I recently acquired an old redwood burl coffee table. It had an epoxy or thick plastic finish that was very dark and cracked. I have finally removed the old finish and am now down to bare wood.
I would appreciate advice on what products and steps to take to refinish this beautiful wood. It will be used for inside purposes.
Thanks
DonC
Replies
Don, that murky dark color you saw comes from a variety of sources. First, redwood does get dark with age, no matter how you finish it. Second, if you use a solvent-based finish (for instance, varnish or oil), it will darken with age. If you'd like to keep the redwood as light as possible for as long as possible, use a water-borne varnish. They don't have the amber tone of solvent-based varnishes. The small drawback to water-borne finishes is that the first coat does raise the grain, so expect to lightly sand after the first coat.
I'd use either shellac or lacquer. Either will do a nice job as a "lense" as well as bringing out the grain and figure.
I'd wipe it with some BLO and then seal it up with some Shellac. The BLO will "pop" the grain and figure.
Cheers!
Dark Magneto
Boiled Linseed Oil
You can pick it up at any Home Depot/Lowes/Menards etc.
Wipe on a "thin" layer and let it cure for a couple of days. Then you can put on a seal coat of Shellac. Zinser sells the stuff already mixed and you can pick that up at Home Depot also. Make sure you use a "dewaxed" shellac. That way you can put a topcoat on and it will adhear to the Shellac. I like to top coat with a wipe-on Polyurethane. Either mix your own or buy some premixed at Home Depot.
Cheers!
Dark Magneto
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