I’m looking for suggestions in improving the surface hardness of a wood without “plasticizing” with resin. I’ve a softwood (Primavera, density .40) that I’d like to use in some cabinetry and end in a finish that would appear “rubbed” (5-6 applications of thinned varnish). Any ideas on how I could improve the surface hardness to increase resistence to marks and indentations? Thanks.
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The short answer is that you can't. Putting a hard finish over a soft base will cause the hard finish to crack and craze when it gets dinged.
The best finish for a soft wood is a long oil, exterior varnish or exterior poly varnish. Even more flexible is a marine spar varnish. These types of finishes will flex with the pressure and not loose their integrity.
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