# Non-yellowing finish for ash?



## stix (6 Sep 2007)

Does anyone have any suggestions for a hard waring, non-yellowing finish for ash?

I love the pale colour of ash and want to try and retain the colour on my finished project. I was hoping to use danish oil as a finish but the sample piece I have done has gone really quite yellow  

Is there anything I can do to the wood before applying the danish oil? Or will danish oil always have this effect and I should maybe look at an alternative finish?

Cheers for the help

Steve


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## Nick W (6 Sep 2007)

Any oil will yellow a wood. What you need is an acrylic varnish or lacquer. Brands include Chestnut, MD Finney, Wood finishes Direct, Polyvine,


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## stix (6 Sep 2007)

Thanks for the advice nick. The links are a great help and provide some good information although I'm sure I'll be back for more


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## AndyBoyd (6 Sep 2007)

I have projects where I have bleached the ash too before applying the sorter of finishes mentioned above, comes out very well. I used caustic Soda which my local pharmacy were happy to sell me once they had realised what I wanted to do with is and had the appropriate safety approaches (what they were doing with it in the first place I've no idea!)


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## stix (6 Sep 2007)

Thanks Andy,

Have you used this method with oil-based finish or water-based? If I bleach the wood will it remain light in colour or still yellow over time?


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## AndyBoyd (6 Sep 2007)

I have used acrylic and water based and it has not yellowed it over time (5 years for an ash chair and 3 years for some ripple sycamore doors)


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## stix (6 Sep 2007)

I might give that a go on a new sample then Andy, thanks.

Do you have any details of the products you used and the process?

Cheers
Steve


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## AndyBoyd (6 Sep 2007)

I bleach with the diluted caustic Acid (Gloves Goggles ventilation !!!!!!!!)

the after 2 hours I wash it down with water to remove the caustic acid. (hose pipe)

I then wash again as the bleach smell does not always go first time and scrub it with a brush.

leave it to dry for 1 day

I then sand again to 240 grit to remove the raised grain, and I then apply Chesnut Acrylic lacquer, or the water base lacquer. i do this by hand as I'm no sprayer Quite simple really. You may think about a sanding sealer too (weak shellac or again the Chesnut product. Chose a clear product of course and blond shellac is your using that to seal it.

Now having said this I'm just a bumbling amateur so please others chip in with improvements to my process or suggestions


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## stix (7 Sep 2007)

Thanks again Andy

I'll give it a go on a sample piece of wood tonight and give it the weekend to dry out. I'll let you know how I get on.


Cheers
Steve


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## AndyBoyd (7 Sep 2007)

Oh one more thing Household bleach isn't really strong enough, you really need to go for the industrial strength stuff hence my visit to my local pharmacy.


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## orangetlh (15 Sep 2007)

Ive found cellulose sealer to be good on light timbers. hardly coulours it at all. I used it on a maple and bleached birds eye maple table. the timber stayed almost white and hasnt yellowed a bit. Better use it in a well ventilated area tho


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