Furniture set finish insights

[Tayler_mann]

So I am in the midst of coming up with a furniture series to sell as a set to a few stores. I have the basic design and the wood samples I will be using to contrast the piece. Before I start building the sets though I need to have my sample wood finished and presented to the client. I had thought about doing an oil finish, however, an oil finish for a coffee table and end table might not be the most functional of finishes. I want a finish that boasts the natural woods beauty not covers it up. So a lacquer finish is out of the question. I am looking for something that is durable (won't leave glass rings) and is a beautiful natural finish as there will only be a natural stain enhancer on the pieces. What I am really looking for is an oil/wax sealer to help aid in protection. My thought was the surfix with a coat of Renaissance wax polished over the top.  I look forward to the answers hat I recieve so I can start the new direction of my business.

 

[MrGinCT]

I did a dinning room table out of cherry and finished it with Waterlox.  Waterlox has proven itself to be very durable and basically impervious to anything that we've put on it of spilled on it.

Bonus is that its very easy to apply.

Paul

 

[leakyroof]

Buy Bob Flexner's book on Finishing.  Decide which route you want to take when first starting off since Low tech or simple could keep your overhead down due to not buying spray equipment or setting up a dedicated booth for finishing.
For keeping it simple, a Wiping Varnish can give you more protection than plain oil and a wax top coat, but find out what your customers are really looking for in the pieces you're making. You'll probably run into what everyone else hears, 'Well, I want it to look good, but don't want to do much, if anything at all, in the way of Maint."]  [huh]  Other customers may totally want an oil finish with a nice coat of wax that they don't mind either touching up themselves or bringing back to you when it's time for some light repair work. Animals and Kids will play into your customers thoughts for the level of work on a furniture piece they'd like.  Some want 'bomb' proof 2 part finishes that you'd be much better off subleting to another shop for that portion of the job since they have the full set-up to spray the stuff.  [eek]
You could do something like this, oil and wax a table, but add a tougher finish only on the top to save time and money, but still providing a longer lasting finish.  Like a coat or two of a Water Based finish, Varnish, Waterlox, etc
Shellac works for many people due to its quick drying and the different versions out there[ Blond, Amber/orange, etc].  You can also use it as a sanding sealer on top of a oil finish or at least a stain finish, then add a water based finish on top of that, applying it all by hand and not needed a spray gun/compressor.
  As far as sample pieces, this is one route that I've tried, make a small sample piece of something, could be just a finished board, and put different finishes on it in a row as your sample board. In my case it was flower boxes, so each side of my sample box had a different finish on it.  Hope this helps you out.

 

[tjbnwi]

Surfix, let dry, top coat with KA+.

Tom

 

[Tayler_mann]

Buy Bob Flexner's book on Finishing.  Decide which route you want to take when first starting off since Low tech or simple could keep your overhead down due to not buying spray equipment or setting up a dedicated booth for finishing.
For keeping it simple, a Wiping Varnish can give you more protection than plain oil and a wax top coat, but find out what your customers are really looking for in the pieces you're making. You'll probably run into what everyone else hears, 'Well, I want it to look good, but don't want to do much, if anything at all, in the way of Maint."]  [huh]  Other customers may totally want an oil finish with a nice coat of wax that they don't mind either touching up themselves or bringing back to you when it's time for some light repair work. Animals and Kids will play into your customers thoughts for the level of work on a furniture piece they'd like.  Some want 'bomb' proof 2 part finishes that you'd be much better off subleting to another shop for that portion of the job since they have the full set-up to spray the stuff.  [eek]
You could do something like this, oil and wax a table, but add a tougher finish only on the top to save time and money, but still providing a longer lasting finish.  Like a coat or two of a Water Based finish, Varnish, Waterlox, etc
Shellac works for many people due to its quick drying and the different versions out there[ Blond, Amber/orange, etc].  You can also use it as a sanding sealer on top of a oil finish or at least a stain finish, then add a water based finish on top of that, applying it all by hand and not needed a spray gun/compressor.
  As far as sample pieces, this is one route that I've tried, make a small sample piece of something, could be just a finished board, and put different finishes on it in a row as your sample board. In my case it was flower boxes, so each side of my sample box had a different finish on it.  Hope this helps you out.

I have a spray booth and all he fixings to do 2 part finishes. I just don't want to do it on hear pieces because it doesn't enhance the natural look of the wood it muddies the look. I have been thinking about doing a lot of samples in a row but than I have to invest in a lot in finishes that I don't need at the time. I am in a crunch where spending a lot of excess money is not an option. I am trying to save for a few large purchases and need to be careful. However I really like the idea of he surfix with the KA+ sealer over the top.

On another note my mentor swears by the Watco oil finishs but it is SO messy and takes FOREVER. Than at the end he puts a single light coat of a watco poly. He literally puts so much on when we were working on an 8/4 solid oak table the oil came through the other side. Than we did the last finish the watco wipe on poly. The finish is 5 years old and doesn't look any different than the day it was done. I just know it took days to complete the finish process and I want something quicker.

Has anyone had any experience with Renaissance wax as a wood sealer? I use it on all of my tools to make things slide super nice especially on my guide rails. I know the product was made specifically for wood furniture restoration that's why I'm curious of the durability.

My last question is what is the top coal of the KA+ look like. Does it really fill and clog the pores of the grain or does it soak in and leave the beauty of the grain to show through? I don't like finishes that end in some what of a shell. I like the beauty of wood to pop and shoe the contours of the surface. With most finishes that is achievable but some are easier than others. I'm curious of the characteristics of the KA+

 

[tjbnwi]

KA+ is a waterbourne lacquer. If I need to fill pores I use clear pore sealer. Does not muddy the wood at all. I have used it over Suffix, very nice finish.

I've always intended to try the wax, never got around to it.

Don't recall where you're located, I can send you some KA+ in a couple of sheens to try or may know someone in your area who can give you some to try out.

It goes on clear, just like water being wiped on the wood.

Tom

 

[nickao]

Taylor that's so weird, we are all so different and I  respect that of course.

I was just thinking that I don't like the contours of the surface to show, the reason  I love using closed grain woods.  And that I use everything in my power to get that smooth shell type finish. For me, I want the pores closed and the iridescent and color qualities that I can pull from the wood to pop, which is really tough to do keeping the textured, contoured surfaces you prefer.

To each his own. 

 

[tjbnwi]

KA+ BRE over quarter sawn white oak, stain is Zar Salem Maple.

Tom

 

[junk731]

For a spray finish I use a sealcoat of Zinnser Sealcoat or blonde dewaxed shellac to pop the grain and then topcoat with Target EM 2000 satin. If I want an oil finish I use Rubio Monocoat 2C oils. The Rubio is ultra simple one coat oil with many colour options.

John

 

[Tayler_mann]

Taylor that's so weird, we are all so different and I  respect that of course.

I was just thinking that I don't like the contours of the surface to show, the reason  I love using closed grain woods.  And that I use everything in my power to get that smooth shell type finish. For me, I want the pores closed and the iridescent and color qualities that I can pull from the wood to pop, which is really tough to do keeping the textured, contoured surfaces you prefer.

To each his own. 

My thought is you use the wood for the look you want not the finish for the look. Hence why you use closed grain woods for a lot of projects. For me it is about what the wood looks like before the finish and respect what nature gave it for its beauty and wanders. Each face of a slab of wood is like a different planet or environment. We have mountains, desserts, plains and arctics. It's the reason I love working with wood so much. It is a material earth had left us to use with very little manufacturing processes. Each piece of wood is unique and I feel needs to be exploited for its character.

KA+ is a waterbourne lacquer. If I need to fill pores I use clear pore sealer. Does not muddy the wood at all. I have used it over Suffix, very nice finish.

I've always intended to try the wax, never got around to it.

Don't recall where you're located, I can send you some KA+ in a couple of sheens to try or may know someone in your area who can give you some to try out.

It goes on clear, just like water being wiped on the wood.

Tom

I can get a free sample from our local Sherwin Williams store of the KA+. It appears they carry it. I'm a fairly good customer they always try to treat me right. The Renaissance wax is an amazing product for he things I have so far used it on. The only thing I haven't used it on yet is wood what it is intended for. Put a quick wipe on application on your jointer, table saw, or tracks and it'll feel like it's floating on air. Never use on stainless steel appliances as a finger print protector. It turns the sheen of it to blue for some reason still haven't figured that one out.

 

[nickao]

Yes, I agree the wood is the most important of all of course. 80% of everything I do now is shellac or shellac and wax.

For me finishing is a hobby in of itself so I keep the finishing as simple as possible.

 

[tjbnwi]

KA+ is a waterbourne lacquer. If I need to fill pores I use clear pore sealer. Does not muddy the wood at all. I have used it over Suffix, very nice finish.

I've always intended to try the wax, never got around to it.

Don't recall where you're located, I can send you some KA+ in a couple of sheens to try or may know someone in your area who can give you some to try out.

It goes on clear, just like water being wiped on the wood.

Tom

I can get a free sample from our local Sherwin Williams store of the KA+. It appears they carry it. I'm a fairly good customer they always try to treat me right. The Renaissance wax is an amazing product for he things I have so far used it on. The only thing I haven't used it on yet is wood what it is intended for. Put a quick wipe on application on your jointer, table saw, or tracks and it'll feel like it's floating on air. Never use on stainless steel appliances as a finger print protector. It turns the sheen of it to blue for some reason still haven't figured that one out.
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The offer stands if the dealer does not come through for you.

Tom