Iron bark bench

[solm1]

Hi, As I am new to this forum.. i have no idea what i am doing..., but here goes..I have been searching the threads for ideas as to seal the laminated Iron bark bench tops i have created, by laminating 40mm x 40mm strips together, I have found lots of threads with differing ideas, Tung oil, hard burnishing oil, danish oil, 1 part, 2 part floor sealers, etc etc,
i am hoping someone will be able to shead some light on what is best to use...
I am hoping to keep the great looks of the tops so far...without making them look fake.. ei: 2 pac is out....
Cheers...

[busyhands]

Hi Solm1,
I am by no means an expert in finishes, but for what it's worth, I have used a natural oil called Kunos Oil. It is food safe (which is important if these are kitchen benches), gives a lovely finish and is very easy to apply. You don't need a lot of oil to cover a large surface, and you will get a get quite a good shine (without the high gloss look you don't seem to want). It is available from "Colours by Nature" in the ACT - and they deliver anywhere in Australia. You can find them at <cite>www.coloursbynature.com.au/

Hope this helps. Regards, busyhands.
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[Tung tied]

Hi Solm1,

I have a preference for Tung oil for a satin - gloss finish. 3- 4 coats with a bit of a sand or steel wool between coats 1 - 2 - 3. Depending on the look I'm after I'll sand to 400 or 800 and use tung oil. It comes up lovely and is fairly durable. Or if I'm after something a bit more textured I'll sand to only about 120 and use danish oil. If you've got some bits left over it's probably worth doing a few test pieces to see which one you prefer.

Cheers

Bryan