What’s your favorite finish?
- Shellac
- Lacquer
- Oil
- Varnish
- Waterlox
- My own original recipe (please post)
- Other (please post)
You will not be able to change your vote.
Discussion Forum
Get It All!
UNLIMITED Membership is like taking a master class in woodworking for less than $10 a month.
Start Your Free TrialCategories
Discussion Forum
Digital Plans Library
Member exclusive! – Plans for everyone – from beginners to experts – right at your fingertips.
Highlights
-
Shape Your Skills
when you sign up for our emails
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. -
Shop Talk Live Podcast -
Our favorite articles and videos -
E-Learning Courses from Fine Woodworking
-
-
Replies
What? No water-based??!!
You would think of that, Andy.
I once built a high chair of stacked plywood. I used to tell people that it was finished with several c oats of hand-rubbed oatmeal.
The last high chair we had was finished with chocolate milk.
The last high chair we had was finished with chocolate milk.
Yes, but what was your recipe? Quik, Hershey's Syrup, Fox's UBet, and 2%, whole, skim?
Samson,
I'll bet he used Ovaltine.
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Thats all I use any more Andy. Enduro Water base. It got bought out by General Finishes and I still like it. Ya ought to check them out look at the industrial finishes
Edited 12/6/2007 12:55 am by Sancho
It depends on the wood, the needs for durability verses clarity of surface verses ease of application (how it will be used, and by whom) ....
Can you be more specific?
Regards from Perth
Derek
There are so many options that a poll can't really reach the full depth. Given that, I still am investigating the differeent options. With each new project I select a method and try it out. So far laquer is the easiest for me. I am now working with a pure slellac finish. The wife noticed the change in smells and asked me what it was and I told her it was bug poop. She will not touch it.
"... told her it was bug poop. She will not touch it."
She'll be even happier when you tell her that it's the same stuff that's called "confectioner's glaze," used to coat candies (e.g., Junior Mints) and other food items.
-Steve
Waterlox is varnish.
Rob
The poll choices are silly. Not only are waterborne finishes not included--a major omission that completely invalidates any results, but other major groupings are not subdivided rationally. For example, oil/varnish mixes are also not specified, and for some reason one specific brand name, Waterlox, is given a separate category, instead of being included among varnishes, which it's most popular products are. It would have been better perhaps to divide varnishes among brush on and wipe on, and to explicitly mention oil/varnish mixes, perhaps lumped with pure oils. And again, waterborne should have been specifically listed. It's much more important than "other".
Doesn't anyone at Tauton understand the first thing about market research?
I tried water based finishes a couple of years ago (my first attempt at spray finishing) and I'm a convert. Fuhr 355 has been my weapon of choice up til' this point.
My favorite finish is to sand down to 300, flood with Deft, let sit for about 90 seconds, then wipe off, repeat that when first coat is dry, then rub on and polish with Johnsons Paste wax. Makes a very good looking natural and smooth finish.
What kind of poll would leave out POLYURETHANE ?
And how do you define VARNISH ?
Who writes this stuff?
IKE
Polyurethane is also varnish.
Varnish is a finish made by cooking a curing or semi-curing oil with a resin such as alkyd, phenolic or polyurethane.
Rob
That's what I mean. You can lump several finishes under "varnish"
I think it was just a poorly researched poll.
OK, now I got it.
Yes, another in a line of dubious polls. This one seems to be a little worse than normal though. I wonder if it isn't related to a pitch to Waterlox for ad dollars maybe.
When profit becomes not a goal, but the goal, quality suffers. This also seems to be a trend at FWW lately. I just renewed my sub. but am fearing the day I get the mail and see under the FWW banner (which still includes the dovetail logo that is supposed to mean that the magazine's mission is different than the rest) a bold, flashy headline...
YOU CAN BUILD THIS AWESOME BOOKCASE, COMPLETE MEASURED DRAWING AND PATTERNS INCLUDED!!
Rob
Amen.This poll was pathetic. It's like asking what's you favorite cable TV station and having 5 options with one being OSTV. You don't think OSTV paid for that poll question?
Just throwing this out there - was there ever a survey which made sense? All the ones I can remember are lacking in some way or another. I know it's not just me who feels this way.Chris @ flairwoodworks
None of them ever make sense. I get the feeling that they only start one when no interesting disagreements are occuring on the Knots. They know that by asking a dumba$$ question, they'll easily stir up the pot.
In today's eco-conscious world (at least it should be), how is it even possible that waterborne finishes were completely omitted. That's almost like taking a "what's your favorite cookie" poll, and not listing chocolate chip.
Jeff
Jeff,
Let me get into the spirit of this thing.My favorite finish is water.
It is easy to apply. It does raise the grain but that can be easily fixed. It does not hide the grain of the wood, and it does not build up if you put on multiple layers. It dries well. It is cheap to buy and it does not require expensive brushes or spray equipment to apply. It lets the beauty of the wood shine through perfectly. It lets you commune with the wood in perfect harmony. When you touch a piece of furniture that is finished with water, you are touching the real wood. In the spirit of Nakashima, you can talk to the wood more easily because there is nothing between you and the wood. Water is non toxic (in most places). If applied with an iron brush, the brush must be dried off thoroughly before putting it away, or it will rust.All hail WATER - the King of the finishes. Of course, it doesn't provide much protection, but you can't have everything.Enjoy. Damn, I love these surveys. They give me a chance to say things I wouldn't say elsewhere.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Other, because doesn't it depend on the material, what use the piece will be put to, whether it'll be inside or outside, where and under what conditions the finish will be applied, etc.?
Gary W
gwwoodworking.com
Hi, From South Africa . I am using a Poliwax finish. First coats with a brush and final coats as a wipe on , Super finish. Maintenance with a penetrating furniture wax.(liquid form)
That is a difficult question to answer but generally speaking I prefer o spray a catalysed lacquer after a shellac (zinsser dewaxed ) sealer.
BUT you may not get the best out of all woods with this and it may be preferable to use a traditional wax for example.
AND not all styles/periods lend themselves to catlacquer.
The best looking finish is without doubt French Polish applied on suitable timbers by folk who know what they are doing-so that would be my favourite finish.
AND I have used shoe polish with great effect.
WHAT about Milk Paint?? Er, is that actually rated as a finish by normal folk? (;).
I like Minwax Polycyclic gloss. It goes on easily, self levels quickly smoothing out brush strokes, and dries fast so there is little chance of dust contamination. Once dry it protects the wood with a clear durable finish.
I prefer water based finishes for ease of use and less VOC. My usual choice is Minwax Polycrylic which is readily available at Home Depot and Lowes. When possible I apply it with a paint pad. I use a plastic roller tray with a metal roller screen so that I dip the pad in the finish in the tray and rake off the excess on the screen. The finish flows out smoothly and people refuse to believe it isn't sprayed on. Lately I have started first sealing the wood with a 2lb cut of blond, dewaxed shelac to minimize grain lifting before the first coat of Polycrylic. I use 3 coats of Polycrylic on horizontal surfaces and two coats on vertical surfaces. It is ready for recoating in 2 hours.
Shellac. Followed by Minwax Wipe-On Poly. I've also been experimenting with Target Coatings Oxford Ultima Spray Lacquer and I'm liking it a lot.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled