Amber finish for ash without accentuating the grain?

[Brian W Evans]

I am going to be installing some ash t&g in my wife's new home office. I originally wanted to keep the light color of the wood but the ash has turned yellow over time, especially when exposed to sunlight. My plan now is to try to achieve a light amber finish. I do not want to accentuate the grain, however.

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These samples are red oak, which is very similar to ash.

My finishing experience is limited to wiping varnishes and shellac, but I am open to other suggestions. I have access to a good turbine sprayer and could try that if necessary. I can finish the boards prior to installation or after (the room is currently just drywall and plywood floor.

Any suggestions?

[Jim Becker]

Red oak and ash certainly have similar grain patterns but their natura;, un-oxidized color is not so similar. If you want your ash to be lighter color, use a waterborne finish that either has a little warmth native or add a small drop of amber dye to add that warmth if the product is more "water white" and "cold". An example of the former would be Target Coatings EM2000 for the warmest or EM8000cv for warm but less than EM2000. Their EM9300 polyester has UV blockers so that might help with "aging" to some extent.

[Brian W Evans]

Thanks Jim. IIRC, the target coatings are for spraying, correct?

I have tried water-based poly on a few samples and they limit the yellowing, but adding dye accentuates the grain more than I would like.

[Jim Becker]

Target's products are designed for spraying...hand application is not recommended.

When I mention adding a little amber dye to the finish to warm it up, I mean literally a very tiny drop or so. You want a toner. If you are seriously concerned about it affecting the grain, shoot a non-altered coat of the clear finish first to seal it, and they use the "ever so slightly tinted" finish from there. Really...I mean a very tiny bit of warmth added. Now with the finishes I mentioned that are already a little warm, don't add any dye at all unless you determine they are too light for your taste by shooting on scrap of the same material you're using on your project. ALWAYS work things out on scrap first and all the way through the entire finishing process to be sure of what the look will be. Yea, that takes time and burns a little finish, but it's better than having to strip and start over

[John TenEyck]

Are you installing flooring? Buying prefinished flooring would be the easiest. But if you are finishing it, then Bona HD Traffic would be one product I'd look at, and specifically HD Traffic Raw.

John

[Brian W Evans]

Thank you, John. I already have the ash (milled it myself from rough lumber). I should also have clarified that this is for the walls - not the floor.

I had never heard of Bona before, so i will add it to my mental filing cabinet.

[John TenEyck]

Thank you, John. I already have the ash (milled it myself from rough lumber). I should also have clarified that this is for the walls - not the floor.

I had never heard of Bona before, so i will add it to my mental filing cabinet.

OK, walls. In that case, you have many more options. The grain gets highlighted when you start adding color, especially stains, but even with dyes unless you first fill or at least seal the grain. So if you want to keep the natural color of the wood, just use a clearcoat. A flat or matte one will look like no finish at all, the most natural look you can get. If you want to add color, then try some samples where you first seal the grain with sealer (diluted topcoat usually works well for this), before applying a toner or glaze to get the color you want, then seal and finish. Another option is to use a neutral stain base first, and then a stain of the same type to add color. And the most work involves filling the grain with clear grain filler, sealing, and then staining.

John

[Brian W Evans]

So I ordered some EM2000 this morning and just got notified that it will arrive tomorrow(!). I will let you know how it goes.

[Brian W Evans]

So I got ahold of a Fuji turbine system and some Target EM2000 (satin). After much playing around, I settled on the following recipe:

1) First coat: Sealer coat of EM2000, thinned with water according to manufacturer's instructions.

2) Light sanding with 320.

3) Second coat: Full-strength coat of EM2000 with some Medium Brown Transtint (1 drop per ounce of finish).

The finish is just what I was looking for - almost no sheen, nice warming of the color, and almost no grain accentuation. The surface is very smooth and requires no sanding since this stuff is going on walls and ceiling. If it were furniture I would likely buff it out.

Thank you all for the help.

[Jim Becker]

'Glad that worked out, Brian. The EM2000 is a good one to have in your quiver...the warmth of the emulsified formula has a lot of uses when you want to avoid putting oil directly on the material for whatever reason.