# Using tongue and groove white pine for ceiling: finish?



## kcrandy

I'm contemplating use tongue and groove white pine for a ceiling and if we leave it raw should it have some sort of finish coat?


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## cabmaker

The good news is that you can do it however you please. What a great country we live in. You did not mention if this was your home or what ? But to answer your specific question, You can not have both raw and a finish coat at the same time. If you love the look of it you would likely be able to leave it unfinished in a controlled climate, especially in KC area where RH is fairly stable, right? The pine is going to have movement no matter what you do to it but that is the beauty of T& G profiles. Looks great on ceilings. If the material is being applied over existing sheetrock ceiling your in good shape for installing it unfinished just make sure you use good const. adheasive and blind nail it often: as in every joist. Enjoy JB


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## WDHLT15

Isn't white pine prone to splotch when finished? That could be a factor, as the raw natural white pine will not be splotched.


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## CampD

I've installed many feet of T & G pine on ceilings.
Left unfinished, will age, Darken, over time but can get dirty looking.
Poly finish; Acrilic latex, will keep the wood whitish over time… like the look of it freshly sanded.
Oil based polly, will turn it yellowish to start and will darken, like natural.
You can also white wash it, did it for a client… I personally didn't like it.

What ever finish you apply, do it before you install it,... much eaiser to do on saw horses.
I like to apply only one coat (my fav is satin oil polly) still looks natural but is sealed.










I usually dont take pic's of the ceilings I've installed. This one has 1 coat of oil polly and has aged a couple years.

If you want to stain it (IMO it darkens with age) use a stain conditioner as the first coat.. helps control splotching.


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## chrisstef

sealing the end grain may not be a bad idea if it will be exposed to any sort of moisture or humidity.


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## WDHLT15

The pine should not splotch with the poly and it should look nice.


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## kcrandy

Thanks very much for all this advice and, particularly to Doug, for the great picture. I just completed a second T&G bamboo ceiling in a second bathroom in my house and learning how much fun it is to work over one's head. Also wish I had access to one of those laser levels. Hard to find level in this old house of mine.


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## BillWhite

Shellac wash coat to seal it. Like the look? Then leave it alone. Want more? Maybe a coat of a water based urethane. Modern Masters has a good one in various sheens. Water based won't yellow.
Bill


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## renners

Why don't you get the lacquered cladding? Save you a lot of messing. It attaches with metal clips so no visible nail holes.


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## TCCcabinetmaker

Well tounge and groove you only face shoot on the first board anyways, after that point you shoot on an angle at the back of the tounge, so the groove of the next board will cover it. I like to put batting strips down rather than just going to the sheetrock though.


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## kcrandy

Yes, I've used batting strips nailed and glued on my bamboo ceiling and that worked well.


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