Clear pine finish recommendation

[duong01]

Hi guys :D

After got two fingers smashed and cut today i managed to put a lounge table together. However, I'm stuck at the finishing part as the only thing I've been painting before was metal and crappy MDF ( some computer case modding ), and I'm now regretting that I totally ignored on how to oil wood.

I had some idea about priming and coating and so on, and oiling along with putting gloss paint on. Can someone make a recommendation on how to put a coat onto my lounge table, and fyi it's made out of Bunnies pine. Didn't remember the exact thing though, the only thing that is stuck in my head is that it's kind of a soft, white pine and made in Chile. I suck at wood knowledge and this is probably my second or third post so please don't slash me for that.

Thanks a lot and any help would be appreciated.

[Osbojo]

Hi Duong,

I'm no expert but I've tried poly, tung oil and danish oil but the best and most durable I've found is Hard Shellac:
HARD SHELLAC - New improved formula finish. (http://www.ubeaut.com.au/hardshell.htm)
which I used on a coffee table with great results. I applied with a rubber and you shouldn't have any trouble getting info for applying shellac on the net.

Os

[duong01]

thanks :D definitely give that a try, i'm getting the table planed and sanded this weekend

[Christos]

Very hard to give advise on the colour and finish as everyone taste is a little different.

So from a personal perspective I would go a poly with an oil based finish. The brush bristles will be natural hair not synthetic. Now trying to find one at a good price, luck must be on your side. That being said you can still any brush and get a reasonable result. This is the way that I do it.

If you go for a cheap brush from the dollar store, I would advise that you shake the brush on your finger tips to remove any loose bristles. Would not want these to come off during finishing.

The way I finish is to use a small amount of finish on the brush and wipe on the side of the container to remove as much as possible. Then start to finish trying to avoid too much of overlapping, but not to miss the overlap from the previous stroke.

You can sand between coats with a high grit of 400 or higher and that means lightly sand.

Do post what it looks like when it is finished.

I hope this helps.

[hcim]

If you are OK with the natural look of pine (the knot, etc), and if you don't have much experience in oil finishing, then do NOT use any stain or colour.
Just use clear polyurethane thinned to 1:1 and apply with a rug. (4 - 6 coat and sand + clean between coat)
Just make sure to sand progressively from 80, 150, 220 ,320 and may be 400.

I'm also new to oil finishing , and working a lot with pine..., mainly natural finish - yet never find serious problem with it.