Rough Oak effect

[GrahamIreland]

I have a couple of oak boards for bench tops.
I love the look of unfinished Oak, but when planed they come up flat and plastic looking.

I need to sand or plane to remove marks from timber yard.

Has anyone a way to bring the wood back to a roughened texture? Unprepared look..


Thanks a lot
Graham

 

[Droogs]

once planed up go over the face with a flat wire brush in a hand drill. give the surface a quick soak with water first and let it raise the grain

 

[Phil Pascoe]

You could try scorching a piece before the wire brush. :idea:

 

[AndyT]

I assume you mean benches for sitting on, not for woodworking on, or you would want to leave them properly flat.

I suggest you use a heavily cambered jack plane, not a power planer. Working diagonally across the boards is not a huge job and does not take long. This should give you a minimally worked 'artisan' look.

If they are garden benches, a few months outside will complete the effect.

 

[bugbear]

I suggest you use a heavily cambered jack plane, not a power planer. Working diagonally across the boards is not a huge job and does not take long. This should give you a minimally worked 'artisan' look.

Agreed.

A note; normally a heavily cambered plane is used for rough/fast stock removal; as such it's not essential
that it is sharp (although the work is easier if it is)

In this instance you're using it to create the finished surface, so you may well
want a fully sharp edge.

BugBear

 

[GrahamIreland]

Thanks fellas, food for thought there.

I guess I'll need to try both effects.

much appreciated..