I am making a couch table of simple design. I have just glued-up 4-2 3/4″ x 48″ x 1″ pecan boards that I milled from 50-year old 3″ x 12″ rough sawn planks. When I got into the wood, I noticed some spalting. Now I want to highlight that fact in the table’s top. The legs and aprons will be made of cherry which I intend to darken a bit with stain.
How can I keep the almost white part of the wood from turning dark–which will obscure the charcoal grey/purplish/brown/tan “wisps” flowing along the length of the boards?
This will probably be the only chance I will ever have to work with spalted wood so I am afraid to do ANYTHING that might jeopardize its beauty.
Your informed suggestions are truly appreciated.
Dick Pewthers
Lake Travis, TX
Replies
You can't halt the natural darkening of the wood over time, though I doubt pecan will turn really dark. All oil based finishes will have the effect of some darkening as the "wet" the wood. You can see most of what this effect would be by wiping down with mineral spirits. If that isn't too much darkening, using alkdy resin with soya oil yelows less over time that linseed oil based varnishes.
But, there are several finishes that darken even less initially and "yellow: less over time. Super blonde shellac doesn't darken over time but will show some darkening initially. You can have even less initial darkening with water clear waterborne acyrlic finishes. These won't darken over time, though personally, these can stay too light, and sometimes impart a bluish cast that is unattractive.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled