Cedar Finish

[Twisted Tenon]

This a piece of cedar I'm sanding. It's going to be a weather wall. I really like to keep the timber at this light colour and am looking for something to coat/seal the piece without darkening it. I have tried a test piece with Tung Oil and it has darkened. I don't want to use a varnish, I was wondering if bees wax will do the job. I have some shellac but I have never used this before. I am aware that the cedar will darken over time if left untreated. Any advice is appreciated.

TT

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[Xanthorrhoeas]

I gather that you mean Western Red Cedar - a conifer, by the look of it, not Australian Cedar.

Bees wax is a poor finish. It stays sticky and attracts dirt. You could use UBeaut's Traditional wax. It is neutral in colour and is suitable to put straight on timber. rub on, let dry (about 10 minutes - longer if its cold) then buff off.

I usually seal the timber first using UBeaut's Sanding Sealer then wax, but you can just use the wax by itself.

If you do want a better finish you could use White Shellac (Ubeaut and others sell that), which will cause the least colour change of any shellac.

I have also used Estapol, water-based, crystal clear polyurethane to keep timber in its natural colour. It gives a good finish with no or minimal colour change. A Hoop Pine set of shelves that I made is still pale timber after a couple of years.

Test whatever you plan to use on the back first to make sure it gives the effect you are seeking.

David

PS I have no relationship to UBeaut, just a user of their products (amongst many others)

[Twisted Tenon]

Thanks for that David. It is Western Red Cedar. Should I use the sanding sealer with the Estapol?

TT

[Twisted Tenon]

I checked it out. I'll use the sealer first. Thanks for your input David.

TT