# How to Finish Reclaimed Weathered Oak



## Claymation (Sep 9, 2010)

I'm going to try my hand at a few pieces of furniture made from some old, reclaimed, oak fence boards I've scored. They are very weathered and grey on the surface. Can anyone recommend a technique to finish the wood once the furniture is complete?

My plan is to do only the least amount of milling possible and leave as many of the checks, splits, cracks, nail holes and inconsistencies as possible, so the finish will need to work with both the stable (milled) surfaces and also with the surfaces that have only been lightly sanded or just brushed. Some surfaces (insides of checks and cracks) may not be altered at all and may need to be treated with some type of product to keep them stable.

Any advice you guys have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

Clay
It really depends. First, you didn't say what kind of oak. If its fence boards it probably something like white oak. White oak will last forever even untreaded. Red oak on the other hand (unlikely for fencing thought) would need protection.

Also, furniture for inside or out? Again, inside its more for looks, outside its more about protection.

And finally what look are you going for. My wife would say leave it, or just give it a coat or 2 of BLO. Others would want a nice satin sheen from a wiping poly or similar product. You could also get a high gloss which looks great with the rustic under it. Its like a modern version of rustic. This comes with several types of finish depending on your taste.

I find oak pretty easy to finish, but with re-purposed oak, the first coat will get soaked up fast.


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## Claymation (Sep 9, 2010)

they are going to be interior pieces.
I guess the biggest question revolves around stabilizing the weathered and unmilled surfaces. I can decided on if it should be satin, gloss, etc. after the piece is complete.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

I would use blo or tung oil. I used blo on this. The skirt is white oak rough sawn board that were destined for the same fate as yours. They were never installed, but sat outside thrown in a pile for years.


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## Claymation (Sep 9, 2010)

Don, Thanks. That is very close to the look I'm shooting for. How did the BLO interact with the gray wood? Did it help to stabilize or harden it at all?

I'll at least coat a few test pieces with it and see how it comes out. I also want test the satin vs gloss idea, too.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

any oil will help stabilize, its not going to harden it.(not sure why you'd need to with oak) The other nice thing is once it dries you can always add another finish over it if desired.

BLO will "yellow" the wood a little. Not so much on oak, but still. Tung oil has less of an effect, but its still there. The darker the wood, the less it will be noticeable.

As you say, testing is the best idea.


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## CharlesNeil (Oct 21, 2007)

use what I wrote here, its correct it will absorb alot of oil, something like arm r seal that dries fast and hard, ( its a urethane), will stabilize and preserve it, Arm R seal, would be my choice, again BLO is soft and doesnt dry very hard and is a weak finish, http://lumberjocks.com/topics/33961


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## Claymation (Sep 9, 2010)

CN,
Thank you. I'll give Arm R Seal and Waterlox a close look as well. They sound promising. One of the things I'm sure you know is that the weathered wood is softer and, I think, needs some toughing up before being put into use… I'm looking forward to discovering some other finishes I haven't worked with before. Thanks for the tip.


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## CharlesNeil (Oct 21, 2007)

Clay the arm r seal will fortify the material, keep it simple, done this a time or 30 , works well, again it will not be cheap, because the wood is going to really soak it up, but it will cure and solidify the wood, the first coat will be critical, soak it, let it drink it up, then let it dry for several days, and you will see what I mean, just be sure to do both sides, you will be fine,


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## Claymation (Sep 9, 2010)

check chief! thanks.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

A client wanted a dark stain on this little box. Frame work is old rafters, resawn. They were 2" by 4.75" white oak. The panels are new 1/4" Oak plywood. One coat of Minwax Dark Walnut stain (wiped down on the solid parts) followed by two coats Poly Gloss.


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## Claymation (Sep 9, 2010)

Here's one plank from the stack of wood I'm starting with; before and after one light pass through the planer and some sanding. I think it's going to look really nice!


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## Claymation (Sep 9, 2010)

Bandit571 - thanks for posting.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

After a bit of clean up









of a few old boards. i'd get about 1/2 a pound of nails out of each board. And still miss a couple









but, they will show up, at least in this old Oak


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

I really like the look and protection of sprayed Spar Urethane. Several coats will fill a lot of those tiny cracks and it does seem to stabilize the wood. That's what I use on all of my chairs made from 50 plus year old doug fir from an old horse barn.


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## Claymation (Sep 9, 2010)

Here's a shot of the wood while still wet from glue wipe off. It's going to be really nice:


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## CharlesNeil (Oct 21, 2007)

yep soak the @*&^ out of it with some arm r seal, and you will be delighted, again both sides, and let it dry a couple days, then a good scuff sand with some 320 and do another, lighten up on the grits of midcoat sanding as you progress, meaning, after 2 good coats go to 600, another coat, and keep going until you have 4 coats, then a good scuff with some 1200, and a final, I love it, looks like my kitchen cabinets, 

PS the progression of grits is because a oil lays down a thin film, after the 3rd coat, not so much is absorbed, and the courser grits , the sand scratch is not filled, and when dry can show, just fYI


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