Help with countertop finish

[semenza]

Up coming job for a wood, island  countertop. Probably maple, but needs to be stained. Soooo.......... sugestions for both stain and finish? Customer wants very low sheen. And said something about marine oil.

No spray equipment.

Seth

 

[zapdafish]

Surfix? I've used it on a red oak coffee table top and very happy with it but it definitenly doesnt see the wear and tear of a kitchen counter top.

 

[Scott B.]

Seth

I wouldnt do marine oil in that setting, at all.

Surfix is an option, but I am not sure I apply it over stain, especially in a high profile setting like that.

I would probably do a Old Masters Gel Stain, a couple of coats of sanding sealer to lock it down and then zar ultramax, which cames in satin or even flat. These are all products that apply well manually and perform well in high exposure settings, and all would work very well on maple.

 

[tiralie]

Seth:
If you want a waterborne solution, I like General stains and you can still buy the gel stain at Lee Valley. Same schedule as Scott mentioned. Couple coats of sealer and then coat with Enduro-Var General's Polyurethane. When brushing the sealer on it will pick up a bit of the colour.
Tim

 

[lumbajac]

Would Waterlox be an option?  Repairable; assuming they could afford to just look at it for a month as it fully cures?

Scot - you use this in the professional setting at all or is it too slow to cure for contracted work?

 

[Scott B.]

Would Waterlox be an option?  Repairable; assuming they could afford to just look at it for a month as it fully cures?

Scot - you use this in the professional setting at all or is it too slow to cure for contracted work?

Yes, we use Waterlox on floors, stair treads, benches, bars, and sometimes countertops, mostly in new construction. It's a bomber finish but difficult to execute in an occupied home as you noted...the smell is absurd and its a slow drier. That's why sanding sealer and wb urethane are such efficient options and performance is great.

 

[deepcreek]

I've finished a lot of hard maple.  It splotches like crazy if you just apply stain.

I use General Finishes Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner followed by one of their oil based stains.  Avoid going too dark as lighter colors tend to look best.

For minimal sheen on a countertop, I would use General Finishes High Performance Water Based Top Coat in Flat with their Enduro Crosslinker to form a harder surface.

 

[Scott B.]

I've finished a lot of hard maple.  It splotches like crazy if you just apply stain.

Very true, tricky species for stain. We have had good success prep sanding to 180/220 range and using gel stain. No offensive penetration. Wb dye stains can work well too, but more finicky. Penetrating oil stain on maple is a crap show for sure, even in light to medium tones.

 

[RonMiller]

Last year I did something similar (I think) - a 33" by 11' cherry kitchen countertop. I used Rubio Monocoat. It's expensive but less than Waterlox when all the parts are added up. It gave a nice satin/matte finish. And it's a one coat deal rather than the 5 coats on the top and 4 on the bottom that WL recommends. That's one day of work versus about 2 weeks. Hardly any smell, what there was I found pleasant.

 

[rdesigns]

If this counter is actually a kitchen worktop,I lean toward an oil finish, rather than a plastic skin that will inevitably be chipped and gouged, and then difficult to repair back to the original appearance.

Also, there are oils that are not so heathful in a food-handling setting. I'm thinking that marine oil might be one to avoid.

 

[semenza]

Thanks for all the thoughts so far.

OK, the Waterlox is out, there would be time frame issues for sure.

They want it stained dark and don't want to see much figure in the grain. So maybe a change to a different wood that will stain with less blotching?

I was thinking that marine oil would be a no go for a countertop.

They are concerned about spills, how do other oils (such as mineral oil) work out in that setting?

Forgot to say  , there will be a sink in the island. Probably undermount.

Seth

 

[rdesigns]

Oak, of course, stains beautifully, but the open grain might not be the best for a worktop--which this seems to be with a sink in it.

I must confess to being fairly ignorant of dark hardwoods that might be as durable as maple, but no doubt other folks here have valuable input on that.

 

[waho6o9]

+1 for deepcreek's suggestion.  Using a wood conditioner will save your
bacon and I would use it no matter which wood you use on your
project.

Maybe a walnut top? 

 

[semenza]

Some google searching has brought up a  product called Rubio Monocoat. At first look it seems like it might be ideal for this job. Anyone used it?

Seth

 

[zapdafish]

Scroll up a tad to RonMiller's post  [big grin]

Some google searching has brought up a  product called Rubio Monocoat. At first look it seems like it might be ideal for this job. Anyone used it?

Seth

 

[waho6o9]

http://www.peabodyfloorsupply.com/Rubio-Monocoat-Oil-Plus-2-C-Oil-Finish-1-3-Liter-p/mc-cof-1.htm

I haven't used Rubio Monocoat, but here's some information on it.

[smile]

 

[tiralie]

Last year I did something similar (I think) - a 33" by 11' cherry kitchen countertop. I used Rubio Monocoat. It's expensive but less than Waterlox when all the parts are added up. It gave a nice satin/matte finish. And it's a one coat deal rather than the 5 coats on the top and 4 on the bottom that WL recommends. That's one day of work versus about 2 weeks. Hardly any smell, what there was I found pleasant.

Ron:
Great suggestion. My brother has a Restoration Hardware table (acacia) which is treated with Rubio Monocoat and it looks great! It didn't stain at least when we were there for Christmas but still felt like and looked completely natural.

Tim

 

[Deansocial]

I think the cedar deck that jmb did was finished with rubio monocoat

 

[semenza]

Scroll up a tad to RonMiller's post  [big grin]

Some google searching has brought up a  product called Rubio Monocoat. At first look it seems like it might be ideal for this job. Anyone used it?

Seth

Ooops  [embarassed]  Well I did read Ron's post and thought  'that sounds good'  Then the google search came up with so many names that I lost track of the fact that it had been suggested.  :

Seth

 

[bpitch]

I would probably do a Old Masters Gel Stain, a couple of coats of sanding sealer to lock it down and then zar ultramax, which cames in satin or even flat. These are all products that apply well manually and perform well in high exposure settings, and all would work very well on maple.

I was wondering what sanding sealer would you recommend under Zar Ultramax. I am almost done with one project and would like to try Zar product and as well compare the looks of a finish to Enduro Var.

Thank you,
Jerry