# another "what finish should i use" thread



## yellabret (May 15, 2012)

like many, i am still on the "finish roller coaster" and have tried many different finishes, but of course there are as many different applications as there are finishes. my previous dining tables were farmhouse tables made from 100-yr old reclaimed pine flooring, rustic - so my choice was just Minwax satin poly and they are very resilient and i am very happy in these 2 particular applications. No water rings, and hours upon hours of dominoes has no ill effects, as well as multiple 10-14 person meals with no table cloth.

This go-round i am faced with the challenge of finishing a high-end 8.5' by 4' x 2.5" natural edge pecan slab i.e. no rustic look desired. i have had two suggestions elsewhere that i am interested in (narrowed down from several), but kinda got into a rut addressing the finer details. The "musts" are it must be very water ring and scratch resistant as due to the natural shape and size a fully-covering table cloth is not likely to be used. it also must never yellow, there is some spalted sapwood in places so any yellowing will be very apparent. next, there will be some black epoxy resin-filled cracks, 1/2" or less, but also one 1.5" crack as well as a knot hole about 10" by 5" that will be filled with casting resin with some river rock in it, so the finish must not react with it and must bond well or not at all so that it is not noticeable.

Finally, this finish must be applied outdoors, the project is being done on an 8×4 workbench under a 10×20 canopy. I am in Houston, so humidity is a factor but super cold weather is not. This will likely be done in March-April when we have a lot of very nice 75 deg days and low wind mornings. i have done several finishes in this area with no problem, i just wait for a good weather day or two then cover for a few days when wet weather prevails. If i absolutely have to i could make room in my garage, which has the option of climate control, but this is nt preferred. I prefer a rubbing finish or spraying with HVLP - i have a gravity fed Husky that works well with my little 6-gal compressor.

Options i have narrowed down:

Osmo Polyx-Oil 3011 - but not yet convinced on water ring protection as well as maintenance - yearly waxing, etc

General finishes Armr-Seal polyurethane - gloss undercoats then satin top coat. not convinced on the yellowing with time - heard water based is best but its this available?

any other suggestions welcomed, but please consider the size and above limitations….

David


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

My choice would be General Finishes Enduro Var or High Performance. Both are water based.


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## yellabret (May 15, 2012)

> My choice would be General Finishes Enduro Var or High Performance. Both are water based.
> 
> - chrisstef


Enduro Var says "It ambers slightly". scary without seeing it first. 
High Performance warns about water damage and they recommend coasters.


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## OSU55 (Dec 14, 2012)

Target Coatings EM8000 with xlinker. Are you positive you dont want any color? I say that because most wood looks better to me with a little color to enhance the grain.


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## yellabret (May 15, 2012)

First time i have heard of Target - looks interesting but will it go amber with time? i most definitely do not want to alter the natural color of the pecan other than the normal darkening and color/grain pop that any clear finish or oil provides


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

No matter what suggestions you get here on LJ's, there are so many variables that just cant be accounted for and it makes it very hard to suggest a finish.

You're looking for a finish that: wont yellow, can be applied outdoors, wont get water rings, wont scratch, bonds well with epoxy, doesn't need routine maintenance and is being applied to a fruit wood with both heartwood and sapwood. That's a laundry list brother.

Bite the bullet and pony up for a couple cans of different finishes and test them out on some scrap. Then you can put the finish through some testing to see how it holds up to things like alcohol, 3 year olds and hot coffee cups.


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## yellabret (May 15, 2012)

you are right - its like surfboards, bicycles, photography equipment and just about anything else - its all about compromise and nothing can do it all.

i am leaning toward the Polyx oil though, hearing so much about the stuff and nothing bad….....



> No matter what suggestions you get here on LJ s, there are so many variables that just cant be accounted for and it makes it very hard to suggest a finish.
> 
> You re looking for a finish that: wont yellow, can be applied outdoors, wont get water rings, wont scratch, bonds well with epoxy, doesn t need routine maintenance and is being applied to a fruit wood with both heartwood and sapwood. That s a laundry list brother.
> 
> ...


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## Andybb (Sep 30, 2016)

I just asked a very similar question, had many of the same "narrowed it down" questions and got some excellent answers also and photo'd some test scraps. http://lumberjocks.com/topics/195938

Just as @chrisstef said what I took to heart was this statement..


> The main thing would be - don t get in a hurry. There are a lot of techniques in finishing, and you wouldn t want to finish wood as gorgeous as what you have in a way that looks good, but later you use a technique that makes it look fabulous. If you can, take several weeks to try out different things (if you have enough sample wood).
> - OSU55


And yes. I agree with the roller coaster analogy! They all look great when done properly.

I opted for the General Finish Enduro Var water based and (maybe) shellac underneath because of a few tings including availability. I found out that the Nirvana I'm looking for is called "chatoyance".


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