Which finish for solid walnut window boards ?

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tulogngham

StillJustAboutGotAllMyFingers
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All,
I'm a relative newbie and have 17 solid walnut window boards to finish so am a little stuck with what to do.
They are all planed already so I would like some ideas please.
What I'd like is a finish that is durable, semi/glossy that shows up the grains really well. Additionally, I'm a newbie so have absolutely no experience with finish like french polish and I lack time.
I've got photo's if anyone would like to see them.
Any ideas ?
Tu
 
Have you tried Osmo product they do Polyx hardwax with a UV inhibitor that might suit you.
 
Ah yes I forgot to add I have just tried Osmo Polyx Oil (Clear Matt and Satin) on some oak as a test to finish off doors/stairs etc.
It's good stuff but I'd thought about a more glossy look on the windows boards.
 
Ohh..that's great ! How many coats for window boards do you suggest ?
Additionally, how to polish it ? Do you guys just go over it with a cloth once dried or do you guys put another wax coat on considering that it's wax already.
Have you tried Fiddes Hard Wax Oil ? Do you think it's the same as Osmo Polyx ?
 
I'd probably go for three, fit with a roler and then wipe off with a cloth, you can buff it with a brush like you would your shoes but it does need to be quite dry. For a window board I'd use the UV one. Obviously try it on an off-cut first to make sure you can get it shiney enough.
If that isn't shiney enough you could use Wests epoxy, polishing with wet and dry in between coats but you will need to put something like yacht varnish with a uv inhibitor over the top. You can get a really deep gloss finish by building up lots of coats.
 
Are we talking about the "Osmo UV Protection Oil (Extra)
The best way to protect your exterior and interior wood from the Sun's UV rays" ?
Which is different from "Osmo Polyx Oil - The original hard wax oil"
Right?
 
The 420 contains biocide and is ideal for external wood.
The 410 does not contain biocide, safe for kids.
My boards are inside the house only. 50% are north facing. Worth considering.
Right.. your idea of yacht varnish with UV inhibitor has lead me to good'old Ronseal Diamond Hard Floor Varnish, which I've used before.
Ronseal does have UV filters built in.
Am I crazy to use this stuff on walnut or is anything out there which is better ?
 
I haven't seen the recent Osmo UV inhibited oil but still have a barely started tin of Osmo Uviwax which is an earlier product. In the can it had a very beige appearance. My use of this finish was part of a side by side trial of various finishes on various woods to see what, if any effect they had on colour change and lustre (a measure of the extent to which a finish obscures the natural beauty of the wood) and the results were published in Furniture & Cabinetmaking.

One of the woods included in the test was American Black Walnut and here is what I wrote in the article:

"The American black walnut showed the least colour change. Apart from the Ecowoodoil treated sample which had become marginally even darker, all had faded a little to a lighter, more yellow, colour. Oddly, the Uviwaxed sample faded the most."

My general conclusion about Uviwax across the whole test was:

"The Uviwax added some of the beigeness evident in the can and obscured much of the subtlety of the wood. To be fair to Osmo, Uviwax is marketed for floors and joinery in high light areas such as conservatories, not as a finish for fine furniture."

This test was carried out several years ago and the latest product may be more suited to obtaining a furniture standard finish. If you are going to the trouble of fitting walnut window boards you presumably want to be able to appreciate their beauty and do not want a finish that will obscure it, so I would proceed with great care. If you decide to use the Osmo product, I suggest you try it on some sample pieces and leave it in very high light for a month or so to see what happens. It will slow you down but it may be worth the investment of time.

More generally, I fear that your boards may become badly bleached if they are exposed to full sun. Let us know how you get on.

Jim
 

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