Kitchen Table Finish

[Steve Kohn]

I'm building a kitchen table. It will have a Cherry top and walnut legs/apron. I plan on finishing the legs/apron with Charles Neil blotch control, dark walnut dye, and then EM6000, sprayed on. I am looking for a finishing schedule for the cherry top. The customer, SWMBO, does not wish to wait for the cherry to acquire it dark red color naturally, so it is likely I'll need to resort to dying the top also. My concern is the durability of the finish, whatever it is. I've read that Waterlox is a candidate for this application but I have never used it. I've also noticed there are mulitple versions of Waterlox available at Woodcraft. Full and low VOC's etc. At $35/quart plus a highly visible project I really don't want to screw this up.

I can either wipe, brush, or spray a finish on and we are looking for satin or eggshell finish. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Jim Becker]

Since you're already using EM6000, consider spraying the entire project with that and then top-coating the top, as it were, with one of the higher durability Target products like the EM8000 or EM9000 or just using them instead of the EM6000. I see no reason to go with the Waterlox here if you like working with the Target finishes. I did use an oil-based product on my kitchen table and frankly, it hasn't held up. (I don't remember what it was at this point) It's getting replaced this coming summer with EM8000.

[Scott Holmes]

You don't need the CN blotch control on the walnut. Walnut dyes and stains very well. As for the cherry use dye not stain. Water soluble will be easier to use but you will need to seal in with shellac (I'd use a dewaxed garnet) Spraying would be best so you don't move the dye; some water soluble dyes may still move a bit with brushed shellac. Then your top coat. The garnet shelac will give you the nice warm tones you would get with the Waterlox, without the VERY slow drying times.

Jim B. has used a lot more EM6000 than me, so if he says that the 8000 is better (a conversion varnish so irt should be better) or the Waterlox is better than the 6000 than I would follow his advice.

[Matt Meiser]

I used EM2000 over 6000 on the one I just did. Target recommends 2000 or 9000 for table tops in some threads I read on their forum.

The full schedule I used was:
1) General Finishes Seal-A-Cell, one coat for color.
2) Target WB Shellac as a barrier and additional color -- 2 LIGHT (can't stress this enough) coats
3) Target EM6000--4 coats on all the base parts, 2 on each side of the tops (and 4 on the aprons)
4) Target EM2000--2 coats on the top of the tops.
5) After a few days buff with folded (not crumpled) kraft paper to remove any roughness, dust nibs, etc.
6) Finish with Renaissance Wax mostly for feel.

[Sam Hamory]

A few hours in direct sunlight will kick start the color change/aging process. Cherry changes quick.

[Mike Monroe]

+1 on sunlight on cherry for color change. Cherry changes color pretty quickly when exposed to direct sunlight. If you have to dye the cherry, I suggest following one of Jeff Jewitt's schedules.

[Matt Meiser]

+2. you can get shadow lines in your shop just over the course of doing a project. Trust me!

I've warned my mom to be very careful with her new table not to leave things on it as it gets rather intense direct sunlight in the morning. With all the rain we had this fall, I wasn't able to take it out for tanning sessions.