Pitch Pine Staircase - Fininshing advice please

[Soylent1]

Hi guys,

I'm halfway through sanding/nitro moors, more sanding and some more elbow grease with a bit more sanding my pitch pine stairs! and I would like some advice on finishing, I was thinking some kind of oil possibly but I don't want to darken the wood, or a clear satin varnish the mrs wants to just leave the wood untreated but I think they will need some kind of protection? Any advice would be kindly appreciated.

Tony

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I renovated a 400 year old cottage some years ago and to keep the old oak the same colour as that we sanded it back to we used clear cuprinol. It also had the advantage of protecting against furniture beetle. It brings out the grain, protects the wood, leaves a matt finish but doesn't colour it. You need to avoid touching it for a week or two to keep it off hands of course but once really dry its great.

The other finish that springs to mind is a basic shellac. It will offer protection and perhaps slightly more sheen than the cuprinol but its what we've use on oak doors in our current house. Osmo PolyX would also give a very durable finish but its expensive.

 

[Jacob]

I'd use raw linseed oil. Half n half with turps (real turps for a nicer pong). It will darken the wood (so will everything else) but it will look very nice. It is self polishing where there is contact (hand rails) or can be polished all over. Very easy to apply, just brush it on thinly and wipe off any which doesn't soak in after a few hours.
Any polish on stair treads is a hazard so I'd also look at adding a carpet runner up the middle, in the old fashioned way.

 

[Soylent1]

Thank you for your replies,

I'm still asking myself should I use oil or varnish? I need to get some linseed oil for the old quarry tiles, so perhaps I might try some on an inconspicuous place and the same with the shellac/varnish - see how it works! I just don't want to cause myself any more work than is necessary as I've already had enough! Its the last part of the interior renovation and I've been putting it off for a while!

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I must say I would avoid varnish like the plague. If you don't like it after some time it'll be a pig to remove (heat gun or chemicals really) and inappropriate for the age of the staircase. Jacob's approach if the colour isn't too dark for your taste will nourish the wood and leave it serviceable later (as would my original suggestions). If you use varnish, essentially you're coating it....it's just not the right finish for that job IMO.

 

[Soylent1]

Hi Bob, sorry, I was classing clear Cuprinol as a kind of varnish!, I take it this is not the case? Basically I'd like to keep the wood as light in colour as possible as the pitch pine is both light and dark if you know what I mean? (the grain really stands out naturally as it is quite dark) I am swaying slightly towards the linseed oil/turps as there's acres of quarry tiles that are also in need of it!(makes sense financially) but I also don't want to ruin what I think is a nice staircase, am I being overcautious ? I'd rather leave it unprotected than put something on that makes it look as bad as before or even worse - difficult to get off! (even though it has protected it very well!)as its an eighth thick in the corners!

Tony

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I entirely understand. I had the same concern when I treated my oak beams in the cottage. Last thing we wanted was a darkening effect. I appreciate your job is pitch pine but I'm very familiar with it and its the same principle. Clear cuprinol is a chemical treatment that preserves and protects the wood. It is very runny (like water in fact) so soaks into the timber. As long as you're using the clear version, it imparts no pigment to the wood. However.....buyer beware.......I have NEVER yet found any wood treatment that doesn't darken the wood to a small degree. All treatments effectively make the grain "pop out" even just basic oils. Over the years I've found clear cuprinol to have about the least colouring impact on the wood whilst getting the grain to pop and protecting it so that's why I've used it a number of times. It's especially useful in older houses where furniture beetle has been active in the past.

I suggest that to avoid the over darkening problem, you test a small inconspicuous area with one or two treatments and leave to dry for 48 hours before you make the final decision. Then you'll know for certain. There's always an element of guesswork involved.....swatching it first should remove that risk. I think you can buy small tester cans of clear Cuprinol and you're gong to get the linseed anyway for the tiles right? So maybe give them both a whirl and see which you prefer.

 

[Berncarpenter]

Hi Tony What about a clear wax applied with 0000 wire wool and then buff up . I usually apply button polish first ,but this does tend to darken the timber here are some photos of new joinery that has had this treatment.

And this pitch pine table was finished with clear matt poly

Hope i have helped and not confused the matter further for you cheers Bern.

 

[Soylent1]

Hi Bern,

you have both helped and confused the matter! I disregarded a wax finish due to the fact that it's a staircase and I don't want my family falling down the stairs! (honest lol!) but the table finish is excellent! my dining room table is very similar (old top made from the useable bits of pitch pine floorboard I took from the bathroom) but I think it's going to get a wax servicing now! Regarding my stairs I think I will do a trial area - linseed oil and clear cuprinol, I think I'll avoid the wax on the stairs due to the risk of slipping etc.. but I will however be giving the table a good old wax (more work!)
Tony

 

[Berncarpenter]

Hi Bern,

you have both helped and confused the matter! I disregarded a wax finish due to the fact that it's a staircase and I don't want my family falling down the stairs! (honest lol!) but the table finish is excellent! my dining room table is very similar (old top made from the useable bits of pitch pine floorboard I took from the bathroom) but I think it's going to get a wax servicing now! Regarding my stairs I think I will do a trial area - linseed oil and clear cuprinol, I think I'll avoid the wax on the stairs due to the risk of slipping etc.. but I will however be giving the table a good old wax (more work!)
Tony

Hi Tony
The first three photos show new work that was given the button polish and wax treatment to give it a bit of age .The dressers either side of the fire surround in the third photo have no finish still working on them.

The PITCH PINE TABLE TOP was reclaimed timber from chapel pews already had plenty of age so was finished with a VARNISH CLEAR MATT POLY. Sorry should have made this clearer in my first post . You can get the full build and finish story over on The Wood Haven forum Berncarpenter pitch pine table thread .Good luck with the renovation and if you need any pitch pine i still have quite a bit of this lot left.

Cheers Bern.

 

[Soylent1]

Hi Bern,
Ahh now I see! clear matt poly varnish for the table top. This is now going to be done sooner rather than later as my 2 1/2 year old son has decided to doodle all over it with deep scratchy drawings! and I have given up on stripping the staircase for now as I'm only half way finished on the treads and risers and I've got the side bits, banister, spindles and some skirting to do! So I gave my friend a call today he's going to soda blast the whole lot at the end of the month, so hopefully by early Feb I'll be applying the finish.

That's an awful lot of timber there! I would be interested if you had any short-ish bits 4 x 4 or larger, as I also dabble with a lathe when I'm allowed in the workshop. (where abouts in South Wales are you?) The internal renovation is almost complete apart from the hall, stairs and landing thank god! I'll have a look at your thread because I have to say, the finish on your table is beautiful !.

Thank's Tony

 

[Berncarpenter]

Hi Tony
Good to hear your renovations nearly complete , I still have a long way to go with my place but i have only been at it 20 years. We live near Porthcawl on the South Wales coast and my dad lives in Narberth West Wales .The only 4'' timber i had was the newels for the stairs and i gave them to my dad but there maybe some 3''x3'' posts left if thats any good ?

Cheers Bern.

 

[Soylent1]

For anyone who's interested. Here's a pic of the staircase after it had been soda blasted I'm really happy with the results (apart from two weeks of cleaning up dust from absolutely everywhere!) I have decided to finish with Osmo oil and have got 5 litres on order, I'll post up a photo when It's finished!

Tony