Replies

1. 
   terrylee86 | Apr 12, 2007 05:02am | #1

   Willy,

   Check out Bartley paste wood fillers at homesteadfinishing.com and look under paste wood fillers and glazes.  They give a little tutorial and a color chart and tinting bases.  I think you will find what you need.

   Terry

   
   

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   Edited 4/11/2007 10:06 pm ET by terrylee86

2. 
   TrueGentleman | Apr 12, 2007 07:26am | #2

   I would use many many coats of poly... looks good and since it is a table it will ad in protecting it.

   Rich

3. 
   SteveSchoene | Apr 12, 2007 03:17pm | #3

   I've heard good things about Bartley, but have used Behlen Pore O Pac myself.  These are both oil based fillers which are easier to work with in my opinion than the water based variety, but do take a little more time. 

   For a dark, full filled finish I like to break things into several steps.  I start with a dye to achieve the darkness and establish a base color.  I then seal this.  Shellac is easy and quick.  Then the pore filler can be tinted to achieve the look you desire.  You can minimize grain by making the filler a close match to the dyed wood, but you get more "depth" by making it a a shade darker or lighter.  With ash you may need two applications of pore filler to get really filled pores.  Thinning the pore filler to the consistency of heavy cream works fine. 

   Before applying a top coat you need to let the pore filler cure.  A week is not too much.  Applying a top coat prematurely can sometimes lead to having the pores turn grey down the road.  The only cure for that is stripping and starting over. 

    

4. 
   beachfarm | Apr 13, 2007 01:07am | #4

   After your initial stain/dye then shellac procedure of choice, try Bartleys as the grain filler. Be generous with it. Work small areas at a time. Once the filler has set up, remove the excess from the table surface with burlap (course burlap is best). Move quickly and apply some elbow grease. When you're done, let it dry. Then let it dry some more. A second application of filler might be in order.

   Bartleys (right out of the can) has never let me down.

   
   

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   Edited 4/12/2007 6:48 pm ET by beachfarm

1. 
   Jfrostjr | Apr 13, 2007 03:46pm | #5

   For years I have heard about burlap - but where can I get some? I don't buy potatoes by the sack.Frosty

1. 
   terrylee86 | Apr 13, 2007 03:54pm | #6

   A lot of fabric stores sell burlap.  Try JoAnn fabrics if you have one in your area.  I am sure you can get it online as well.

   Terry

   Edited 4/13/2007 8:55 am ET by terrylee86

1. 
   Jfrostjr | Apr 13, 2007 04:04pm | #7

   Thanks. I didn't know that.FrostyI hope I don't have to wear an apron and a bonnet to go into a fabric shop.

2. 
   beachfarm | Apr 13, 2007 04:12pm | #8

   I get mine from a coffee roaster but the feed store has them kicking around as does any number of local growers (greenhouses, garden centers, etc).Free is good.

3. 
   danmart | Mar 26, 2008 07:29pm | #11

   Burlap finds:

   Just look around your local area for the guy roasting coffee beans. They will have tons of them laying around. If you use these, they are generally on the clean side. Be cautious and check the fabric for dirt.

   dan

4. 
   dherzig | Mar 26, 2008 10:02pm | #12

   I bought mine from HomesteadFinishing.com (Jeff Jewitt).

5. 
   Wood_Jack | Mar 27, 2008 08:38am | #14

   I bought mine at HomeDepot in the gardening section.  It's not in bags.  It a large section of burlap fabric.Regards,
   Jack

1. 
   Jfrostjr | Mar 27, 2008 03:08pm | #15

   Thanks for the shopping suggestions. I did try JoAnn Fabrics once. (I left the bonnet and apron at home.) All they had was a day-glo orange. I'll try a gardening section this time.Frosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922

5. 
   mudman | Apr 13, 2007 05:44pm | #9

   I use the Elmers product. It is water based and comes in several colours. Usually I can mix a couple togather and achieve the desired colour, if not I mix in water based stain untill it is perfect. If I use the product that comes in the large tubs (instead of the tubes) I add water untill it will trowel smoothly. Stain the wood first, then match and fill the grain. Filler never stains the same as the wood, Oak is worse than most due to its large open pores.

   Mike

   Pardon my spelling,

   Mike

   Make sure that your next project is beyond your skill and requires tools you don't have. You won't regret it.

6. 
   blewcrowe | Apr 13, 2007 05:48pm | #10

   This might sound a bit bazarre but it works for me all the time.

   1. Get some Zar wood patch and dump the whole jar into a mixing bowl.
   2. Add 10-15% equivalent of water to thin it. Mix it until it's somewhere closer to room temp butter texture than peanut butter.
   3. Add Transtints water soluable dyes, mixing in until you get the color you want.
   4. Apply with a squeegee or something.

   What's great about this method is one coat (usually) does the trick, and it's dry in less than a half hour. I use it on oak, ash, just about anything.

   
   

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   Edited 4/13/2007 10:50 am ET by blewcrowe

7. 
   blewcrowe | Mar 26, 2008 10:30pm | #13

   Personally, I like the water based transparent ones. You can go back and sand after an hour or so, and they're basically invisible.