Kitchen Stool - What finish do I use?

[Knurl]

I've sanded my folding kitchen steps/stool down to 320 and used some Norton's wool-pad to fine-sand. Given that it's going to be stepped on and used as a ladder, I was thinking of poly as a top coat.

What stains etc can you recommend to generally preserve the blonde colour of the radiata yet emphasise the grain? Do you recommend usng a sanding-filler and then re-sanding for pine?

[RufflyRustic]

UBeaut's Sanding Sealer, then a coat of UBeaut's White shellac to preserve the pine colour. As for after that, I'm not sure.

Looks like a good sturdy Stool!

cheers
RufflyRustic

[Knurl]

Thanks Ruffly. Will the shellac wear well? Remember that it gets stepped on regularly and people's shoes scuff and scratch the steps a lot. Do I put a coat of poly over the shellac? Why would you do that? In the past I never considered shellac as a strong finish.

[RufflyRustic]

The sanding sealer will help prepare the surface for the finish - just follow the instructions for it.
The White Shellac is a finish that will keep the natural colour, but to be honest, I don't think it would handle the heavy traffic.

This is where I was hoping others would help out with what to do after the white shellac :o

In my limited experience, I don't think White Shellac alone would handle the kitchen traffic. I do know that polyurethane floor finishes do handle that sort of traffic. I really don't know what you can put on top of white shellac to give you that hard finish.

Guys - Help please!!!

thanks
RufflyRustic

[Studley 2436]

Just guessing here but shellac isn't so bad as long as you get enough of it on. You could put more on as it wore thin couldn't you? I have stools done in shellac that are doing OK but they only get lightish traffic as props for photography.

What about Tung Oil? That usually has some poly in it in addition to the oil of course poly isn't that bad and is hard wearing.

If Neil comes in here and disagrees with everything I have just said well that is because I am wrong and he knows pretty much all that is worth knowing about finishing.

Studley

[Auld Bassoon]

I've sanded my folding kitchen steps/stool down to 320 and used some Norton's wool-pad to fine-sand. Given that it's going to be stepped on and used as a ladder, I was thinking of poly as a top coat.

What stains etc can you recommend to generally preserve the blonde colour of the radiata yet emphasise the grain? Do you recommend usng a sanding-filler and then re-sanding for pine?
G'day Knurl,

For safety's sake, I would do what "Yotties" do with some deck surfaces - that is apply the poly, (I'd suggest simple floorseal) or shellac, and when still wet, sprinkle on some washed moderately fine sand - this acts as a very effective non-slip agent. A smooth finish, especially when wet or with wet feet/shoe soles is a recipie for disaster at worst or much swearing :eek: at best....