I used some Paduak wood for the trim of a bookcase. I know that it oxidizes to a browner color – anybody have good ideas on how to seal/protect the wood to prevent (or retard) the oxidation? I want to keep my beautiful red accent color! 🙂
aj kelly
Replies
I've never worked with Paduak but I've read where guys will color match it with dye and then dye the Paduak so that when it oxidizes brown they're still left with the red that they love. Heard of the same trick being done with Purple Heart and others that oxidize to another less attractive color.
aj, I love padauk. Especially when it's really a brilliant crimson after sanding. If this thread goes like many others on the subject, you'll get advice that someone has a piece of padauk furniture that's as bright as it was when first finished years ago, and here's his/her "secret." Here's the truth. It WILL darken. There is nothing you can do to prevent the process. It's the result of light and oxidation. You can SLOW the process by keeping the piece out of direct light and some finishes will slow it a bit more than others. But the wood will darken to a uniform maroon color. Some samples will darken more than others and if you are lucky enough to have wood from a tree not destined to darken too much, you will be able to enjoy the beautiful color and grain longer than not. But there is no way to tell beforehand what the wood will eventually do. It will do what it wants. But here's something you can do to test your wood. Sand or plane a small scrap 'till it's bright, brick red. Wrap half the piece with some aluminum foil. Place it in direct sun for a day or two. You'll have a pretty good answer about how your wood will behave over the next few months, even in a normally-lit room, comparing the exposed to unexposed portions. Rich
As the others already said, it's eventually going to turn color no matter what you do. But you can slow it down by using a heavy film finish. Penetrating oil finishes, while beautiful on padauk, will hasten it to brown in no time flat.
David Ring
http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e
AJ: paduak will darken with age, and as others as already stated there is very little you can do. However, you can understand the process and lengthen the duration somewhat before the inevitable happens. The culprit is UV light. Cedar reacts to uv light by turning gray; it is the top cellulose layer that reacts. One method to restore the substrate to original is to coat the cedar with oxalic acid, which in effect melts that cellulose layer and removes it . Then by rinseing and neutralizing the acid with clear water , the new cedar is revealed. Well that is cedar - but I just used cedar as an example to illustrate what happens. That restoration method would be less than desirable for paduak. However a product with heavy ultraviolet light inhibitors would indeed help lengthen its original color life. In this case, depending on your shop capabilities, you might want to consider these two possibilities. First ,and this is the best , I suggest lacquer. There are several good UV rated lacquers . These are the highest quality available to me here in Canada- Becker-Acroma ( an extremely high quality German product) ...M.L.Campbell products . Check with your local cabinet finishing supply house and read the spec sheets to find out which is a non-yellowing lacquer available to you.
The second choice would be a shellac and varnish system which you may apply by brush . You should use a wax free shellac ( such as Zinnser SEAL-COAT) and a varnish with UV additives.
You should be aware though AJ that, as in cherry wood, even though you use the best UV inhibiting finish system you can - the substrate will still darken with age;all you can do really is just delay the inevitable. I am a finisher by trade and lacquer shaker style cherry wood cabinetry all the time and in a few years I can guarantee that each and every piece I've done; even though I have used the best uv lacquers available, will have darkened with age!
Some say that applying Armorall to the pauduk will protect it better than anything else. Yes, this is the stuff made to apply to your dashboard to protect it from UV fading.
I have never tried it, and am not sure if any finish would stick to it, but I just thought I would throw it out there.
I personally apply high quality quick drying polyurethane over paduk and really like the results. Yes, the pauduk does turn that beautiful maroon color after a bit, but I have seen pauduk that had oil finish applied and the wood turns sort of a dull grey-brown which is quite ugly.
Hal
http://www.rivercitywoodworks.com
Thanks for all of your suggestions.
Unfortunately I've already applied an oil/varnish mix to the Paduak. So what would you all suggest? Put a UV-blocking lacquer over the top? I don't think that polyurethanes will bond very well over my oil/varnish mix, will they?
I've heard that about Armor-All also. I think that I will try it once the bookcase is in the house. Maybe I can use Armor-All as a kind of furniture polish, eh?
And, by the way, I'm getting some pressure from my wife, as in "that bookcase is going to take how much longer to finish ?!" :)
aj kelly
aj,No Armor All. No, No No! Never. Not even then!Put either a polyurethane or a regular varnish over the oil/varnish and enjoy your book case. Don't worry about it darkening. It will do what it will do. (BTW the portions covered by books will darken MUCH slower then exposed wood).Varnish does not bond well to previous varnish unless the first coat is scuff sanded. So you might have to lightly sand the existing oil/varnish finish before applying the top coat. (SOP)Rich
I was reading your warning about Armor-All and thinking .... there are probably plasticizer softeners in Armor-All, eh? That's probably how it protects and softens your dashboard? And they would migrate into the finish and soften it, right?
Anybody tried Armor-All and created a mess? or had sucess?
OK, I'll stay away from the Armor-All. Maybe I'll just keep the bookcase in a dark closet and just look at it from time-to-time and appreciate that beautiful red Paduak color. :)
aj kelly
aj,Go ahead, apply Armor All to the book case.But then, you'll feel compelled to get one of those cheap perfume odor maskers sold at any drive-through car wash. Then you'll have to hang a pair of big furry dice over it. Pretty soon you'll need to get a special license plate holder for it, and a Big Foot accelerator pedal.And . . . well, you see where this will take you. To say nothing of getting that slimy, greasy stuff all over your books.Snake oil!Don't say I didn't warn you.
Rich,
LOL. :)
well, you're right, that's just not the look that I'm going for in my home office! Although, maybe some diamond-stamped aluminum over the Paduak would protect it well ....
Seriously, I've been warned - I won't go there. Even if it didn't damage the finish I can just imagine the slippery mess that it would create.....
aj kelly
Rick is right about Paduk; you can slow the color change down, but it will eventually turn dark. Worse, the resulting color will vary -- sometimes a rootbeer brown, and sometimes somewhat lighter. However, there is a reddish wood that does seem to hold its color over time, and that is Bloodwood.********************************************************
"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
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