suggestions on heart pine finish

[Lewis Ehrhardt]

I want to keep the natural look of the heart pine that's been planed. It's a desk/bookshelf. I was thinking satin poly? Any suggestions. Thanks Lewis

[Mel Fulks]

That stuff was typically painted or left bare. As one who likes traditional uses I find it hard to get used to a film finish on old pine. I would leave it as is.Maybe some wax on it. I guess the desk top has to have something. Dark green old fashioned linoleum would look good and used to be widely used for desk tops.

[Bob Reda]

What ever type of finish you decide, the first thing I would put down is a solution of non waxed shellac mixed at a rate of 4 parts alcohol to 1 part shellac. It will put up a barrier to the splotching that occurs with pine. Will dry in about 5 min. hit will with a quick sand and you are ready to apply any type of finish you want.

Bob

[Mark Wooden]

Modified or regular tung oil will give you a nice low sheen finish. Takes a little time but it's easy and gives you the true hand rubbed look. Because it is.

[Mike Wilkins]

Most any finish will work on heart pine, but the last project I built was finished with the darker formula of shellac. I think it is called buttonlac. A less-refined wax-free shellac that will give the heart pine an aged, old look. Best advice: experiment on some scrap.