# Need advise on finishing bar top



## Shan (Aug 17, 2009)

I am finishing a tiger maple bar top and want to pop the grain. I plan on using trans-tint dye to start the grain popping process. I have heard that I should then use boiled linseed oil to really pop the grain. My concern is that I plan on top coating with a 2 part clear epoxy, and I am wondering if it will adhere to the top once the BLO dries. Do I need to they apply shellac or can I go straight to the epoxy. Any advise this or any other part of finishing the bar top would be great.
Shannon


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## killerb (Nov 1, 2011)

Please don't use linseed oil. Use a good drying oil, satin arm r seal is a good choice. It will do way more then blo. Give it 24 hours to dry and then coat with your epoxy. I use a post catalyzed lacquer for tops. Much faster and nicer then epoxy, but it has to be sprayed.
bob


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## Shan (Aug 17, 2009)

Want to use epoxy. You recommend a poly blend rather than shellac?


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## killerb (Nov 1, 2011)

Arm R seal is urethane. Just works very well. Don't use blo.


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## CharlesNeil (Oct 21, 2007)

Killerb nailed it, Arm r Seal, or even a coat of seal coat shellac will pop it really well, BLO is not a good choice, not these days, most of it, is missing the "B" part, rather than boiling it they just add some japan drier and it doesnt dry very well, personally I have no use for it, its just cheap, about all the good I can say about it, its not durable , and a very inferior finish, despite its popularity, it makes wood look great, but if and when it dries its a different story.


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## hObOmOnk (Feb 6, 2007)

My family was in the restaurant business. I've used the following product many times to finish/re-finish commercial bar tops.

BEHLEN Rockhard Table Top Varnish


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## killerb (Nov 1, 2011)

They have changed the formula on the table top varnish. It is not the same product. bob


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## ClintSearl (Dec 8, 2011)

If you're using a dye stain, nothing more is necessary to emphasize the grain. Wet the dyed wood with naptha or acetone to see what it will look like with the epoxy, adjust the dye accordingly, and proceed to the epoxy. An intermediate coat of anything won't improve the appearance. Save the BLO for starting fires.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

I'm a big BLO fan, but it doesn't do well on maple. Go with one of the bar sealers recommended above.


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## olpuppy (Jun 8, 2012)

How did your bar top come out? What did you finally do in the finishing process? My methods are almost exclusively Lacquer (sprayed) and Zylene/Rudd stains on hardwoods.


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## Shan (Aug 17, 2009)

Did the epoxy. Looks incredible. Bar is almost done. Will post photos when done.


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