Waterlox and residue?

5 years ago

I bought a small cut of sapele to experiment with Waterlox. My intention is to use the experimental piece for a laundry room counter. A large piece of sapele will be used for the counter on my island, if I’m pleased with the Waterlox and sapele color result. Will Waterlox leave any residue that will stain clothing that will be piled on the laundry room counter? Waterlox seems to be the sealer of choice, but is there a better alternative for a sealer? I’ve heard Arm-R-Seal is good as well. We won't be cutting vegetables directly on the cunter.

Featured Answer

Aglitter

5 years ago

Waterlox dries to a lacquer finish and will not transfer. The smell is obnoxious and will last days even after each coat dries, so be prepared. Waterlox has an oil component that turns wood orange, so be sure you like the color orange before you commit to it. Sapele tends to be an oily wood with interior resin vapors that may escape at warmer temperatures, so I don't know how well Waterlox will adhere to it. I tested Waterlox on cherry wood for a cabinetry project and hated it. My next option was a two-part, post-catalyzed, waterborne finish that dries clear and is very durable, and I've been happy with that as my final coating. Wood can be a really tricky surface for a full countertop especially in a kitchen. I might reconsider choice of materials.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

Terri Wilson
Original Author
5 years ago
@Silverlined, was it Brazilian cherry or American cherry? I was thinking of American cherry as an option. I'm hoping to get a good match to my floors, which are red cumaru. Yes, I'm convinced they really are red cumaru. The "experts" have told me there is no such thing as red cumaru, but they are identical to my sister's cumaru floors, just a little redder. Not anywhere near as red as Brazilian cherry however.
Related Professionals
Grand Forks Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Portsmouth Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Lake Havasu City Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · San Francisco Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Florence Bathroom Remodelers · Greensboro Cabinets & Cabinetry · Oklahoma City Cabinets & Cabinetry · Calgary Cabinets & Cabinetry · Jonesboro Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Traverse City Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Dover Kitchen Remodelers · Dallas Kitchen Remodelers · Aurora Kitchen Remodelers · DeRidder Custom Countertops · Cleveland Custom Countertops
Aglitter
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
I used American Black Cherry wood for cabinetry. You almost cannot get Brazilian Cherry (which is unrelated to American Black) except as a veneer for flooring. Butcher block is going to be American Black if you want solid Cherry. Matching an existing floor is going to be 99% impossible without a lot of money and expert assistance into the project. Do you have an aversion to quartz for some reason? Again, I repeat that Waterlox will turn anything it touches into an orange-leaning hue due to the tung oil component.
Terri Wilson thanked Aglitter
Terri Wilson
Original Author
5 years ago
My perimeter counters will be quartz. We really like the warmth of wood. The island is rather large. About 40" x 8.5". Will seat 4. The flooring actually has some golden hues. Not a lot, but it's there. So maybe the Waterlox will actually be good choice. As long as it's ok for laundry to sit on, I'll put it on my small picece and see how it looks.
Terri Wilson
Original Author
5 years ago
@Aglitter, I have an old, American cherry Ethan Allen plate rack. It's exacly the color of the floor. I'm sure the fact that it's old has something to do with it matching so well. It's had probably 30+ years to patina.
Aglitter
5 years ago
If by golden you mean yellow, the Waterlox will disappoint. It imbues an orange hue. Once cured, it will not transfer to my knowledge, at least as long as kept dry. If you intend to put wet laundry on it, that's a different story.