piano like on oak

[Thad Nickoley]

is it possible to get a "piano" like finish on oak?? if so how?

[Brian Kent]

I don't think so, because of the open grain, but I will be watching for answers from those who know a lot more than I do.

[Neal Clayton]

grain filler/sealer, lots of coats of your top coat sanding in between to try to 'gain ground' on flatness with each coat, and buffing out the last coat.

time consuming and labor intensive, yes, but possible.

[Rob Cunningham]

You can fill the pores of open grain woods with grain filler. It comes in clear or colors for hiding or accenting the grain. Grain filling does add some labor to the project but can look very nice when completed.
http://www.homesteadfinishingproduct...woodglazes.htm

[Scott Holmes]

As already stated it can be done. Red oak is more difficult to "piano finish" than white oak. Are you planning to finish it black as many pianos are finished?

[Thad Nickoley]

actually i want to do it nitural red oak. I dont plan on acheiving a pure piano finish, just want to get close.

[ROY DICK]

Just do it plain, many pianos are that way. Except the fancy ones.
I like plain, but that is only my opinon.

Roy

[Phil Phelps]

I'd find a wood far more worthy of that kind of finish.

[Casey Gooding]

Are you looking for a black piano finish or a natural wood type finish??

[Thad Nickoley]

I am looking for natural.

[Casey Gooding]

You will need to fill the grain. Stain whatever color you choose, or no stain. Typically, pianos are finished with lacquer, and lots of it.
Another option, which I really like is to use an oil/varnish blend. Equal parts Varnish or Polyurethane, boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits. Slather on the first coat and sand with 600 grit wet/dry while it's still very wet. The slurry will fill the pores nicely. Wipe off the excess across the grain. Let dry a day. Then apply further coats by applying wet, let sit a few minutes, wipe off excess.
Keep building until you get the desired finish.

[Scott Holmes]

It is not possible to build a "piano" finish with an oil/varnish blend. The best you can achieve is an "in-the-wood" finish with no built what so ever.

Lacquer, shellac, or varnish will need to be used to build a film finish. I left water-borne off the list on purpose; but it could be used... I would not.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I am looking for natural.

In Oak?
What I'd do:
Make some plaster up and tint it with some water soluble aniline dye.
Then test the finish on some sample boards till I got a filler that made the grain look deeper and richer. You can do this with joint compound mud too.

After sanding the filler down you can get that "built up" look using many coats of lacquer intended for high builds.
Here's one:
http://www.mlcampbell.com/products/categories/clear_topcoats/solvent_borne/nitrocellulose


It is going to take a little fiddling with colors to get the filler "just so."
Then you won't know what it'll look like for sure until you get some lacquer on the samples.

[Frank Hagan]

I went the opposite way years ago ... my grandfather gave me a Wing and Son upright piano. It had been painted light green, but under that was a traditional black piano finish. Under all the paint and lacquer was a beautiful quartersawn white oak piano.

I was 20 when I refinished it. To get the dark pore filler out of the grain, I bleached the wood and then used a water based light walnut stain cut with ammonia to give it a "fumed oak" appearance. It turned out well, although as mentioned above, it doesn't have the traditional mirror-finish that pianos have.

[Tony Bilello]

is it possible to get a "piano" like finish on oak?? if so how?

The answer is yes. It's not all that difficult. Spray on a primer coat and then use a paste wood grain filler then apply several coats of lacquer for the top coats.

Sherwin Williams has a vinyl sealer that will fill the pores without needing a paste wood grain filler. Then use a pre-Catalyzed lacquer and whammo !! Done.