# Keeping white ash pale when finished



## GRDKelowna (Sep 8, 2017)

Hello all,

I'm currently working with a client on doing several projects throughout her home in white ash. She has some commercial pieces that are all quite pale, and to my mostly untrained eye look like they might not even have a finish. I made a piece for her, and finished it with a satin polycrylic, but it actually changed the colour of the ash almost to a yellow. I was under the impression that polycrylic would not yellow the wood from previous projects (though a quick google search mid sentence informs me I'm ignorant.)

Long story short, anyone have suggestions for a finish that will keep ash pale?


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Soap.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Don't you have to constantly reapply soap? So is it really a "finish" ? lol


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## patcollins (Jul 22, 2010)

Lacquer or water based poly don't, just make the wood look wet to me.

Wet the wood with mineral spirits and see what it will look like, you will never get anything clearer than that.

It could be that this wood turns a slight yellow when wet?


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## OSU55 (Dec 14, 2012)

A water based finish such as gf high perf poly or Target em9000 poly or em6000 lacquer are the best bets. The "commercial" stuff may have stain or paint to keep it pale looking.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

You may have to bleach it first then apply a clear coat.WB generally yellows the least or pre-cat lacquer.


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## kaerlighedsbamsen (Sep 16, 2013)

Loren says it all: Soap. 
Yes, it is a real finish and it does hold up. 
The base of this table: http://lumberjocks.com/projects/164674 and all of this project http://lumberjocks.com/projects/251626 are soap treated ash (european). This stool from larch as well: http://lumberjocks.com/projects/102120
Have not done anything yet to the lego table and the chair and have reaplied the table legs once in 2,5 years. Well reaplying sounds troublesome but is no more that washing with soap flakes and wiping off.

Give it a go and let ud know how it ends!


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Water-based poly on ash


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## patcollins (Jul 22, 2010)

Is it possible that the ash had a pickled or whitewash finish on it? Almost all of the ash I have seen does have a bit of a yellowish color to it like the above picture.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

The pale ash furniture your client has may
be a water white lacquer. Using that may be
impractical for you. It also typically looks like a film.

That's why I suggested soap.


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## GRDKelowna (Sep 8, 2017)

I checked out your link, and that looks perfect…any idea where I could find the kind of soap I need?



> Loren says it all: Soap.
> Yes, it is a real finish and it does hold up.
> The base of this table: http://lumberjocks.com/projects/164674 and all of this project http://lumberjocks.com/projects/251626 are soap treated ash (european). This stool from larch as well: http://lumberjocks.com/projects/102120
> Have not done anything yet to the lego table and the chair and have reaplied the table legs once in 2,5 years. Well reaplying sounds troublesome but is no more that washing with soap flakes and wiping off.
> ...


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## GRDKelowna (Sep 8, 2017)

https://eq3.com/ca/en/productdetail/living/media--storage/media-storage/tambour-62-credenza.html

This is one of the pieces she has, and by far has the most colour in it…the pieces I've made have had way more cream / yellow colour than even this.


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

Some of the newer automotive clear coat paints will impart no color, are tough as nails, and will last a dog's age. You might look into those. Just be careful which you use. Some are catalytic and inhaling the fumes can kill you if you don't use protective equipment.


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## blueridge (Feb 27, 2018)

> The pale ash furniture your client has may
> be a water white lacquer. Using that may be
> impractical for you. It also typically looks like a film.
> 
> ...


like handsoap?


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## WalkerR (Feb 8, 2017)

I'm curious about the soap finish, how does it react to cleaning? For example if it's dusty and the home owner takes a wet cloth to it or sprays it with Pledge cleaner or swiffer wipes or similar?

I ask because at one point I was looking for the "least noticeable finish" that would still provide some sort of protection. I got a suggestion of 50/50 mix of Elmer's Clear Glue and water. Being adventurous I gave it a shot on the top of a tv stand. Once it dried the 'wet' look almost completely went away. I'm not sure how much protecting it's actually doing, but it looked decent enough. Then one day my wife went to wipe the dust off with a wet rag, and it got all sticky, basically it turned into glue again.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

> like handsoap?
> 
> - blueridge


It's not a finish I've used, but no, any old soap
won't do on account of additives. You need pure
soap flakes. They're more available than they
have been in quite awhile though. There are web sites
that sell soap flakes for woodworking and searching
for "pure soap flakes" on ebay will yield some 
results as well. I can't vouch for any of the flake
soap products though. I did read that Ivory soap
flakes are good, though they haven't been made
in decades.


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## blueridge (Feb 27, 2018)

> like handsoap?
> 
> - blueridge
> 
> ...


interesting I need to read up on that


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## kaerlighedsbamsen (Sep 16, 2013)

@GRDKelowna: I am in Europe and not familiar with the awailability around your place. Do a google search, for instance this link turned up and looks about right: http://puresoapflakes.com/
@Elmer: Cleaning is just likke cleaning a tabletop that alredy has a bit of soap on it. Dont think other detergents willl harm it. Christopher Schwarz gives a good introduction here:


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