Best finish for black walnut slab?

[Eugene Krimkevich]

Hi all,

Nearing completion on my first-ever project, a black walnut slab coffee table with an ash base:

IMAG0317.jpg

I'm just starting to read up on finishing (purchased Understanding Wood Finishing by Bob Flexner) and am leaning towards using wiping varnish on the slab, probably the same on the ash base. I'm concerned about yellowing though. I'm also looking to achieve a satin finish, so I figure I need to buy wiping varnish with flattening agent? As mentioned, this will be a coffee table, so water protection and durability are important to me. Ideally, I'm trying to achieve this kind of look: http://www.custommade.com/slab-coffe...sionfurniture/

Just wanted to get everyone's two cents here. What would be the best type of finish to use here for the slab and base? What is the best brand/product within that category? Should I consider stain for the table top to achieve the look of the table in the link above? Apologies for all the questions, just not sure how to make sense of all this my first time around.

Cheers,
Eugene

[Casey Gooding]

Waterlox original sealer/finish usually gives a very nice finish to walnut. It's easy to apply and is very water protective. Try it on scraps of both woods before you start finishing the whole piece. You could always use lacquer on the base if you want a completely clear finish on it.

[Phil Thien]

Any yellow or amber cast will look different on the ash, than on the walnut. So make sure you test whatever finish you're going to use on both woods.

[Jamie Buxton]

I'd use varnish on the walnut. Varnish is a nice tough finish, and it lends good color to the walnut. I'd use wipe-on. You can make your own, or you can buy pre-made. Minwax sells a good pre-made.

I don't like varnish color on ash. I'd use a waterborne there. Waterbornes are nearly color-free. I spray General Finishes Waterborne Poly. I'd cut all the joinery between the top and the base, finish them separately, and then join them to together. If you've already glued them together, you can still use two different finishes on the two woods. Just be careful while you're applying them.

[Mike Wilkins]

I have used Minwax Antique Oil Finish on many Walnut projects, and it works well. For some figured Walnut, I put several coats on the surface before wet sanding with the Minwax Oil several times. It fills the grain and leaves a glass smooth surface. Best of all it is easy to use.

[John TenEyck]

I agree with Jamie, wiping varnish on the top and WB on the ash. I would not stain the walnut top; dye is a better way to get color and depth. If there are any streaks of sapwood that you don't like you can apply a dye to even it out. I really like Transtint dyes in DNA. You can apply it to the whole top or just to the sapwood using an artists brush, or a combination using multiple coats or a stronger solution on the sapwood. I was surprised to find that dye really adds depth to the grain, and not just change the color, but it's true. If you want the top to seem like you're looking into the wood, that's one way to get there.

John

[Sam Stephens]

On darker woods like walnut, any finish that adds some yellow or orange will greatly "warm" the look of the wood. I like to use a couple of thin coats of garnet or amber shellac. You can then follow it w/ a wiping varnish or blond shellac to build the protection. you could also try blo followed by varnish. I would NOT use garnet/amber shellac on lightly colored woods such as ash though. As others mentioned, ash will tend to yellow/honey w/ an oil based varnish -some like it, others don't. Test and see. Blond shellac is another thought for the ash in addition to what others mentioned. just make sure you test your schedule on some scrap. I've eliminated useless steps this way and avoided painful errors.

[Eugene Krimkevich]

Thank you all for the helpful advice. Wiping varnish on the top it is! However, I don't have access to a spray gun for finishing, so everything will have to be applied by hand here. Any thoughts on just using an oil/varnish blend on the ash base, since it won't be sustaining much abuse in terms of water contact?

[Prashun Patel]

Eugene. I believe the minwax product jamie is talking about is wipe on polyurethane, which yes is a varnish. However, for This project, i would treat yourself to a quart of waterlox original sealer finish ORIGINAL formulation. It is a phenolic varnish and as such is darker than poly. Like the minwax product it is premixed as a wipeon varnish. Poly imho looks good in some types of finishes but if this is yr first time applying then u will probably be building a film, in which case i find poly to look plasticky. The waterlox wont have this issue.

I would do waterlox on the top and the base. Ash and oak take the amber well imho.

The key to a flawless finish is the prep. Sand that top to 400 or even 600.

[Prashun Patel]

Eugene-
In proper disclosure, I got a PM from Scott Holmes (he's a pro; I am not) that sanding beyond 220 is fruitless and a waste of paper in this case.

i humbly don't think it's a waste (at least not too much!) on walnut. The reason is that walnut tends - for me - to absorb finish at different rates across a slab. This means that I get some dull areas for the first several coats, while other areas begin to build fairly quickly. The net effect for THIS nonpro is that I end up creating a more built up finish than I intend that subsequently begs to be rubbed out later. For me, sanding to a higher grit does indeed burnish the wood, but it also makes the first few coats go on uniformly. This allows me to put on fewer coats before I achieve a uniform sheen. A quick sanding with 600 before applying an final coat, and then I'm done. No need to rub out.

Again, once I become better, I may too conclude this is a waste of paper. But for now, the regimen works pretty well and is easy for me.

You can even wetsand the initial coats in with 400g to partially fill the pores.

[John TenEyck]

Why not use rattle can lacquer on the base? Easy to use - in a well ventilated space.

John

[Scott Holmes]

On walnut I like to apply a light coat of dewaxed garnet shellac then apply the top coat. To my eye the garnet really enhances the look of the walnut. Prashun, this may be the difference in our approaches.

[John TenEyck]

Prashun, have you tried keeping the surface wet with your varnish for at least 10 minutes before you wipe it off? That will let the porous areas absorb all the finish they will take with the first coat, and your second coat should be a lot more uniform as a result. That will allow you to get a uniform sheen with the minimum number of coats, if that's what you want to do.

Also, have you tried Arm-R-Seal? You might change your opinion of poly based wiping varnishes if you do. The satin sheen, in particular, is probably my favorite wiping varnish on cherry, walnut, and oak. On curly maple, the semi-gloss or gloss is spectacular.

John

[Scott Holmes]

Why are you wiping off a wipe-on varnish? That's the technique for an oil/varnish blend; not a wipe-on varnish.

[Scott T Smith]

Interesting thread, and it leads me to a question.... Is there a benefit to putting down a first coat of tung oil on the BW, followed by the shellac and waterlox?