I just finished building a 36" X 84" workbench top made of steam
treated European beech. I would like to use the best finish for it
that will darken the wood the least. It is a very pale color just
sanded, but I tried Watco oil on a scrap and it looks almost as dark
as mahogony. Any suggestions for what will give goodotection without
darkening the wood so much?
Thanks
On 25 Nov 2003 15:08:46 -0800, [email protected] (Carol) wrote:
>I just finished building a 36" X 84" workbench top made of steam
>treated European beech. I would like to use the best finish for it
>that will darken the wood the least. It is a very pale color just
>sanded, but I tried Watco oil on a scrap and it looks almost as dark
>as mahogony. Any suggestions for what will give goodotection without
>darkening the wood so much?
I used a pale pine, finished with several coats of shellac. I used
orange, which does give an orange tint, but you should use blond. Then
rubbed in several coats of soya bean oil (once a day for a week, once
a week for a month, once a month for a year, once a year forever) It
looks very nice, and neither PVA nor epoxy dribbles stick to it.
Barry Lennox
On 25 Nov 2003 15:08:46 -0800, [email protected] (Carol) brought forth
from the murky depths:
>I just finished building a 36" X 84" workbench top made of steam
>treated European beech. I would like to use the best finish for it
>that will darken the wood the least. It is a very pale color just
>sanded, but I tried Watco oil on a scrap and it looks almost as dark
>as mahogony. Any suggestions for what will give goodotection without
>darkening the wood so much?
Try some good old Johnson's paste wax. It doesn't darken
wood nearly as much as oils do. A single application won't
make the bench too slippery but it will allow glue drips
to be removed easily.
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While it's a matter of personal preference, a combination that gets a lot of
use on workbenches is two parts boiled linseed oil mixed with one part
turpentine.
"Carol" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I just finished building a 36" X 84" workbench top made of steam
> treated European beech. I would like to use the best finish for it
> that will darken the wood the least. It is a very pale color just
> sanded, but I tried Watco oil on a scrap and it looks almost as dark
> as mahogony. Any suggestions for what will give goodotection without
> darkening the wood so much?
>
> Thanks