Finishing Ash

[dicktimber]

What is the best and easiest way to finish an Ash hall table, so that the Ash stays very light? (for ever!!!!!)
I realise that the wood will darken over time, but is there anything I can do so that the wood keeps it's contempary look in a trendy apartment setting.

Mike
PS THIS is the best place to be on a stormy, wet wet wet, Saturday!!!!!

 

[Chris Knight]

Use a water-borne poly or acrylic - I like Ronseal Diamond Hard. It's sold as a floor finish.

On an open-pored wood like ash, I will typically apply half a dozen coats, scraping between them until the surface is flat. Once the pores are filled and you start to build even layers over the surface, you only need apply another couple of coats. I then scrape one last time and "sand" with a range of papers from 360 grit to 1000 grit if I want a really smooth look.

I apply the finish with foam brushes. Once the pores are filled, I try to lay it on really smoothly which reduces subsequent work with scrapers and sanding etc. In some cases, depending what degree of finish you are after, a foam brush used carefully will leave a perfectly acceptable finish without further work

 

[dicktimber]

chris,
Will the wood still darken over time?
Could I spray the finishes you suggest with the same result?

Thanks for the help
Mike

 

[Chris Knight]

Mike,
Ash I finished like this some 5 or 6 years ago hasn't darkened. Most woods lighten with time in fact. Cherry and some others darken or change colour through exposure to light but most just darken due to dirt (sorry "patina" )

I am sure spraying would be fine and it will mean that your final coats are more likely to be acceptable "straight from the gun" as opposed to "straight from the brush".

 

[MikeG.]

Every time I respond to a finishing problem, I seem to be promoting Rustins Plastic Coating!! This time, it is due to their promise that it doesn't discolour over time..........and it certainly goes on with very little darkening effect. My next piece of furniture will be ash finished with RPC for this very reason.

Whatever you do, don't use Danish Oil!!!! It produces a horrible pee-yellow colour on ash.

Mike

 

[dicktimber]

Mike
Thank's
I won't use Danish oil.
Mike

 

[wizer]

Danish Oil!!!! It produces a horrible pee-yellow colour on ash.

Wish I'd read that last week! :roll:

I have some more Ash projects coming up, I will try the above suggestions, thanks.

 

[dicktimber]

Wizer

Don't be down mate.....
I can't even get out of the house and into the garage workshop today because of the storms.....never seen rain like it!!!!!!

That's why an old fart like me is surfing!!!!!!!!
And watching, GRUMPY OLD MEN at the sam time

Keep smilng

Mike

 

[Steve Maskery]

I'd certainly endorse the "keep away from Danish" advice. I was attracted to the idea that it can be wiped on, no booth required. Now, a few years later, it's all a horrible brassy colour and there is nothing I can do about it. I'd happily set fire to it now.

S

 

[wizer]

:evil:

 

[Derek Willis.]

I too would go down the Rustin's Plastic Coating route, I use and have used this with great success, little or no change in colour and a very hard surface to boot that will withstand all types of spillage etc.
Derek.

 

[Woodfinish Man]

I'm sure you could have all told me this before but after listening to numerous people telling us about the merits of Rustins Plastic Coating we decided to buy some and run tests.

As we thought might be the case we came to the conclusion that all RPC is is a twin pack AC Melamine Lacquer. Brilliant marketing by Rustins...wish we'd thought of it!

 

[Derek Willis.]

Don't care what it is made of, I just know it is the Bees-Knees for so many finishing requirements.
Derek.

 

[wizer]

What on earth is a Twinpack AC Melamine lacquer? I have some chestnut melamine lacquer, is that the same then?

 

[MikeG.]

Not completely sure Tom, but if it has two different liquids (one a hardener) which you mix together then it may well be much the same.

Mike

 

[wizer]

ahh, no it's just a single bottle.

 

[Woodfinish Man]

Two-pack Acid Catalyst Lacquer is a Nitrocellulose product that is mixed to a ration of 9:1.

It is generally available in at least five different sheen levels and also has it's own dedicated sanding sealer that sands beautifully, resulting in a superior final finish.

It covers 10m2 per litre is touch dry after 15 mins and can be recoated after 60 mins (maybe less).

It is most widely used by furniture manufacturers, flooring contractors and shopfitters. It's chemical and abrasion properties are excellent and it is definitely one of the hardest wearing products we supply. Because it is made in such vast quantities and there are many companies producing it the price is set at a very competitive rate.

 

[JonnyD]

I use 2 pack A/C lacquer for most of my furniture and kitchens it s a good all round finish which you can get an excellent finish with. I usually stick with 10% sheen which gives a nice matt finish although you can go up to 90% sheen for a high gloss finish. You will need spray equipment and extraction to be able to use it properly as it is very smelly. I use morrells woodfinishes as i have a depot a few mins away. You can also have the lacquer pigmented for a painted finish.

In response to the original question the 2 pack will yellow the timber slightly. To get around this and to keeps woods such as ash and maple light I sometimes seal with a waterbased sealer coat left to fully harden overnight and then topcoat with the 2 pack system which gives you as light a coulour as possible with the hardwearing benefits of the 2 pack. I was told this tip by the morrells rep and as long as you let the waterbased coat fully dry there are no issues with using a chemical finish over a waterbased one.

jon

 

[Ray]

Hi Jon, this is my first visit to the site and I am also a new woodworker just made my first project; woodwork bench. I have made it out of splatted maple (it was not supposed to be splatted!). Is the proccess you have mentioned good for workbenches that have splatted maple that is not as hard as non splatted maple? Ray

 

[JonnyD]

Hi Ray welcome to the forum I am pretty new here too. The process I described is mainly for keeping the maple as light as possible for kitchens and cabinets and such like. The 2 pack A/C Lacquer on its own produces a slight yellowing of the timber which is not unattractive.

You say you are a new woodworker so a 2 pack spary lacquer may not be the best product to use. The product needs to be sprayed and is also quite toxic so you need masks and a spray booth to use it properly and safely.

The rustins plastic coating may be suitable for your workbench as it can be applied with a brush or roller/pad. This will give you a really hard finish to your workbench. You mention the spalting has made the maple go soft is it very soft like almost rotten or just not as hard as normal maple.

Using a finishing or Danish oil may be a suitable finish for the workbench as its easy to apply and maintain and is probably a more sympathetic finish for a workbench that is going to get used and bashed about a bit in use. My own workbench has a sacrificial MDF top which gets changed when it gets tatty.

jon