I have a coffee table made of cherry that I want to finish and after reading about blotchiness/mottled looks concerns I think I will start with a washcoating using shellac.
I am new to finishing as this is my first piece that is deserving of finish – the prior pieces I made have been recyled or used as firewood.
So after I apply that washcoat I am trying to figure out what I should apply next. I am thinking of going with a varnish (some say use glossy and finish with a satin coat) – my main goal is to keep the piece as natural as possible and bring out the characteristics of the wood (I am not looking at using any dyes or stains) – can someone recommend what I should apply after the waschoat.
Thanks, Tom
Replies
For a coffee table that may take abuse you probably want a varnish finish. No need for polyurethane, which despite the marketing, is a specialty resin best suited for floors and dramatically hard used items such as in industrial settings
Traditional resin varnishes are virtually as tough, but can be more easily rubbed to a even sheen, You can either brush on varnish, or used thinned varnish as a wipe on varnish. Behlen's Rockhard is very good and has a nice amber that looks fine on cherry. For a lighter toned varnish Pratt & Lambert 38 is good.
Apply 2 or 3 coats of brushed on varnish (you will need to thin about 10% for good brushing) or about 6-8 coats of wiped on varnish (thin regular varnish with equal amounts of thinner). With closed pore woods such as cherry, I prefer to use gloss varnish for all coats and then, after waiting a month for the varnish to cure, rub the finish out to a satin sheen. (Unless you have a totally dust free "clean room", all slow drying finishes must be rubbed out anyway to remove the dust nibs, negating any effect of using satin varnish.)
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