I am working on sample boards for a project and having a bit of trouble with one aspect. Substrate is CVG Douglas Fir. I have sanded and then brushed the surface to create a sort of jin di sugi texture, so the soft early wood is abraded away and the harder late wood remains. I have applied a stain and am happy with the color–the varying penetration gives a 3D effect I like. But when I apply my top coat, which is GF High Performance Top Coat, even brushing carefully, I am getting some pooling in the lowest areas and it’s not fully clear. It seems like maybe the furrows are so narrow that the surface tension of the finish is causing it to sort of puddle at the bottom (very long, skinny puddles as they run parallel to the grain lines). Any tricks to reduce the tension? I recall a FWW tip about adding a drop of dish soap to reduce surface tension. Anyone tried this? Issues with adhesion, etc?
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Replies
I would try going over it with a cloth to remove the puddles on coat #1. Coat #2 might tell a new story once the surface is sealed.
That's also very resinous, so that could be part of it.
I would seal it with shellac first, before the GFHP. That should fix the issue, regardless.
Make sure you use delayed shellac. Zinsser Sealcoat is the most commonly available.
I think you mean dewaxed shellac don't you?
Doh. Autocorrect. I hate it. Yes, dewaxed.
Thinning the first coat may help as well.
I don't think it's a surface tension problem. By brushing the surface, you created valleys for the top coat to pool in. The thicker areas in the valley are going to take a long time to dry, so they'll retain the milky color. Try another sample board, but set it up vertical when you brush on and see if it comes out different.
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