suggestions for red oak

[Vanilla Gorilla]

I could use some suggestions on a finishing schedule for red oak. I was originally considering just BLO topcoated with poly, but dye's are nice too, but then I would wanna fill the grain and yadda yadda. Basically, I am getting myself bogged down and having a tough time making a decision. What have all of you used to good result? Thanks in advance for the advice!!!

 

[Mtnman]

I have not had a lot of experience finishing red oak, but I personally feel that those very dark, nearly black stains do not do justice to a nice piece of oak. For some reason that was a trend in older furniture. They also use to "fume" red oak with ammonia gas to make it very dark. Don't recommend any of those dark stains.

I have had good results with golden pecan finish on white oak. Maybe a light stain would be good on red oak also. Get out the old "test strips" and have a go at it.

 

[Mike Stanley]

Finishing red oak: You gotta figure out what end result you're looking for. If you want to see the openness of the grain, then you could fill it with a desired color to bring out the grain. Lot of people like black against the natural deep red color. If you use a grain filler, then you're going to negate showing grain. If you don't want to see the open grain, then fill it, twice. Afterward you can still stain the wood, but remember that red oak darkens naturally with exposure. Is this enough info? Good Luck

 

[DaveO]

I have used a Golden Oak stain, an Ipswich Pine stain, and Waterlox Original S/F all with good results. I am not a big fan of making a wood what it's not. Oak is Oak, I wouldn't try to fill the grain, or stain it a color that doesn't have in it naturally. If you look at some of my projects in my album all the Oak projects were finished with one of those methods. Clear coated with wipe-on poly, except the Waterlox used on my DT jig box. My.02, Dave

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

thanks for the suggestions. I think I am going to forego the stain. After doing a test piece with some BLO on it, it looks pretty nice. Since I am going to topcoat with 3-4 coats of poly, how many coats of BLO should I use, and how long do I have to wait to topcoat to let the BLO cure? I was thinking it was like a week, but there are many more experienced finishers here that I am sure can help a newbie out!

 

[DaveO]

One coat of BLO will be fine for color, it adds little protection to the wood. I would wait until you can't smell the BLO anymore before topcoating. That may take a week, or a few weeks depending the temperature of the room the piece is in and how heavily you applied it.
Dave

 

[Splinter]

I have seen reference to BLO many times on the forum. What is BLO?

I just finished a baby cradle in red oak. See my post and album for photos. I use Minwax Golden Oak oil stain. After the first coat I wet the wood down with more of the stain and sanded it lightly with 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper and let it set for awhile then wiped it down across the grain, then very lightly with the grain to smooth out the wet areas. This filled in some of the open pores and made the wood feel smoother to the touch but still let the beautiful grain of the red oak show. After the second coat of stain had dried at least two days I applied three coats of Minwax Semi-gloss water based polycrilic.

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

sorry, I'm just too lazy to type it out :eusa_whis

BLO is boiled linseed oil. If I'm ever going to catch up to DaveO, I have to take shortcuts like that :-D

 

[Splinter]

sorry, I'm just too lazy to type it out :eusa_whis

BLO is boiled linseed oil. If I'm ever going to catch up to DaveO, I have to take shortcuts like that :-D

Thanks, I figured it out just a few minutes ago. I've never used it. I think I will give it a try sometime.

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

I like it because it highlights the grain and the texture of the wood, and gives it a slight amber color, whereas stain can sometimes "muddy" the grain. It's great for some projects, not for others, and it just one of the million products out there to use to finish wood. That's why finishing is an art, and I'm no artist :BangHead:

 

[Gillie]

My prefered finish for red oak (especially quartersawn) is:

One coat BLO (allow to dry for about 3 days)

Orange or blond shellac (for color toning)

3 Coats Waterlox original selaer/finish (semi gloss)

 

[jeff...]

Why not just shoot it with several coats of clear high gloss poly and rub it out with 4/0 steel wool in between each coat? My personal preference is I don't stain wood, but will mix some toner in with the poly and lightly tint after the 2nd or 3rd coat is rubbed out. Till I reach the desired color tone, then top it off with a few more clear coats of poly. Just remember to much toner makes for a muddy finish, but the right amount makes for a nice rich depth effect. It's also a good idea to try it out on a scrap piece first to see the results of the poly build up and toner, before you actually shoot your master piece. I surely don't want to steer you wrong and have you displeased with the results. :-D

 

[jeff...]

After the second coat of stain had dried at least two days I applied three coats of Minwax Semi-gloss water based polycrilic.

Splinter, did the water based poly raise the grain? I've heard it does and that's why I've been reluctant to try it. Water and bare wood just don't mix very well, just wondering... :eusa_doh:I could be conserned about nothing...

 

[Travis Porter]

FWIW, I am beginning to get in the same mindset of not staining wood as well. I have used Minwax stains for years, but on the toybox I have been finishing forever, I used BLO, orange shellac (which I am still figuring out), and will spray waterbased lacquer. The BLO brings out the wood a lot and adds some color as well. Next project, I might try some dye, but I suspect I will be discontinuing staining as much as possible.

Marco, why don't you get some BLO and try it on scrap. It is pretty cheap and you can tell what it is going to look like in a day. If you like it, then decide on your top coat.

 

[walnutjerry]

I have used a 3 part mixture frequently on red oak that I consider successful. It is: 1part 50/50 BLO and tung oil, 1 part gum turpentine or mineral spirits and 1 part spar varnish or urethane. It is a very forgiving mixture and nearly "dummy" proof. That is the reason I use it so often.

Wipe on with a rag and wipe off the excess before it gets tacky. Let it dry for 24 hours and sand lightly with 220 or higher. Repeat the process until you see the depth of finish you want.

Jerry

 

[jeff...]

Travis, I hear you loud and clear about staining wood. Ever tried to refinish a piece thats been stained? What a mess, thats the main reason, why I don't stain. I figured I will be nice to the next person who does the refinishing.

 

[Splinter]

Splinter, did the water based poly raise the grain? I've heard it does and that's why I've been reluctant to try it. Water and bare wood just don't mix very well, just wondering... :eusa_doh:I could be conserned about nothing...

No the water base poly didn't raise the grain. I use Minwax Golden Oak oil stain. After the first coat I wet the wood down with more of the stain and sanded it lightly with 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper and let it set for awhile then wiped it down across the grain, then very lightly with the grain to smooth out the wet areas. I had to do very little sanding during the poly applications.

I have used the water base poly on maple without the above steps and it did raise the grain on the first coat.

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I still haven't gotten around to finishing it, but will probably get on it this week. Still haven't completely come to a conclusion on a finishing schedule, but I will definitely start with BLO. After that, it's anybody's guess! I like the idea of using some garnet shellac for a little additional color, but have very little experience with it, and I always agonize over finishing. I know shellac is easy to repair, but I'm of the do it right the first time mentality. Anyways, pictures will follow once I get rockin' on it

 

[erasmussen]

IMHO blo and shellac is the way to go.
[FONT=Times New Roman,Georgia,Times]Shellac is better than varnish because it is ..[/FONT]

• More beautiful
• Easy to apply
• Dries within minutes
• Sticks to almost anything!
• Seals in minutes
• Can be recoated within 15-20 minutes if wiped
• Can be recoated within 2 hours if brushed
• Infinitely easier to rub out
• Easy to repair
• Has much better clarity
• Completely reversible
• Feels better to the hand
• Offers a wide range of colors without sacrificing clarity
• Environmentally safe
• Healthier
• Compatible with most other finishes
• Once you shellac, ain't no going back!

I think its just so easy to use.
and you can get it in many shades,blond, yelloe, garnet, and darker:eusa_clap
Just my $.02

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

How does it do with a poly topcoat? I was worried about using shellac for a topcoat on a cofee table due to durability. Does it matter if you use water based or oil based over shellac? Also, how about shellec and then a couple coats of wax as far as durability?