, I know plenty of top flight furniture makers who have reduced their solid wood finishing regimes to not much more than two or three simple and reliable alternatives (veneered man made boards are slightly different), heavily cut shellac, Osmo, and maybe one slightly wacky house speciality say something like a soap finish. If a client absolutely insists on a bullet proof finish they get shown a sample of a two pack varnish, which generally puts them right off as it's like encapsulating your furniture in resin.

Good luck!

 

[undergroundhunter]

Thanks custard, if its good enough for the Barnsley workshop then i'm sure its good enough for me.

Matt

 

[Nelsun]

If you leave Osmo on too long (say longer than about an hour) it starts to get sticky and then sets very hard. So apply it thickly and give it plenty of time to soak in, but then make absolutely sure you buff off all the surface residue with plenty of clean rags or you'll have a hell of a job getting it off the next day.

Is applying a thick coat a one-coat strategy? I've always gone for 2 thin coats.

 

[custard]

Plentiful first coat with plenty of working it in and plenty of time for absorption. Couple of quicker subsequent coats. Thats what I do but it's not a big deal either way.

You'll hear all sorts of fantastically complicated application regimes, but whatever you do doesn't seem to make a huge difference with oil finishes. It's not like french polishing carved work, or shading and colouring to match antique surfaces, it's basically just "finishing for dummies" so no need to agonise over it! Just make sure you wipe off all the surplus with clean rags after no more than hour and you won't go far wrong.

Good luck.

 

[rob.]

I would just finish it with boiled linseed, a coat every few months will give the oak a lovely golden finish.

 

[undergroundhunter]

I want something with at least some water resistance and the ability to stop the grain from getting grubby over time which pretty much rules out linseed and tung as I would normally use.

 

[rob.]

My Oak dining table is done with linseed, Having young kids in the house it gets abuse hurled at it daily, it gets painted on, scribbled on with marker pens, ink pens , crayons, it gets glue spread all over it and its still looking just like the day I first oiled it.
I put hot pans straight out of the oven on it, pizza trays, roasting dishes , you name it. Ive never seen a finish take so much abuse and still look good. Every now and then I give it a good clean with hot soapy water and a scrubbing type dish sponge then re-oil it, good as new.

 

[undergroundhunter]

Plentiful first coat with plenty of working it in and plenty of time for absorption. Couple of quicker subsequent coats. Thats what I do but it's not a big deal either way.

You'll hear all sorts of fantastically complicated application regimes, but whatever you do doesn't seem to make a huge difference with oil finishes. It's not like french polishing carved work, or shading and colouring to match antique surfaces, it's basically just "finishing for dummies" so no need to agonise over it! Just make sure you wipe off all the surplus with clean rags after no more than hour and you won't go far wrong.

Good luck.

Just a quick massive thanks to Cuatard, ordered some osmo 3032 (satin Matt) and wow what a fantastic finish for oak, it goes on a dream and looks amazing. Thanks so much for the advice.

Matt