# Satin or semi gloss poly?



## Maverick44spec (Aug 7, 2011)

I am working on a rustic box for a friend of my mom and I'm having trouble picking a finish. The box is made of some kind of light colored cedar (HD wood) and will have antique brass hardware. I want to either use satin or semi gloss polyurethane (spray). What would you guys do?


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## doninvegas (Jun 10, 2010)

I use Cedar a lot and I like the semi gloss. The satin on cedar looks too flat to me. But it's all in the eye of the beholder.


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## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

Personally I think a rustic box with antique brass hardware just wouldn't look right with a gloss finish. I would listen to Don and use semi-gloss.


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## JonathanG (Jan 18, 2010)

If you are completely undecided, you could always use the semi gloss to start with, then if you don't like it, knock it down to a satin finish.


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## DS (Oct 10, 2011)

A couple thoughts here…
1) You called this peice "rustic"... That, to me says satin, or even dull finish.
2) Gloss is less forgiving than semi-gloss, satin, or dull. The higher the reflections, the more painfully obvious the defects will show.
3) In the end it is your personal preference and context of the finished peice that will decide which you use. 
4) Glossy finishes scream look at me! look at me! If this is not a centerpeice, but rather, an ambiance peice, the less shiny the better. IMHO.
5) I tend to use less gloss when a peice is more distressed or antiqued than when I have a more modern peice.


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## ajosephg (Aug 25, 2008)

This blog entry speaks to what you're talking about.

http://lumberjocks.com/DennisLeeZongker/blog/26446


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## Maverick44spec (Aug 7, 2011)

Thanks for the advice everyone. I guess I will go with the semi gloss and see how it looks. If I think it would look better with a satin finish, I'll dull it with some micro mesh. I'll be sure to post the results.

Thanks again


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## Sawkerf (Dec 31, 2009)

I regularly have this conversation with customers, and recommend going one step shiny-er than they really want. What looks too shiny today is going to dull down after a few months.


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## Maverick44spec (Aug 7, 2011)

Good idea. Thanks for the advice. I tried asking her and recomended either the satin or semi gloss over the glossy poly, but she just told me to do what ever I think will look best.


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## Jeff28078 (Aug 27, 2009)

I just finished a project where I started with semi-gloss. I found even with the limited amount of gloss I could see a lot of imperfections. I find the satin finish to be a little more forgiving.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

I often use a gloss to amplify the wood grain then, soften the gloss with 000 steel wool and wax. A nonwoven pad will also work with wax.
I'm not much of a fan for glossy finishes, but the gloss is a clearer finish 'cause it doesn't have the flattening agents in it. Just buff the finish down as far as desired.
Semi gloss ROCKS.
Bill


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