Replies

1. 
   Rich14 | Sep 14, 2006 12:24am | #1

   Gedaliah Blum,

   Maple is one of my favorite woods. I never stain it. I like to finish it as "white- blonde" as possible and I hate any finish that promotes yellowing. Oil and oil-based varnishes will make maple yellow, big time.

   A plastic look is entirely the result of finishing technique, not the finishing material. My favorite 2 finishes for maple are CAB Acrylic lacquer and water-based varnishes. I use Sherwyn Williams CAB Acrylic and the companion high solids sanding sealer. These products go on water white, and stay that way for their lifetime. They will not yellow and maple itself yellows little, if at all under them. I apply at least 6 coats, rubbed out to a satin sheen with 4-0 steel wool, or higher with 600-1200 grit wet or dry, then automotive rubbing compound followed by polishing compound. There is NEVER a plastic look.

   Water borne polyurethane varnish also goes down water white and never yellows. Maple will not yellow under it. I like Varathane. I apply one coat every 3-4 days, scuff sanding to a completely uniform ground glass look. The final coat cures for at least a month before rubbing out as above. Again, no plastic look whatever. It is very durable - suitable for a table top.

   Rich

1. 
   wooddood | Sep 14, 2006 08:02am | #2

   Are you spraying or brushing it on?

   Thanks.

1. 
   Rich14 | Sep 14, 2006 08:41pm | #4

   Spraying.

   Both spray beautifully. CAB Acrylic lacquer handles no differently than "standard" nitrocellulose lacquer.

   I spray the Varathane water-borne product right out of the can. It's an act of faith to believe that the slightly milky, slightly cloudy-looking application will dry clear. But that's what it does. Clear as water. The first several coats are the "sealer coat," slightly raising the grain. I knock down those first 2 coats with 180-220 grit, just gently taking down the nubs and dust and grain. After that, each successive coat and sanding gets the surface more and more like uniform ground glass, until it's easy to obtain a completely uniform, blemish-free surface. Sometimes that's 3-4 coats, sometimes as much as 8. Then the last coat goes on, to wait a month for final rubbing out.

2. 
   ring | Sep 14, 2006 10:34am | #3

   Gedaliah,

   Check out water-based varnish by Sayerlac, specifically undercoat AU466 and topcoat AF7210 (10% gloss).  Marketed in Israel by Shahamorov, tel 03-9025910

   DR