How to keep my wood how it looks when wet
cicely_nguyener
| Posted in New To Woodworking on
I have a project with a slab of wood and for some reason it looks cloudy? When we wipe it down it looks exactly how we want it to but when it dries, it goes back to looking kind of cloudy and sandy. Anyone know how we can fix this? We have sanded it down a bunch but it doesn’t change. Help, please!
Replies
You'll need to supply pictures! Before drying and after. I have plenty of questions but wouldn't even try to answer without the pictures!
I have attached photos! The first is before. The second is after. Thanks for your help!!
Hard to say from the pix, but I suspect you’re just seeing the grain that’ll emerge when you finish your slab. To get the best picture, wipe it down with mineral spirits and you’ll probably really like what you see. If so, don’t fear, it’ll come back to that when you put on the final (i.e., permanent) finish, be it oil, shellac, urethane, etc.
Know what species of wood you have would be helpful but not completely necessary. But if you're interested to know then start here:
https://www.wood-database.com/. Or here: I.D. Wood on the Apple App Store. (not sure if there is an app for Android)
So here are some hints:
The wood seems very blotchy. Knowing this eliminates woods like oak, mahogany and several other hardwoods which are NOT blotchy.
Chances are the board comes from somewhere in your vicinity so confine your search to the area near you.
Is the board heavy? By this I mean heavier than what you might have expected before picking it up. Or maybe it's lighter!
Just looking at it helps! For example, I can tell if a board is cherry from a mile away. (or maple, walnut, etc.) You may not be able to do that if you're new to woodworking.
There are more clues but from here on they get more tedious and will only serve to confuse you.
So here are my GENERAL suggestions:
Stop sanding so much! Chances are you have created divots by over-sanding and that will show up when you apply the final finish.
What species is it? Ask the folks that sold/gave it to you.
Find someone who has a wide belt sander and ask them to flatten both sides for you.
Since it's so blotchy, do not try to stain it. That will just make things worse. Staining can be complicated! But if you really, really, REALLY want to stain it, use a gel stain!
Buy, or make, a sanding sealer. But don't be mislead! The first coat of ANY finish IS a sanding sealer. My first coat is always spray lacquer. The grain of the wood may raise a bit , and feel fuzzy. But you can sand lightly with 220 grit, then apply a second coat, followed by a light sanding. And now,......
...its time for the final finish! The easiest is a wipe-on polyurethane (Minwax,...Lowe's, Home Depot). Just use a paper towel to wipe on a thin coat. Sand lightly with 320 grit. Apply a second coat. Sand lightly again. This time 420 grit. Now buff out with #0000 steel wool. I always add a coat of furniture wax. If you do, do not use auto wax!
Are you wetting it with water, to see how it will look finished? Water will give you a sneak peak into the finished wood, but when it dries, it will leave the grain raised, and the wood will look and feel rougher and fuzzy.
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