non darkening finish

[haosiliu235]

Can any one suggest a finish that finishes similar to wax but with out darkening the timber. it's for a coffee table
thanks

[echnidna]

Seal it with either white shellac or water based clear (I prefer cabots clear floor finish coz its nice and hard.

Then wax it with fishers floor wax

[ubeaut]

G'day haosiliu235 - White Shellac won't darken the timber any more than wetting it down with water but will bring out all the highlights in the grain and make fiddleback and any other features look brilliant. Can be full gloss or cut back to satin or even mat depending on what you want.

Hope this is of some help.

Cheers - Neil

[haosiliu235]

I have been making a coffee table and it's nearly complete but not sure which finish to use... don't like varnish. thinking of oils waxes and shellacs.
wanting a Low to Medium non plastic shine.
I have checked out the shellawax and shellawax but not sure about the finished product in real life as the pic on U-Beaut shows too much shine for my coffee table. Have also been thinking of using danish oil but not sure if it will give me a durable finish and I don't want to darken the timber and not sure if the oil will be compatible the eee-ultra shine.

[RufflyRustic]

Hi H.S.

For a Non-plastic looking finish use shellac
For a Non-plastic looking finish + natural colour, use White Shellac.

I'd also strongly suggest you invest in UBeaut's Book of Finishing - called A Polisher's Handbook. There is a good explanation in there of dulling down a finish - exactly what you are looking for.

Danish Oil WILL darken the timber.

Keep up the good work H.S.

Cheers
Wendy

[Carry Pine]

G'day haosiliu235 - White Shellac won't darken the timber any more than wetting it down with water but will bring out all the highlights in the grain and make fiddleback and any other features look brilliant. Can be full gloss or cut back to satin or even mat depending on what you want.

Hope this is of some help.

Cheers - Neil

haosiliu235,
What Neil says is the go. All timbers will darken with age and my second in charge loves light timbers so... I use the white shellac and it only depends on how you prepare the timber (grades of sandpaper) and how much you buff it as to how much gloss finish you will get.
Have you told us what timber it is?

Carry Pine

[haosiliu235]

The legs are jarrah which i want to darken and the top is Karri which i don't want to, to give the 2 timbers contrast.