# Finishing



## woodsmithshop (Sep 10, 2008)

*how to finish a trivet?*

I am thinking of making some trivets, but i am not sure what to finish them with, or to not finish them at all, since there may be hot objects placed on them, how does heat affect the different finishes, penetrating oils, poly, shellac etc.
any thoughts or ideas out there in LJ land? I think a hot bowl or plate would be ok on most any finish, but a hot pan may be different since it will most likely be hotter having just left the stove.
thanks for any response.


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## Guss (Sep 19, 2011)

woodsmithshop said:


> *how to finish a trivet?*
> 
> I am thinking of making some trivets, but i am not sure what to finish them with, or to not finish them at all, since there may be hot objects placed on them, how does heat affect the different finishes, penetrating oils, poly, shellac etc.
> any thoughts or ideas out there in LJ land? I think a hot bowl or plate would be ok on most any finish, but a hot pan may be different since it will most likely be hotter having just left the stove.
> thanks for any response.


i Put food grade mineral oil on mine I think that i Danish oil would work to I haven't tried anything else. I was going to make some doing some inlays and when i talked to a guy at rockler and he recommended a salad bowl fininsh


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## RTim (Jan 11, 2011)

woodsmithshop said:


> *how to finish a trivet?*
> 
> I am thinking of making some trivets, but i am not sure what to finish them with, or to not finish them at all, since there may be hot objects placed on them, how does heat affect the different finishes, penetrating oils, poly, shellac etc.
> any thoughts or ideas out there in LJ land? I think a hot bowl or plate would be ok on most any finish, but a hot pan may be different since it will most likely be hotter having just left the stove.
> thanks for any response.


The heat from a hot pan will ruin any kind of film finish. The finish tends to drastically soften and peel or lift. Any kind of penetrating finish that cures in the wood instead of on top of the wood will handle the hot pans. Finish them as if they were a cutting board or butcher block and they'll serve for many years. I have never tried anything like a wiping varnish but that might work as well.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

woodsmithshop said:


> *how to finish a trivet?*
> 
> I am thinking of making some trivets, but i am not sure what to finish them with, or to not finish them at all, since there may be hot objects placed on them, how does heat affect the different finishes, penetrating oils, poly, shellac etc.
> any thoughts or ideas out there in LJ land? I think a hot bowl or plate would be ok on most any finish, but a hot pan may be different since it will most likely be hotter having just left the stove.
> thanks for any response.


Nope, heat will lift the wipe on varnish. I promise!


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## woodsmithshop (Sep 10, 2008)

woodsmithshop said:


> *how to finish a trivet?*
> 
> I am thinking of making some trivets, but i am not sure what to finish them with, or to not finish them at all, since there may be hot objects placed on them, how does heat affect the different finishes, penetrating oils, poly, shellac etc.
> any thoughts or ideas out there in LJ land? I think a hot bowl or plate would be ok on most any finish, but a hot pan may be different since it will most likely be hotter having just left the stove.
> thanks for any response.


thanks guys, I was thinking the same way you are, but wanted to get more input, I was not sure though of the mineral oil finish as to how it may react to heat, after looking at degoose's use of grape seed oil I may try that to see how it does.
thanks


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## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

woodsmithshop said:


> *how to finish a trivet?*
> 
> I am thinking of making some trivets, but i am not sure what to finish them with, or to not finish them at all, since there may be hot objects placed on them, how does heat affect the different finishes, penetrating oils, poly, shellac etc.
> any thoughts or ideas out there in LJ land? I think a hot bowl or plate would be ok on most any finish, but a hot pan may be different since it will most likely be hotter having just left the stove.
> thanks for any response.


Such an interesting question! This is why i love LJ… just look at the great advice!


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## pauljp (Jan 10, 2011)

woodsmithshop said:


> *how to finish a trivet?*
> 
> I am thinking of making some trivets, but i am not sure what to finish them with, or to not finish them at all, since there may be hot objects placed on them, how does heat affect the different finishes, penetrating oils, poly, shellac etc.
> any thoughts or ideas out there in LJ land? I think a hot bowl or plate would be ok on most any finish, but a hot pan may be different since it will most likely be hotter having just left the stove.
> thanks for any response.


I am interested in making some trivets as well and was wondering the same about the finish.
So after 80 days, what did you finally end up doing, and how did it stand up to the heat?


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## woodsmithshop (Sep 10, 2008)

woodsmithshop said:


> *how to finish a trivet?*
> 
> I am thinking of making some trivets, but i am not sure what to finish them with, or to not finish them at all, since there may be hot objects placed on them, how does heat affect the different finishes, penetrating oils, poly, shellac etc.
> any thoughts or ideas out there in LJ land? I think a hot bowl or plate would be ok on most any finish, but a hot pan may be different since it will most likely be hotter having just left the stove.
> thanks for any response.


sorry to take so long on getting back to you, been busy on other things, I think that the grape seed oil will work just fine, any build up finish would not work very well once something hot was placed on it.


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

woodsmithshop said:


> *how to finish a trivet?*
> 
> I am thinking of making some trivets, but i am not sure what to finish them with, or to not finish them at all, since there may be hot objects placed on them, how does heat affect the different finishes, penetrating oils, poly, shellac etc.
> any thoughts or ideas out there in LJ land? I think a hot bowl or plate would be ok on most any finish, but a hot pan may be different since it will most likely be hotter having just left the stove.
> thanks for any response.


I use water based poly for the ones that are used on the table. So far they have held up rather well.


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