# Finishing walnut



## exfish (7 Jul 2008)

Hi Group,
Most of my work is in pine so now that I need to make something in Walnut I am at a complete loss.

I need to make a raised backboard/ splashback behind a sink set in a walnut worktop. 
The worktop came as usual finished. So I have bought a piece of walnut 8"* 1"*6' which is now all planed up ready for fitting.

So my question now is "how do I get the best finish on what is a beautiful piece of wood"?

It seems wrong to lash it with Ronseal, with that nasty yellow colour in it, yet it will be subject to a bit of moisture. Is there a better way of treating it?

Thanks in advance to all those that take the time give sensible advice.

David


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## Philly (7 Jul 2008)

HI David
Welcome to the forum!
Walnut seems to come alive with a coat of oil so an oil based varnish might well be a good thing. You certainly want to seal it well.
Cheers
Philly


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## Ironballs (7 Aug 2008)

Oil would be the nicest but as Philly says, it needs to be well sealed due to the water. Perhaps a clear PU varnish instead


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## Woodfinish Man (8 Aug 2008)

Based on all your information you'd be best going for PU Varnish due to the location. 

However as you say they do turn more yellow and if it was me I'd go for a oil. Making sure it is well applied over all the edges and applying a number of thin coats you should have no problems. Following on from a previous message, I've tested the oils listed below which included pouring boiling water onto the surface for 30 seconds, all performed very well, especially the Worktop Finish. But you could use any one of them.


Finishing Oil

Worktop Finish

Danish Oil (dependent on the brand).

Hope this helps

WM


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## Triggaaar (20 Dec 2009)

I thought I'd bump this old thread rather than start a new since I'm doing the same thing.

I'm installing my new walnut kitchen worktop this week. I'm planning to use Rustins Worktop Oil (water based), but before I did so I thought I'd test it on the back of the worktop, along with some of Rustins Danish Oil which I'm using for some internal walnut doors. I've thinned the Danish 20% with white spirits to let it soak in, and applied the Worktop Oil neat (because it says not to dillute).

Once the first coat had dried I noticed that the Danish Oil section did not need re-sanding, whereas the Worktop Oil section had pulled the grain out (no idea what the term for that is) quite a bit. Could someone please explain to a beginner why that is?

Thanks


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## Chris Knight (20 Dec 2009)

Triggaaar":1iozfje2 said:


> I thought I'd bump this old thread rather than start a new since I'm doing the same thing.
> 
> I'm installing my new walnut kitchen worktop this week. I'm planning to use Rustins Worktop Oil (water based), but before I did so I thought I'd test it on the back of the worktop, along with some of Rustins Danish Oil which I'm using for some internal walnut doors. I've thinned the Danish 20% with white spirits to let it soak in, and applied the Worktop Oil neat (because it says not to dillute).
> 
> ...




It's the water in the water borne worktop oil (assuming it is indeed water-borne) raising the grain. This is often done on purpose before finishing by spraying a surface with a water mist. It ensures that the final sanding before finishing gets rid of the longer bits of wood fibre that can otherwise be raised by the finishing process. Oil doesn't do this nearly as much as water which is why you don't notice it with the Danish oil.


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## Triggaaar (20 Dec 2009)

Thanks. I'm preferring the look of the Dansih after 2 coats, as the oil brings out the colour more, but since Danish isn't always the hardest wearing product, I shall stick to the Worktop Oil ("Rustin's Worktop Oil is a unique water-borne blend of natural plant oils and other special ingredients ").


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## Chris Knight (20 Dec 2009)

It's worth testing first on some scrap (the golden rule for all finishing really) but in all likelihood you can "pop the grain" with Danish oil first, then apply the other stuff on top. Although four or five coats of Danish oil should provide a pretty good and hard wearing finish in any case.


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## Triggaaar (20 Dec 2009)

waterhead37":r0hy65pv said:


> in all likelihood you can "pop the grain" with Danish oil first, then apply the other stuff on top.


Ah. That didn't occur to me, since one in oil based, the other water. First coat done, second coat on tonight after I've started making a template to cut the undemounted sink. Any advice on how to do that  I've got a cardboard template, and I need to make a larger cut into a sheet of MDF, which I will later use as a guide for the router. I'm not sure how best to mark the MDF, I'm planning to try a compass as either a parallel guide, or to enlarge the curves (take the template curve radius, add my router guide), and a straight edge between the curves. Jigsaw it out, then sand (possibly plane first).


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## yetloh (21 Dec 2009)

If you want to stick with the water based finish but still want to bring out the colour, an initial coat of shellac will do the job just as well as oil and much more quickly.

Jim


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