How should I finish Silky oak

[Superbunny]

Hi
I've never used silky oak before and would like some advice on how to best finish it. It will be a rocking chair made from the slab. Any advice welcome, thanks.

SB

[lpg_falcon]

Hi SuperBunny,

I like to Shellac my Silky Oak projects.

Usually helps to bring out the grain in them, gives them a golden colour.

Never done it yet, but I reckon one ought to varnish the job after the final shellac coat to protect the shellac.

I find shellac a nice repairable finish, but not as long lasting as varnish.

lpg_falcon.

[Superbunny]

Hi SuperBunny,

I like to Shellac my Silky Oak projects.

Usually helps to bring out the grain in them, gives them a golden colour.

Never done it yet, but I reckon one ought to varnish the job after the final shellac coat to protect the shellac.

I find shellac a nice repairable finish, but not as long lasting as varnish.

lpg_falcon.

Thanks lpg_falcon, I've never used shellac before but I have been thinking of trying it for sometime, maybe now is the time.

SB

[cellist]

Hi
I've never used silky oak before and would like some advice on how to best finish it. It will be a rocking chair made from the slab. Any advice welcome, thanks.

SB

Made a small table top recently of Silky, and I suggest the following: After sanding or scraping to final finish, put on 2 coats of Sanding Sealer. Silky Oak is an open grained timber and if you finish it as I did the first time by just applying wipe on Poly, you get quite a texture in the finished product.

Apply the sanding sealer, sand back and remove dust. Apply second coat of sanding sealer (you will be amazed at how thick that stuff is....but it ends up flat and beautiful!) and sand and remove dust. Then, I am a convert to Minwax wipe on poly. Soft cloth and a nitrile glove...apply not too sparingly. It goes off and is ready for a sand in far less time than other finishes, and then re-apply. I usually go for 3 coats of the gloss. You will end up without brush marks or other blemishes, and because it goes off so quickly, you'll end up with noticeably fewer dust problems.

Mike

[ronbrunton]

Mike

What sanding sealer do you use for the Minwax? I have just completed a project where I only applied Minwax - 4 coats - on silver ash veneer. I am happy with the results, but would have preferred a less textured finish.

Thanks
Ron

[Chipman]

right or wrong, I go a slightly different way...

If staining it, (recipient's choice), burnishit with an oil based stain with 400 grit paper. Fills the grain with the correct colour and no fur. After a couple of days, Wipeon poly followed by waxing


For a clear finish, replace the stain with danish oil.

Messy but I like it.

Bottom line....experiment on scrap first!

Cheers,

Chipman

[cellist]

Mike

What sanding sealer do you use for the Minwax? I have just completed a project where I only applied Minwax - 4 coats - on silver ash veneer. I am happy with the results, but would have preferred a less textured finish.

Thanks
Ron

Hi Ron- I use Feast Watson. Turps cleanup, touch dry in 2-4 and re-sand after 6 hours. Very clear and it does a good job. Looks amazingly gloppy in the can. You can't spray it unless it's diluted by 20%! I found the brushmarks disturbing when I put it on, but you walk away, come back and there are no brush marks to be seen. Easy to sand. After I sand it, I wipe it down with a rag dampened with some turps before letting that dry and coating with the Minwax. Let us know how you go, and how it compares to some of the other suggestions posted. Cheers.
Mike

[ronbrunton]

Thanks Mike, that is very helpful. Unfortunately, it is too late for my most recent project, but I will try your method for the next one.

Ron

[Superbunny]

Thanks guys
Cellist, I always use sanding sealer as well but I don't use two coats, I'll try it to start with. I use Feast Watson also and am happy with the results. I'll do a trial piece first. Thanks for your in put guys.

SB

[Rocker]

Superbunny,

I would be very wary of using silky oak for the rockers or back slats of your rocker. I have found that silky oak is a fairly weak timber when I used it in destructive testing of a zigzag frame.

Rocker