live edge magnolia coffee table

[chris trainum]

Hello

I am a newbie when it comes to live edge coffee tables. I was able to get some magnolia wood that is 22"-24" wide 8/4 thickness(or 2" thick) and 11' long. I cut the board into 3 pieces to make coffee tables. Around 44" long all three The magnolia was milled over 25 years ago and cured by a friend that owns a sawmill.

Question1. I have not planned the wood yet but there are some other smaller pieces that have been planned ans sanded. looking on the internet also the magnolia seems to be lighter colored with a yellowish tint. The grains seems to be dense and straight. It looks great I attached pictures. the coffee tables will be Xmas gifts could u recommend an oil based stain and color that would make the magnolia wood look great. From my understanding magnolia wood 22" wide straight and over 8/4 or 2" thick is rare. I don't want to stain the wrong color and ruin a rare wood. I think it is rare because i cant find it in this size in many places on the net. And i dont want it to be a run of the mill internet garbage.

2. I plan on finishing with zar oil based polyurethane matte finish. My friends the tables are for don't want the high gloss look and after reading varnish type topcoat will need reapplications every few years not to mention the person that doesn't use a coaster and ruins the table. any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. As i stated i am a newbie I have read a lot on this forum and plain to sand using an orbital sander stepping up the grit amounts slowly and finishing by hand sanding. It will be a coffee table so besides drinks spilled i can see kids coloring etc on them

3. third question is HELP i am a newbie really dont want to screw this beautiful wodd up.I got the magnolia wood for a great price 200$ for whole board 11' long 22-24" wide and over 2' thick and figured it would be something different. the tree is from the mill property in south Carolina. as i stated it was milled 25-36 years ago and stacked properly according to wood man.

I have attached pics of one of the boards. It has not been planed Yet the one with color has been planned and sanded. Not that well i believe but the gentleman that did it said he didn't stain it.

thanks for any tips

Chris

IMG_1948.jpgIMG_1950.jpgIMG_1885.jpg

[Jim Morgan]

Tips:

1. Post one or more pictures of your material so others can see what you are talking about.

2. Be clear about the questions you are asking. You seem to have one about stain color (unanswerable in the absence of any pictures) and perhaps one about top coat durability. Paragraphs are your friend.

3. If all of your questions are about finishing, post to the "Project Finishing" sub-forum.

4. For interior pieces, there are many durable types of topcoats. Oil finishes may have to be renewed periodically, but shellac, lacquer, and varnish will typically last for many years. Finishes vary in their resistance to water & alcohol - how will these tables be used?

[Dan Hulbert]

Great looking wood. I've done a few live edge pieces, but never with Magnolia. That being said, test any finish plan you come up with on scraps or undersides of tops.
Plane and sand your boards until you think they're done. Then wipe down the board with mineral spirits. It will show you any sanding swirls and will give you an idea of what a clear oil based finish will look like.

If you like the look and color, skip the stain. (FWIW, I really don't like to stain if it can be avoided)

Typically, boiled linseed oil works well for making grain pop.

I prefer to wipe on poly. Buy some brush on poly and cut it about 25% with Mineral Spirits. Presto, wipe on poly.
You'll need to wipe on 6-8 coats, but it's much more forgiving than brushing.

Take your time. Finishing often takes longer than building.

[Nick Decker]

I agree with Dan. I'd stay away from stain, especially on beautiful wood like that, and go with wipe-on poly. That'll darken the wood just fine, as well as popping the grain.

Every time I've used stain it's ended up looking unnatural.

[Jim Morgan]

It seems like the primary interest of magnolia is in the dramatic contrast between heartwood and sapwood; many stains will diminish that contrast. There are lots of wipe-on finishes onthe marketplace that provide a durable surface with enough coats. My personal preference is for the General Finishes Seal-a-Cell/Arm-r-Seal line, but YMMV. As Dan suggests, try out possible finishes on the undersides of the slabs. To avoid cloudiness, it is best if all but the very last coat of finish is gloss.

I wouldn't be too concerned about your sanding plan, so long as you work from coarser to finer. Your slabs are 2" thick, so if you screw up, you can just start over.

Good luck!

[Prashun Patel]

Personally, I wouldn't stain it.

I would apply several coats of Minwax Wipe on Polyurethane or General Finishes Arm R Seal. Both are oil-based wipe on and oil based, and will resist abrasions and water spots and most chemicals very well. Both are available in different sheens.

Sand and prep well.

[Thomas Canfield]

You talk about planning the boards, but 22" is a big plane. Have you considered getting the boards faced using a wide belt sander that should be able to handle both surfaces and give parallel faces. Just a thought. Check some commercial shops and they will often prepare boards for a nominal fee if you cannot find a friend. Wide belt sanders of 26" are not that uncommon.

[Bill McNiel]

I would suggest you consider Waterlox OSF both for its very slight amber tone and liquid stain resistance. Also it is very easy to apply and repair scratches.

[chris trainum]

I didn't want to use the gloss finish since my Mrs doesn't like it. She liked the matte or satin finish do you think that will cause problems with the look. I was thinking a brush on flat antique poly like ZAR polyurethane oil based matte


thanks for the advice

chris

[Robert Hazelwood]

I think you have the right idea on the finish. Polyurethane will be about the toughest finish you can put on it, in terms of resisting water staining and children, etc. A matte or satin finish will make it easier on you since it is much more visually forgiving of tiny imperfections, and it's tough to avoid those on a large table top. Plus scratches and wear from use won't show up as much.

The oil-based poly you mentioned should do well, but be aware that anything oil-based tends to give a yellowish hue to light-colored wood. I think it will work ok on the Magnolia slabs you have from what I can tell, since they aren't too white. But you can do a sample board (you can use anything oil-based for the test, like linseed oil, it will give about the same color). If you think it's too yellow, then you might consider water-based poly, which will keep the color as light as possible.

I don't think you will be building the finish thick enough to experience clarity problems from putting on too many layers of matte/satin. So I wouldn't buy two different cans, just do all of the coats with whatever you want the final one to be.

I agree with the general advice to avoid staining if possible. It would be very hard to improve the appearance with stain, and be very easy to make it worse (muddy,blotchy) especially if you are not experienced with finishing.

As for "wipe-on" poly, this is just thinned poly (diluted about 50% with mineral spirits). You can make it from the stuff in the regular can, no need to buy anything separate. I like to start by brushing on a coat or two of full-strength to fill the pores and start to build, then sand that smooth with 320/400 grit. Then wipe on 3-5 coats of thinned poly, or until you are happy with the finish. By thinning it you make it easier to apply (just wipe on with a clean rag), and so are less likely to have flaws in each coat. But each coat is thinner so it doesn't build as fast, which is why I put on full-strength brushed coats to start. Any brushing flaws will be sanded out.