Black Walnut Dining Room Table - Proposed Finishing Schedule

[Brent Ring]

I have been working on a counter-height dining room table for awhile, and am planning the finishing schedule out. Here is what I was planning for the top. The legs and apron probably wont get filler, and that is the only change. For the top:

1. Sand to 220 Grit
2. 1 lb. Washcoat of clear shellac
3. Transparent Grain Filler - Behlens or Bartleys - Use the rubber paddle to force into the grain, and burlap or 400 grit to sand off???
4. Either a 6-8 coats of Minwax Tung Oil Finish, or a 50/50 mix of BLO and mineral spirits. If I use the BLO mixture, then:
5. 6-8 coats of wipe-on polyurethane.

When I was picking up a quart of grain filler today, one of the employees at at reasonably sharp store (woodworking store employee who said he apprenticed with an 80 year old woodworker in southern Utah) stated that he would use the Minwax Tung Oil Finish over the BLO/MS/Poly combination, because in 10-15 years, the poly would have to be removed and the table essentially refinished. With the tung oil finish, you can simply clean the top well, and re-apply more Tung Oil each year and never have to re-finish (assuming you dont have repairs or dings to fix).

What are everyones thoughts? I like and know the reliability of the poly, but I do agree that the 'plastic' look of poly can be a unfriendly or cold.

I am open to all ideas and suggestions.

Thanks

[John Keeton]

I will let others more knowledgeable comment on the other portions of your inquiry, but I have pieces that were finished over 25 years ago and as I recall, they were done with wipe on poly, and they look fine.

[Jim Becker]

Step number four...the Minwax Tung Oil finish would be redundant with the varnish in step number five. It contains no Tung Oil at all...it's just a wiping varnish. BLO/spirits will not work in that step since you already sealed the piece. So skip step four since it adds no value to your finishing regimen except extra work and cost and use a high quality oil based varnish, you'll end up with an excellent result. There's no reason to us poly, either. An alkyd resin varnish, like Pratt & Lambert #38 or a phenolic resin varnish, like Waterlox, will give you a great finish without the potential adhesion and clarity issues that polyurethane brings to the table, as it were. BTW, us de-waxed shellac for your sealer and as a barrier coat over your grain filler for best results. De-waxed is required if you intend to use poly.

[Casey Gooding]

I agree with skipping step four. It won't really do you any good over the seal coat of shellac. You'll end up wiping 95% back off.
If it were me, I'd skip the shellac and grain filler. I would use an oil/varnish (or poly) mix. I like equal parts poly, BLO (or Tung Oil) and mineral spirits. Flood the surface and sand with 600 grit. That will fill the pores nicely. Wipe off excess across the grain. Next day, wipe on a generous coat and wipe off excess after 5-10 minutes. You can probably do two coats a day after the first two. I would do 10 or so coats to give you good moisture protection. This is probably my favorite finish on woods like walnut.

[Shawn Patel]

If yr goal with step 4 is to pop the grain and impart modest color, then I suggest one of two things:

Either use BLO as the very first step, then seal with shellac, then grain fill...

Or, use an amber shellac to seal. I'm partial to this. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the way BLO applies; it's instant gratification. However, an amber shellac will save you a step.

[J. Scott Holmes]

On walnut I would suggest a heavy coat of garnet shellac; sanded back to leave the shellac in the grain only.
You now have;
1. popped the grain, shellac does this very well
2. sealed the wood with an excellent sealer that is hard and color fast
3. filled the grain with a hard, stable, optically clear filler - depth will be an under statement

Now put a quality varnish over it and you will have a table that will last for years and years with little to no maintenance. I like Behlen's Rockhard Table Top for tables. It's color enhances the look of walnut. It's a phenolic resin linseed oil varnish.

Please NO POLY!

[Shawn Patel]

One thing to add to Scott's post...

I forgot that steamed walnut sometimes benefits from coloring it amber; it restores some of the rich tones that are present in air dried.

Scott's suggestion of garnet shellac'll do just that.

[Brent Ring]

What about finish maintenance over time with each suggestion? (Jim, Casey, and Scott, if you could comment please?) What should I do to maintain it? Will it need rubbing out? Annual maintenance or less?

[Shawn Patel]

Originally Posted by Brent Ring

Jim, Casey, and Scott, if you could comment please?

Guess that means my comments aren't helpful.

[Brent Ring]

Shawn - I am so sorry - absolutely yours (and all) comments are welcome........I can't think of anyway to dig myself out of this and explain, so I wont try - I am really sorry - any and all comments welcome, all the time, on any of my posts - sometimes you get specific responses and that triggers other questions....please ....don't hold back!

[Howard Acheson]

>> When I was picking up a quart of grain filler today, one of the employees at at reasonably sharp store

Sorry, he gave you some wrong information. Minwax Tung Oil Finish does not contain any pure tung oil. It's a linseed oil and varnish mixture product very similar to Watco Danish Oil and others. Therefore is it essentally the same as any other oil/varnish mixture product.

You can make your own and at least know what you are getting. Mix equal parts of your favorite varnish, boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits. Apply, let set for 15-20 minutes, wipe dry. Let is further dry overnight and then do the same process again.

The varnish component actually makes for a much more protective and durable finish. A pure oil finish provides little or no water or water vapor protection and very little abrasion protection. The addition of the varnish improves the finish quite a bit but still gives a "look" like a rubbed oil finish.

[J. Scott Holmes]

Following the finish I suggested... after 30 days to let the varnish cure; buff it out and it will serve you well for many years. No other maintenance required.

[Larry Fox]

The finish I like most for walnut is;

1) BLO
2) Seal coat with orange dewaxed shellac from Homesteadfinishing - mixed from flakes. I mention Homestead because his shellac is wonderful. I have used Hock and other brands but I don't care for them.
3) If I am grain filling, I will make a couple of passes over it at this point with some dark brown (almost black) grain filler. I think the dark filler adds some depth to it.
4) LEt that dry for a few days
5) Shoot it again with a coat of #2 cut of orange shellac.
6) Topcoat.

Obviously there is sanding in between coats / finishes here but I have left them out of the description.

The caveot of this schedule is that I only use air dried walnut, never steamed.

[Casey Gooding]

One of the nice things about the oil/varnish mix is that if there is any damage, then you can lightly sand and apply another coat of finish.

[Henry Ambrose]

First, a coat of Waterlox with a touch of stain added for some tone (you pick the tone). Wet sand this in as you apply it - you're filling as you go with filler that matches your wood and finish. Let it dry thoroughly, perhaps a week or two out in the low humidty west. Follow with more coats of Waterlox sanded between coats. A couple more ought to do a fine job.

The apron and legs get a first coat of the tinted Waterlox then another of clear and should be good to go.

It'll be easy to patch, repair, refresh - but likely won't need it for a long, long time.

And you can use another favorite old style varnish of your choice. Waterlox is really stinky so think about that - you'll want super good ventilation. A vapor mask too. Waterlow will spray nicely -- then you really need to think about what you're breathing. But you don't have to spray.

IMO, multiple material finishes are inferior to a carefully planned and applied single material finish. The exception is when you're doing commercial work and need it done fast.