Pointers/education on finishing new doug fir millwork

10 years ago

Finish work is still several weeks away on my remodel but I'm actually finally getting a bit of time to think ahead.

My design style is Craftsman/A&C. All the millwork, windows, and doors will be VGDF. (Doors and windows finally ordered ...)

All the windows and doors (except the front door) will be coming unfinished.

I'm looking for pointers to begin to educate myself on the the finish I want for this stuff.

From everything I've read, fir, like all softwoods, doesn't take stain well. I'm fine with that, I think. In fact, I don't think I'm looking for much different than a natural finish, though possibly a slight tint, which I'll have to pick? I'm not trying to particularly bring out the grain but neither do I want to hide it. I'd also like it to be relatively light in color, so close to natural? Don't want it to make the house feel dark.

I gotta admit, I'm not sure what is typically used to finish stain-grade millwork, including baseboards. Lacquer? Shellac? I gotta admit, I find myself trying to avoid poly. Without knowing that, I'm not even sure in what way color is applied, if it is.

Featured Answer

User

10 years ago

Non poly varnish is the best interior option. It comes in gloss, semi-gloss, satin, and matte varieties.

As for the outside finish, paint with clear paint. Yes, I said clear paint.

This is a picture of a walnut cross I built and installed at our mayor's church. This picture is a year after installation. The paint is Sherwin Williams A100 Ultra Deep tint base with no color additives added. Two coats. No primer. The tint base goes on milky and dries transparent.

As you can see, the grain and color of the walnut is still quite natural.

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Comments (11)

aptosca
Original Author
10 years ago
Gotta admit, I've never heard of clear paint.

The custom door builder I'm using uses a mix of an oil-based stain and a spar varnish.

I just ordered a book on understanding wood finishing/finishes. :-)
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User
10 years ago
Spar varnish needs periodic renewing, depending on the severity of the weather experienced. Could be 2 years or three, but seldom longer. I know several builders who swear by a finish, but the reason is generally because of either ease of application or the initial appearance. Seldom because of longevity.
aptosca thanked User
aptosca
Original Author
10 years ago
Yeah. The door builder sends out mail every year to remind his customers.
PRO
Sombreuil
10 years ago
Are you asking about exterior clear finishes? I thought it was about interior trim.

Casey
aptosca thanked Sombreuil
aptosca
Original Author
10 years ago
Actually, I was thinking about interior finishes.

I haven't decided what I want to do on the exterior. The windows are VGDF interior and exterior but I've been planning on painting the outsides. (The entry door was aways going to be stained.) I have started mulling over whether I wanted to not paint the windows.

But, yeah, I originally was just thinking about the interior.
salex
10 years ago
I have a lot of VGDF in my house and typically use Arm-R-Seal wipe-on poly applied with a cotton rag. This stuff adds a tiny bit of yellow/orange (which I like) whereas most water-based finishes will be crystal clear.

If I want a slightly warmer color, I use amber shellac. Shellac is soluble in denatured alcohol, so some household cleaners can slowly dissolve the finish.

If I want darker color, I use a custom mix of TransTint dyes in either water or dewaxed shellac (SealCoat) - in my experience those dyes do not blotch DF as much as a lot of oil-based stains - and follow with 3-5 coats of Arm-R-Seal. Before I started using dyes, I would use a thin coat of SealCoat followed 10-15 minutes later with gel stain (SealCoat is to block some of the pores and help minimize blotching).

Good call to invest in a finishing book. Good luck and please post photos!
aptosca thanked salex
sambah006
10 years ago
Non poly varnish looks the best on VGF. But it takes considerable expertise to make look good.

A wipe on oil based poly would be second as far as looks go, but a lot easier to apply.

Water based poly would look like garbage. Who cares what the difficulty of application would be.

Whatever you do, don't stain the wood. VG fir with a clear oil based varnish finish is very handsome and needs no help in the color department. The varnish will bring out red, orange, yellow, and gold tones in the wood color. It becomes very warm yet neutral. And it will harmonize with just about every color and texture imaginable.

Don't stain or tint the wood.
aptosca
Original Author
10 years ago
I'm not sure what my finish options are, being in CA and subject to CALGreen. Many of our finishes have to be water-based now, though I don't know the details yet.

I'm leaning towards a natural finish. That's what I do with my cherry applications. I'm not entirely crazy about going too yellow, though. But I'm also not sure I want to add any tint.

I have a couple of months to finish reading Understanding Wood Finishing and to try some samples.

Thanks, all, for the input.
User
10 years ago
Fir will darken and turn a deep orange with time ... a clear shellac would give you the "natural wood" look and protect it against hand grime.
aptosca thanked User
aptosca
Original Author
10 years ago
Yeah, there's a short documentary on the Gamble house that shows one of the attics that is all finished in fir and it has that color.

I'm leaning that way.

Thanks!