Mahogany table grain fill & finish

dribblingweegie · 22 Jun 2020

Good morning everyone.

I've been lurking here a while and have had a good look using the search function but haven't been able to clear up a couple of questions.

I'm currently refinishing a mahogany table that belonged to a grandparent. So far, I've stripped using a chemical stripper and sanded at 120, 180 & 220 which has removed all of the surface damage. The wood has had one coat of boiled linseed to develop the natural colour.

I have a couple of questions around the grain fill and final finish which i'd love some help with.

1. The original finish was grain filled so I'd like to replicate that and am planning on using Rustins grain filler. Will the grain filler stain the surrounding wood as well as the grain, and should I use some kind of sealer to prevent this prior to filling? Basically I want to avoid using a stain as part of the finish as I like the natural colour of the wood.

2. I'm a bit stumped on what to do for the final finish (I think part of this has come from seeing videos/articles from the US where the products & terminology are a bit different!). This is my first project so would like something that minimises my chances of error but also looks really nice. Do you have any thoughts on shellac v lacquer? Any product recommendations would be gratefully received.

The finished table will be used to place a record player on, but there is the chance that drinks etc will also be placed on it. Basically, it will see some use.

Thank you in advance for your time and any advice!

R

mrpercysnodgrass · 27 Jun 2020

The linseed oil you have used will have sealed the surface a little and filled the grain a little already, you can use grain filler over this to fill the pores a little more. I have never used Rustins filler, I'm sure its good but it will add colour if you use the mahogany one. I would advise against using the 'natural' filler if you don't want to add colour, the natural or transparent fillers show up as a light fleck in the grain and always look odd. If you want to fill the grain without adding colour there are a few ways to go about it. I use pumice powder worked into the grain using a cotton dish cloth with a solution of 10-20% shellac to 80-90% meths. This fills the grain without adding colour to the surface or the grain and gives a hard filler that does not shrink. You can then finish with shellac, varnish or oil over the top of this depending on your skill level. If you don't have much experience and this is a one off project, and you want a good tough finish I would forget the grain filling/shellac method and just apply a wax oil like Osmo, if you apply it with a mini sponge roller you will get a good finish very easily and if you want it to look like french polish you can flatten it when its cured by sanding down to 400 grit then burnish with '0000' wire wool and wax over the top.

MikeG. · 27 Jun 2020

I've nothing to add other than "welcome", dribblingweegie. You've won the prize for most inventive screen name of the year! =D>

Getting a fulsome response from Paul (Mrpercysnodgrass) is like attending a free master class. Take careful note of everything he says.

woodbloke66 · 27 Jun 2020

mrpercysnodgrass":20i6qtn5 said:
.... just apply a wax oil like Osmo, if you apply it with a mini sponge roller you will get a good finish very easily and if you want it to look like french polish you can flatten it when its cured by sanding down to 400 grit then burnish with '0000' wire wool and wax over the top.

I think that's what I'd use as well. I found that neat Osmo is a bit 'gloopy' so it's worth thinning it a little with a dash of white spirit. Wax over Osmo gives a great finish and it's pretty much 'bullet proof' so should be able to withstand fair wear n'tear - Rob

david lodge · 12 Jun 2023

woodbloke66 said:
I think that's what I'd use as well. I found that neat Osmo is a bit 'gloopy' so it's worth thinning it a little with a dash of white spirit. Wax over Osmo gives a great finish and it's pretty much 'bullet proof' so should be able to withstand fair wear n'tear - Rob

Unfortunately, Ozmo have thinned down their products to conform with environmental requirements. The last time I used it(mid May) was on a floor repair that had originally been finished in Ozmo. I wouldn't recommend thinning it. It took three days drying a fadded coat before I could flatten it. I'd quoted three days to complete. It took seven and the quality was nowhere near as tough and attractive as the original.

Citracal · 12 Jun 2023

Linseed will give you a beautiful lustrous finish by itself and is as straightforward to apply as you can get. Just keep adding more layers, let it soak in, wipe of the excess and buff between coats. Osmo tends too look quite flat, unless you really know what you are doing it will give a pretty lifeless finish.