# English Walnut Finishing : Completely Transparent



## brianaltman (Aug 27, 2013)

I have a 150 year old English walnut table that I am refinishing. Upon removing the stain , the walnut is beautiful and we would like showcase the wood without any tint or stain color of any kind.

I have tried many approaches: Shellac, Water based Poly, diluted Poly, Tung Oil, Lacquer, etc in various dilutions and combinations. All oils give an amber tint, to some degree. Even the water Poly give more color than we would wish.

I have also tried just wax, which comes close.

Any thoughts?


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## Loco (Aug 11, 2013)

Get a 2 part urethane especially made for hardwood flooring.


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## Woodendeavor (Apr 7, 2011)

The clearest finish I have worked with is from sherwin williams called Kem Aqua Plus


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

Oil base poly, gloss does a good job. I have few walnut projects with walnut and poly you can look at and decide. One thing though, with poly, you have to exercise much patience.


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## renners (Apr 9, 2010)

Osmo light worktop oil is the most transparent finish I've ever encountered.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

CAB acrylic finishes are water clear, and do not yellow. There are several on the market, here's one.


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## ClintSearl (Dec 8, 2011)

CAB acrylic solvent lacquer or waterborne poly floor finish.


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## CharlesNeil (Oct 21, 2007)

+ 1 on the Kem Aqua Plus


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

I work a lot with walnut and I am having trouble understanding your question. is it all sapwood? Anything you put on walnut even water will darken it. A light coat of danish oil, is the same as anything else you could use, it all darkens because it all wets. 
You want to keep it from dark blotchy finishes and that usually means (to me at least) Arm-r-seal clear satin poly.

Can you tell us more about your surface prep. What grit is it sanded to? Some say 240g is plenty, I like 320-600g on my walnut so the grain quality stays clearer.


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