Smooth finish on Jarrah burl

[Scrap Woody]

Hi wood fanatics. This is my first thread! I am using a Jarrah Burl to make a vanity top for my new bathroom. It will be a stand alone slab with the basin on top and without any cupboards below, attached somehow to the wall with only a leg at the outer edge to keep it from falling over.
My question is, are there any products that I can use to fill in the holes/cracks without making the top look like a patchwork quilt? Something that can be applied by a novice like me and able to be sanded. I like using tung oil products and satin finishing oil (Feast Watson's Fine Buffing Oil), but since this will be in the bathroom I want the timber to look good AND to last. I don't want to use polyurethane. In some woodwork shops I have seen burls with some sort of black substance filling the cracks, and it looked pretty good because it didn't take away the raw feel of the piece of timber being used. Can you help?

[Juffy]

The black substance will be resin + brickies oxide. There's a whole raft of threads on it, here's a good recent one:

https://www.woodworkforums.com.au/sho...ht=resin+oxide

[Ironwood]

Hi Scrap Woody, welcome to the forum.

I have used clear casting resin tinted black to fill holes in burls before.
Also used it clear and left the holes and cavities clear, so you can see through them. Both ways look great. Depends what look you are after.
I would be using a clear 2-pac finish in a bathroom environment, I have used a product called Adeze with good results (sprayed on), Wattyl 7008 would also be suitable, I have heard of people getting good results with this stuff using a lambswool roller of some sort.
Dont forget to seal the bottom of the slab equally as the top.

Double click on this link to see some benchtops I've finished with Adeze. It cops plenty of abuse and its still holding up very well
https://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=37935

[Scrap Woody]

Thanks for the tips. If I can work out how to post a photo I will include once job is fnished!

[Stef]

Hi Scrap Woody, welcome to the forum.

I have used clear casting resin tinted black to fill holes in burls before.
Also used it clear and left the holes and cavities clear, so you can see through them. Both ways look great. Depends what look you are after.
I would be using a clear 2-pac finish in a bathroom environment, I have used a product called Adeze with good results (sprayed on), Wattyl 7008 would also be suitable, I have heard of people getting good results with this stuff using a lambswool roller of some sort.
Dont forget to seal the bottom of the slab equally as the top.

Double click on this link to see some benchtops I've finished with Adeze. It cops plenty of abuse and its still holding up very well
https://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=37935

Ironwood they are the best bbq cabinets i have ever seen. The finish on the bench tops look great to.

I just pick up a fair bit of Cooktown Ironwood (lovely timber) and im just playing around with a few different finishes to see what looks best.

Who makes Adeze and is it a 2 pac.

Thanks

[Ironwood]

Ironwood they are the best bbq cabinets i have ever seen. The finish on the bench tops look great to.

I just pick up a fair bit of Cooktown Ironwood (lovely timber) and im just playing around with a few different finishes to see what looks best.

Who makes Adeze and is it a 2 pac.

Thanks

Hi Stef,
thanks for the compliment.
Adeze is a 2-pac polyurethane product, ussually sprayed on, but a slower, brushable grade hardener is available (I've never tried it though).
Adeze used to be a Toby product, but I think Orica bought them out and now produce Adeze.(maybe still with the Toby label, not sure though)
The last lot that I bought(used on those benchtops), my supplier had trouble getting it because of the changeover, took a few weeks to get it. The quality seemed to be the same as before.
A google search might bring up some more info. I know DGI (Dale Glass Industries) use Adeze on their benchtops.

I have used NC precat. lacquer on some Cooktown Ironwood projects as well, it works well also, probably a bit easier to spray on, but not quite as durable and scratch resistant as the Adeze.

When you are working the Cooktown Ironwood make sure you take measures not to breath the dust, Its quite nasty. Its worth the effort to work it though, its a beautiful looking timber, my favourite.

Good luck with it, let us know how you go.