End Grain sealing

Shellac.

-- 温故知新

I’ve used sanding sealer on all types of woods. May take a few extra coats then the long grain but with a little sanding between them you should end up with a surface that’s as smooth as glass.

-- "At its best, life is completely unpredictable." - Christopher Walken

+1 on shellac…and on cedar I’d make certain it’s a thick cut.

-- jay, www.allaboutastro.com

+2 on shellac

-- Childress Woodworks

Shellac (dewaxed) is always a great choice because it’s compatible with anything you might want to put over the top of it.

-- Jonathan, Denver, CO "Constructive criticism is welcome and valued as it gives me new perspectives and helps me to advance as a woodworker."

I bow down to the king—Woodwhisperer—and follow this advice.
http://thewoodwhisperer.com/how-to-finish-end-grain/

-- Kinky Friedman on gay marriage: "They should have the right to be just as miserable as the rest of us."

I’e heard of mixing 50% water and 50% wood glue then brushing that on but have never tried it. Usually just more coats for finish.

Raymond, here is another vote for shellac but you can sand the end grain to a higher grit (if you stop at 220 for instance sand the end grain to at least 320). Sanding to a higher grit inhibits the absorption of stain/finish.

-- Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful- Joshua Marine

Scott brings up another option, although you might want to go 2-grits higher on the end grain, which would put the above example at 400-grit. Try 1-grit higher on a sample piece, and if that isn’t even enough between the two grains, then try the same experiment going 2-grits higher.

-- Jonathan, Denver, CO "Constructive criticism is welcome and valued as it gives me new perspectives and helps me to advance as a woodworker."

Put Super Glue on the end grain.. It works for me…....just saturate, let it dry….good to go….

-- " Don't ever wrestle a pig in a mudhole....he'll be having more fun than you..!!

If you are staining a piece and want to keep the end grain for going darker, dilute the finish by 75% with mineral spirits for the end grain application. Put a coat on, and if required, add another.

Gator

-- Master designer of precision sawdust and one of a kind slivers.

Great tips thank everyone.

-- Ray

Cedar is a sponge, lol. Anyway, I just toured a local high-end custom furniture outlet and they put three coats of finish on their end grains before any goes on the flat surfaces.

-- Power tools put us ahead of the monkeys