I'm nearing completion of the process of applying multiple rag-wiped
coats of Waterlox to the "unfinished furniture" white oak kitchen
chairs. The fifth coat is undergoing its "all afternoon and overnight
drying" now.
I previously finished the matching table with six rag-applied coats of
Waterlox Original Medium Sheen (lightly sanded with 400 grit paper
between each coat) followed by a light deglossing with a white
"Scotch-type" pad and it looks *fabulous*. It appears to be wearing well
after 9 months of almost-daily use. My heartfelt thanks to all the folks
here who offered their guidance when I enquired last fall about using
Waterlox!
Certainly the outcome of the table finishing offers a guideline as to
the number of coats the chairs should get (if only to have the color
imparted by the Waterlox be consistent), but I'm curious what the
net-wisdom might be regarding the number of coats desired for the proper
protection of daily-use chairs (or the various parts of chairs) in
general and rag-wiped coats of Waterlox in particular.
Opinions and advice welcome! :-)
"Larry Jaques" <novalidaddress@di\/ersify.com> wrote in message
> I can't believe the difference between the crappy, scratchy 0000
> steel wool I used to buy and the nice, fine Liberon 0000 wool.
> I used the Liberon and Johnson's on the mantle refinish and it
> really looks good. The two wools are miles apart and Liberon was
> worth every cent extra.
I must have missed the thread. Where do you get the Liberon? Never heard
of it.
SH
Thieme <[email protected]> wrote:
> I'll second the advice of Larry - a couple or three coats of Waterlox is
> fine.
I could see how three coats of brush-applied Waterlox would provide good
protection, but three coats of rag-wiped seems a bit thin.
But that's why I asked here to see what folks thought! ;-)
Thanks for the advice.
Ladd
Larry Jaques <novalidaddress@di\/ersify.com> wrote:
> It's really great stuff, isn't it?
Yes, it is.
The two stores local to me (defined as within an hour's drive) that used
to carry it don't anymore. I ended up getting it online from Woodcraft.
IT goes on easily, soaks into the wood yet still builds a very thin
film. Definitely more film than a straight oil finish yet doesn't even
remotely give the impression of the "plastic" covering that some polys
turn out.
Not bad in the "toxic fumes" department either. More than the
water-based finishes I've seen, but less than most of the others.
It seems to be pretty much impervious to just about everything you're
going to find in or around a kitchen. And scratches, which there has
been one, comes right out with a few wipes of fresh finish.
Larry Jaques <novalidaddress@di\/ersify.com> wrote:
> For kitchen chair and daily hard use, I might go 4 coats.
> But adding a coat or two at 6 months (or a year) down the
> road is a piece of cake. Just dewax/degrease first.
Works for me, as more coats seems to not be the consensus.
Snce I'm already at five coats, I think I'll pull the chairs up to the
kitchen and see how they look with the table which got six.
They have lots of nooks and crannies to work on (wheat-back 9-spindle,
with various turnings on the legs and braces), so I don't wish to do
more work than necessary! :-)
Larry Jaques <novalidaddress@di\/ersify.com> wrote:
> I used Watco on my parents' dining set and 8 chairs. Once I
> got it all stripped, it took a month to refinish it. I much
> prefer the smell of Waterlox, and it builds quicker, but the
> feel of a Watcoed piece still impresses me. It feels like wood.
> Waterlox is ever so slightly removed from that.
I agree that Watco has more of the "finish absorbed into the wood" look
than Waterlox. But, as you note, Waterlox is pretty close to being the
next best thing, if that's the look one wants (which I did).
It was my understanding from researching this last year that Waterlox
offered more protection from spills (water, milk, coffe, tea, etc.) than
did Watco, making it more preferable (to me) for kitchen table use.
Smile Note: I still clench a bit when I set my drinking glass down
directly on the table top, not on a place mat or coaster, because nice
furniture finished nicely genetically feels like it's not supposed to be
able to take that treatment. But the Waterlox finish seems pretty
impervious.
I could see dining room table use not being as destructive, which would
alter the risk/reward ratio.
On Mon, 06 Sep 2004 16:13:06 GMT, Thieme <[email protected]> calmly
ranted:
>> On Sun, 5 Sep 2004 22:52:27 -0400, [email protected] (Ladd) calmly
>> ranted:
>>
><snip>
>... but I'm curious what the net-wisdom might be regarding the number of
>coats desired for the proper protection of daily-use chairs (or the various
>parts of chairs) in general and rag-wiped coats of Waterlox in particular.
><snip>
>I'll second the advice of Larry - a couple or three coats of Waterlox is
>fine. One of the nice things about Waterlox is that if it does get
>damaged, it's fairly easy to repair. Just scuff it up with some sandpaper
>and re-apply.
>
>Larry Jaques <novalidaddress@di\/ersify.com> wrote in:
>
>> I can't believe the difference between the crappy, scratchy 0000
>> steel wool I used to buy and the nice, fine Liberon 0000 wool.
>> I used the Liberon and Johnson's on the mantle refinish and it
>> really looks good. The two wools are miles apart and Liberon was
>> worth every cent extra.
>
>I've heard this enough that I'm going to have to try it. However, can you
>be more specific in how it's better? Does it cut quicker? Does it last
>longer? Does it result in more even scratch patterns? Etc....
It's better made, finer, and lasts a lot longer. It leaves much
nicer, more even scratches, and it has a very fine layer of oil
where the cheapo stuff is either gobbed or rusted. Oh, the Liberon
is also a continuous strand of wool, not pads. Tear off a piece.
(That always sounds good.)
.-.
Life is short. Eat dessert first!
---
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On Mon, 06 Sep 2004 14:00:14 -0700, Larry Jaques
<novalidaddress@di\/ersify.com> wrote:
>It's better made, finer, and lasts a lot longer. It leaves much
>nicer, more even scratches,
Hmmm - I've never had bad 0000. Plenty of cheap stuff in the coarser
grades, but 0000 is a pretty specialist market anyway. I use either
Liberon or some Norwegian stuff they make by shearing trolls.
> it has a very fine layer of oil
I hope not ! One of the benefits of decent steel wool is that it's
supposedly oil-free.
>Tear off a piece.
Should steel wool be torn or cut ? I've heard that you shouldn't tear
it, but never heard a reason why.
> On Sun, 5 Sep 2004 22:52:27 -0400, [email protected] (Ladd) calmly
> ranted:
>
<snip>
... but I'm curious what the net-wisdom might be regarding the number of
coats desired for the proper protection of daily-use chairs (or the various
parts of chairs) in general and rag-wiped coats of Waterlox in particular.
<snip>
I'll second the advice of Larry - a couple or three coats of Waterlox is
fine. One of the nice things about Waterlox is that if it does get
damaged, it's fairly easy to repair. Just scuff it up with some sandpaper
and re-apply.
Larry Jaques <novalidaddress@di\/ersify.com> wrote in:
> I can't believe the difference between the crappy, scratchy 0000
> steel wool I used to buy and the nice, fine Liberon 0000 wool.
> I used the Liberon and Johnson's on the mantle refinish and it
> really looks good. The two wools are miles apart and Liberon was
> worth every cent extra.
I've heard this enough that I'm going to have to try it. However, can you
be more specific in how it's better? Does it cut quicker? Does it last
longer? Does it result in more even scratch patterns? Etc....
~Jeff
in Memphis
[email protected] (Ladd) wrote in news:1gjp18i.2w0whxhr61fN%
[email protected]:
> Thieme <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I'll second the advice of Larry - a couple or three coats of Waterlox is
>> fine.
>
> I could see how three coats of brush-applied Waterlox would provide good
> protection, but three coats of rag-wiped seems a bit thin.
>
> But that's why I asked here to see what folks thought! ;-)
>
> Thanks for the advice.
>
> Ladd
>
That's not to say that more coats is bad. It may be possible to simply rub
out smaller scratches if you have a thicker build. But, depending on how
much abuse they get, you could probably go a couple years with three coats
before having to do anything. And then all you'd have to do is scuff sand
and wipe on a coat or two.
~Jeff
in Memphis
[email protected] (Ladd) wrote in
news:1gjpgj5.uf4mnpso1dm7N%[email protected]:
> Larry Jaques <novalidaddress@di\/ersify.com> wrote:
>
>
>> For kitchen chair and daily hard use, I might go 4 coats.
>> But adding a coat or two at 6 months (or a year) down the
>> road is a piece of cake. Just dewax/degrease first.
>
> Works for me, as more coats seems to not be the consensus.
>
> Snce I'm already at five coats, I think I'll pull the chairs up to the
> kitchen and see how they look with the table which got six.
>
> They have lots of nooks and crannies to work on (wheat-back 9-spindle,
> with various turnings on the legs and braces), so I don't wish to do
> more work than necessary! :-)
>
There's a lot to be said for being able to tell the wife "They're done,
honey!"
Patriarch
Larry Jaques <novalidaddress@di\/ersify.com> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
<snip of question about Liberon #0000 steel wool>:
> It's better made, finer, and lasts a lot longer. It leaves much
> nicer, more even scratches, and it has a very fine layer of oil
> where the cheapo stuff is either gobbed or rusted. Oh, the Liberon
> is also a continuous strand of wool, not pads. Tear off a piece.
> (That always sounds good.)
Thanks for the feedback. I'll give it a shot.
~Jeff
in Memphis
On Tue, 7 Sep 2004 10:28:36 -0400, [email protected] (Ladd) calmly
ranted:
>Larry Jaques <novalidaddress@di\/ersify.com> wrote:
>
>> I used Watco on my parents' dining set and 8 chairs. Once I
>> got it all stripped, it took a month to refinish it. I much
>> prefer the smell of Waterlox, and it builds quicker, but the
>> feel of a Watcoed piece still impresses me. It feels like wood.
>> Waterlox is ever so slightly removed from that.
>
>I agree that Watco has more of the "finish absorbed into the wood" look
>than Waterlox. But, as you note, Waterlox is pretty close to being the
>next best thing, if that's the look one wants (which I did).
Yeah, people can KEEP their "finishing schedules" with stains,
toners, and poly. I'd happily put Waterlox on a $10,000 table.
>It was my understanding from researching this last year that Waterlox
>offered more protection from spills (water, milk, coffe, tea, etc.) than
>did Watco, making it more preferable (to me) for kitchen table use.
True.
>Smile Note: I still clench a bit when I set my drinking glass down
>directly on the table top, not on a place mat or coaster, because nice
>furniture finished nicely genetically feels like it's not supposed to be
>able to take that treatment. But the Waterlox finish seems pretty
>impervious.
I believe that's the tung oil portion of the finish. Great!
>I could see dining room table use not being as destructive, which would
>alter the risk/reward ratio.
>
>
.-.
Better Living Through Denial
---
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On Tue, 07 Sep 2004 00:52:26 GMT, patriarch
<<patriarch>[email protected]> calmly ranted:
>[email protected] (Ladd) wrote in
>> They have lots of nooks and crannies to work on (wheat-back 9-spindle,
>> with various turnings on the legs and braces), so I don't wish to do
>> more work than necessary! :-)
>>
>
>There's a lot to be said for being able to tell the wife "They're done,
>honey!"
More finishes have been ruined by impatient wives...
They rush you to bring it in the house wet, then complain
of the smell and proceed to wax it before it dries, gumming
up the finish altogether. I've heard these cries from you
_married_ guys for decades now. </neener>
.-.
Life is short. Eat dessert first!
---
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On Mon, 6 Sep 2004 18:59:55 -0400, [email protected] (Ladd) calmly
ranted:
>Larry Jaques <novalidaddress@di\/ersify.com> wrote:
>
>
>> For kitchen chair and daily hard use, I might go 4 coats.
>> But adding a coat or two at 6 months (or a year) down the
>> road is a piece of cake. Just dewax/degrease first.
>
>Works for me, as more coats seems to not be the consensus.
>
>Snce I'm already at five coats, I think I'll pull the chairs up to the
>kitchen and see how they look with the table which got six.
>
>They have lots of nooks and crannies to work on (wheat-back 9-spindle,
>with various turnings on the legs and braces), so I don't wish to do
>more work than necessary! :-)
I used Watco on my parents' dining set and 8 chairs. Once I
got it all stripped, it took a month to refinish it. I much
prefer the smell of Waterlox, and it builds quicker, but the
feel of a Watcoed piece still impresses me. It feels like wood.
Waterlox is ever so slightly removed from that.
.-.
Life is short. Eat dessert first!
---
http://diversify.com Comprehensive Website Development
On Tue, 07 Sep 2004 17:14:39 -0700, Larry Jaques
<novalidaddress@di\/ersify.com> wrote:
>Yeah, people can KEEP their "finishing schedules" with stains,
>toners, and poly. I'd happily put Waterlox on a $10,000 table.
I'd like to point out that:
Hand scrape
Apply Waterlox Original using favorite method
Scuff sand with favorite method
(repeat as required)
Rub down with 0000 steel wool
Apply wax
Is still a finishing schedule. <G>
> Better Living Through Denial
Obviously.
Barry
On Sun, 5 Sep 2004 22:52:27 -0400, [email protected] (Ladd) calmly
ranted:
>I'm nearing completion of the process of applying multiple rag-wiped
>coats of Waterlox to the "unfinished furniture" white oak kitchen
>chairs. The fifth coat is undergoing its "all afternoon and overnight
>drying" now.
>
>I previously finished the matching table with six rag-applied coats of
>Waterlox Original Medium Sheen (lightly sanded with 400 grit paper
>between each coat) followed by a light deglossing with a white
>"Scotch-type" pad and it looks *fabulous*. It appears to be wearing well
>after 9 months of almost-daily use. My heartfelt thanks to all the folks
>here who offered their guidance when I enquired last fall about using
>Waterlox!
It's really great stuff, isn't it?
>Certainly the outcome of the table finishing offers a guideline as to
>the number of coats the chairs should get (if only to have the color
>imparted by the Waterlox be consistent), but I'm curious what the
>net-wisdom might be regarding the number of coats desired for the proper
>protection of daily-use chairs (or the various parts of chairs) in
>general and rag-wiped coats of Waterlox in particular.
>
>Opinions and advice welcome! :-)
Once every bit has an even gloss all the way around, I put on one
more coat, let it dry for a few days, degloss with 0000 steel wool,
and put a coat or 2 of Johnson's paste wax on. I haven't done any
chairs, so if wax is too slippery on them, remove it and use lemon
oil to fill in the minute scratches from the steel wool. Reapply
monthly or quarterly as necessary.
I can't believe the difference between the crappy, scratchy 0000
steel wool I used to buy and the nice, fine Liberon 0000 wool.
I used the Liberon and Johnson's on the mantle refinish and it
really looks good. The two wools are miles apart and Liberon was
worth every cent extra.
==========================================================
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==========================================================
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On Mon, 6 Sep 2004 13:25:57 -0400, [email protected] (Ladd) calmly
ranted:
>Thieme <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I'll second the advice of Larry - a couple or three coats of Waterlox is
>> fine.
>
>I could see how three coats of brush-applied Waterlox would provide good
>protection, but three coats of rag-wiped seems a bit thin.
>
>But that's why I asked here to see what folks thought! ;-)
For kitchen chair and daily hard use, I might go 4 coats.
But adding a coat or two at 6 months (or a year) down the
road is a piece of cake. Just dewax/degrease first.
.-.
Life is short. Eat dessert first!
---
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On Mon, 06 Sep 2004 23:26:15 +0100, Andy Dingley
<[email protected]> calmly ranted:
>On Mon, 06 Sep 2004 14:00:14 -0700, Larry Jaques
><novalidaddress@di\/ersify.com> wrote:
>
>>It's better made, finer, and lasts a lot longer. It leaves much
>>nicer, more even scratches,
>
>Hmmm - I've never had bad 0000. Plenty of cheap stuff in the coarser
>grades, but 0000 is a pretty specialist market anyway. I use either
You evidently don't have some of the crap that hits the
USA market. There is some truly bad sh*t even in 0000,
some looking like swarf straight off the floor of lazy
machinist's shop. (Well, maybe not -that- bad. ;)
>Liberon or some Norwegian stuff they make by shearing trolls.
<g>
>> it has a very fine layer of oil
>
>I hope not ! One of the benefits of decent steel wool is that it's
>supposedly oil-free.
A guess on my part. It smells faintly of machine oil.
>>Tear off a piece.
>
>Should steel wool be torn or cut ? I've heard that you shouldn't tear
>it, but never heard a reason why.
It probably "sheds" less if cut. Up until now, I've had pads.
Ah, from the Liberon box "Virtually oil free" and "To avoid
cuts, steel wool should always be cut with scissors, not torn
with your hands." I sit corrected on the oil part.
.-.
Life is short. Eat dessert first!
---
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