I finally decided to go with a water based acrylic sanding sealer followed by a clear wax finish.
The cabinet scrapers have been a revelation. No mess, cheaper, quicker and with a better finish than sanding. Talk about having your cake and eating it!
Nice one Al
The cabinet scrapers have been a revelation. No mess, cheaper, quicker and with a better finish than sanding. Talk about having your cake and eating it!
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Nice one Al
OK guys, sorry to bring the thread back up after 4 months or so, but as there are a couple of threads discussing construction materials at the moment, I thought it appropriate.
So -question for ye finishing experts: anyone got a favourite stain / dye for plywood? I've recently become interested in alternatives to the usual stuff, such as tea, even red wine, which I recently saw used to good effect etc.
So -question for ye finishing experts: anyone got a favourite stain / dye for plywood? I've recently become interested in alternatives to the usual stuff, such as tea, even red wine, which I recently saw used to good effect etc.
After sanding apply a sealer. I make my own by mixing one or two cups of boiled linseed oil with a gallon of mineral spirits. Coat until it will not take anymore then wipe off the excess. Any of the MInwax stains produce good color and can be mixed/blended for a custom hue. Seal the surface with Minwax's Wipe-On Poly. I highly recommend the Minwax Wipe-On Poly; it is cheap at only $5.95 per quart, available everywhere and foolproof.
Ray
edit: replaced "mineral oil" with "mineral sprits"
- Vikash
Ray
edit: replaced "mineral oil" with "mineral sprits"
- VikashRay!
After applyinng your sanding sealer, will the wood accept ordinary stains (or tea or red wine bassed coloring) ?
By mineral oil, do you mean terpentine/white-spirit?
For plywood I have some difficulty in partially sealing the end-grain before applying oil or stain. The end-grain usually end up much darker than the surfaces.
For water based stains, I have heard (but not tried) a tip of applying water to the end-griain before the staining.
SveinB.
After applyinng your sanding sealer, will the wood accept ordinary stains (or tea or red wine bassed coloring) ?
By mineral oil, do you mean terpentine/white-spirit?
For plywood I have some difficulty in partially sealing the end-grain before applying oil or stain. The end-grain usually end up much darker than the surfaces.
For water based stains, I have heard (but not tried) a tip of applying water to the end-griain before the staining.
SveinB.
I am so sorry...I meant to say MINERAL SPIRITS. If a moderator is available please edit my previous post.
SveinB,
I have not used tea or wine to stain wood but ordinary stains(Minwax etc.) will work after the sealer is applied. End grain is always a problem; I try to apply one coat to the end and several to the rest of the cabinet to try and match these areas. I don't sand between stain coats. You also can mix your stain with the sealer. I prefer to apply the sealer until the wood will not accept any more, let it stand about ten minutes and wipe off the excess. This prevents heavy sap woods like pine from becoming blotchy when staining.
Again, I apologize for the error in my previous post.
Ray
SveinB,
I have not used tea or wine to stain wood but ordinary stains(Minwax etc.) will work after the sealer is applied. End grain is always a problem; I try to apply one coat to the end and several to the rest of the cabinet to try and match these areas. I don't sand between stain coats. You also can mix your stain with the sealer. I prefer to apply the sealer until the wood will not accept any more, let it stand about ten minutes and wipe off the excess. This prevents heavy sap woods like pine from becoming blotchy when staining.
Again, I apologize for the error in my previous post.
Ray
What I intended to convey is put only one coat on the end grain since it will soak-up more stain and put several coats on the rest of the cabinet until it matches the end grain. It is a problem that requires experimenting. I have thinned the stain used on the end grain in an attempt to reduce its impact with modest results.
Candidly, I have never satisfactorly solved he end grain problem with plywood and have resorted to mitered joints. I cried UNCLE!!
Ray
Candidly, I have never satisfactorly solved he end grain problem with plywood and have resorted to mitered joints. I cried UNCLE!!
Ray
Continuing my researches on staining / finishing birch ply in general... just dug out one of Terry Cain's old posts which might be of interest:
"On birch I like a lighter look than tung oil. The air will darken birch nicely after a year or so regardless. Tung oil is very durable and fine for darker woods like gunstocks etc., but birch goes blotchy a bit. A better goo is polyurethane (oil based, Sherwin Williams or any oil based varnish gloss) mixed 60%poly-40%mineral spirits (maybe stiffer weather permitting) and applied like a tung oil. Brush on and wipe off about 3-8 coats (24 hrs between coats min) sanding with 320 grit on a padded block. Then use a nice beeswax diluted into min. spirits (shave the beeswax with a chisel a few days ahead) add lilac or juniper oil -maybe some cheap perfume. Apply wax with #0000 steel wool and buff with cotton. And you have a faux French polish that will wear better than shellac. Has a stronger film against abrasion and moisture than tung. Smells good too. Basically this is Simon Watts and Jason La Trobe Bateman's finish, cabinetmakers to the Rothchilds, drawers and furniture etc. Some of the better Italian finishers inspect the cotton seed feilds the varnish is squished from, Varnish-o-philes. TC"
I really miss Terry. Obsessive craftsman, and an all-round good bloke too.
"On birch I like a lighter look than tung oil. The air will darken birch nicely after a year or so regardless. Tung oil is very durable and fine for darker woods like gunstocks etc., but birch goes blotchy a bit. A better goo is polyurethane (oil based, Sherwin Williams or any oil based varnish gloss) mixed 60%poly-40%mineral spirits (maybe stiffer weather permitting) and applied like a tung oil. Brush on and wipe off about 3-8 coats (24 hrs between coats min) sanding with 320 grit on a padded block. Then use a nice beeswax diluted into min. spirits (shave the beeswax with a chisel a few days ahead) add lilac or juniper oil -maybe some cheap perfume. Apply wax with #0000 steel wool and buff with cotton. And you have a faux French polish that will wear better than shellac. Has a stronger film against abrasion and moisture than tung. Smells good too. Basically this is Simon Watts and Jason La Trobe Bateman's finish, cabinetmakers to the Rothchilds, drawers and furniture etc. Some of the better Italian finishers inspect the cotton seed feilds the varnish is squished from, Varnish-o-philes. TC"
I really miss Terry. Obsessive craftsman, and an all-round good bloke too.
Aha, was looking for this thread the other day whilst looking for info for restoring my old veneered speakers.
Vikash, I was thinking of getting that exact sanding sealer as it's water clean-up etc. How do you find it with having lived a bit longer with it? Also, what made you choose the wax you did over the Chestnut wax? Just price?
Vikash, I was thinking of getting that exact sanding sealer as it's water clean-up etc. How do you find it with having lived a bit longer with it? Also, what made you choose the wax you did over the Chestnut wax? Just price?
I'm happy with the finish and products I used. The sanding sealer solved the problem of blotchiness, and is dead easy tgo work with. After it has dried I used the cabinet scraper to get a flat finish in seconds, and then applied the wax and buffed out very lightly. I've achieved the low saturation finish but whilst still highlighting the natural wood grain that I was after and the sealer prevents any discolouring over time.
No reason not to try the Chestnut wax. I never considered it.
V
No reason not to try the Chestnut wax. I never considered it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
V
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.