Live Edge Walnut dining table FINISH???

5 years ago

What type of oil based finish should be used on a Live edge walnut dining table? Anybody know anything about Chemcraft—436-2400 ora Verde Acrilico PU Clear Sealer? Need help ASAP. Thanks.

Featured Answer

Juan Kerr

5 years ago

I've made several. My favorite is Oregon walnut.

I ALWAYS finish them with precat lacquer or conversion varnish. The precat works best and is much easier for anyone who has never sprayed before- conversion is, well, pretty nasty stuff. But then again I'm guessing you are in over your head anyway. A live edge slab table (just the raw materials, mind you) costs a pretty penny nowadays and the finish absolutely will make or break it.

If I were you I'd try to find a local shop that is willing to give you some help. Maybe not do it for you, just... Show you. You might start with small cabinet shops.

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Comments (6)

kvdjas
Original Author
5 years ago
Help!
lindac92
5 years ago
Did you or someone you know make the table? of a slab of walnut with the live edge?
It's wood....treat it as such....I would use at least 3 coats of a polyurethane varnish and steel wool with a 10 O steel wool, tack cloth and recoat.
What difference does a live edge make?
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Juan Kerr
5 years ago
Oh, and using a water white acrylic sealer (that's what that is I think, I didn't look though) would be "step one"- I just seal with the precat, and skip the sealer. 1 light coat, sand with 220 lightly, another light (but slightly heavier) coat, a heavy coat, then final top coat. Lacquer dries quick, you can recoat fast but let it cure and fine sand between each coat. You'll end up with a very smooth too, with a nice sheen. Fwiw I prefer satin, semigloss gets too reflective for my taste.
kvdjas
Original Author
5 years ago
Is the precat that you are referring to similar to the Chemcraft product that I mentioned? And are you saying precat AND lacquer as the top coat? Still a bit confused. I’m not doing it myself— however, the woodworker that has made the table has SO many products- that he is asking me to choose. They have also done Man O War Marin varnish on live edge also. I just want the most beautiful and durable and kind scratch resistant. He is trying the Chemcraft product on several other things and suggested it on my live edge dining table. It was recommended from a cabinet person.
rwiegand
5 years ago
Ask your woodworker to show you samples of her various finishing regimens on the same kind of wood as your table. Then pick what you like, assuming that it has the appropriate durability. No way you can or should pick based on web site descriptions or whatever. If s/he hasn't used this product before s/he should make a sample, following the exact schedule of sanding and finish products that would be used on your table. This should preferably done using an offcut of the same boards as in your table. Anything else is asking for disaster. I can't imagine asking a customer to be a guinea pig for an unproven finish-- especially on a piece where it will be especially hard to strip it off and start over when you find out it has "the look of real plastic".