Wood finish advice please

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Wood finish advice please

Postby Miriam C. » Sun Aug 13, 2006 4:32 pm

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Well I got the glue off, cleared out some so I had a place to put wood putty and now I have a mud yellowish line instead of a gray one. Used Elmers external wood fill.

Can anyone tell me what to use to cover my line so it doesn't show. It was also a little uneven so the fill area is larger in some places than others.

I know I need a sanding sealer but, do I put it on then sand or the other way around?

I've never stained anything in my life so long winded suggestions might help to. :worship:

If the sanding sealer is over the wood fill will it make the wood fill be the same color as the sides?

Thank You so much.
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Sanding sealer... etc.

Postby Podunkfla » Sun Aug 13, 2006 6:32 pm

I'm assuming you are going to paint it? Not go for a natural finish? You can use auto body filler (aka: Bondo) to fill and smooth the joint and other flaws... then block sand it with about 150 grit till you can't feel it.

The idea of a sanding sealer is to seal the wood so the wood pores are filled and won't absorb the finish. This makes for a much smoother topcoat. So... best way is to first wipe down the wood with WATER first! This raises the grain and makes little wood fibers stand up. When it's dry, sand it smooth to about 220 grit. Next apply a wood sealer coat. It can be a clear or pigmented sanding sealer. I prefer a shellac based product because it dries fast and just uses denatured alcohol as a solvent. Let it dry good, then sand it again if it feels rough at all. You can apply a few coats to get it nice and slick. The sealer can even be tinted to near the final finish color to help cover flaws (like a joint line). For the smoothest final finish, spraying is prolly the best way... Just like you would spray a car.

If you are doing a clear finish... Well, post again and I'll give you a rundown on ways to do it too.

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Postby Miriam C. » Sun Aug 13, 2006 6:39 pm

Friend Brick's offer. 8)
If you are doing a clear finish... Well, post again and I'll give you a rundown on ways to do it too.

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:D :D :D :D :D :D
Thanks for answering. I am only going to paint if I totally mess up this wood. I reallllllllllllllyyyyyyyy love the natural look so I appreciate help.

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Postby Podunkfla » Sun Aug 13, 2006 9:27 pm

Thanks for answering. I am only going to paint if I totally mess up this wood. I reallllllllllllllyyyyyyyy love the natural look so I appreciate help.


For a clear finish outdoors use a sealer coat or two same as I mentioned before... and sand off all the nubbies between coats. You can use your topcoat thinned 50% for a sealer just fine. Or, you can still use clear shellac for a sealer (just use non-pigmented, of course), this is faster because it dries quick enough you can prolly apply three coats in a day... Not so with spar varnish... it dries pretty slow.

You want to use the best quality marine spar varnish you can afford. Minwax Helmsman is OK, but is not a great product for long term outdoor exposure. The better marine varnishes prolly cost upwards of $80. a gallon! But, they do last longer & have better UV inhibitors... Ya kinda get what ya pay for with this stuff.

Some folks like to seal their wood with epoxy, like boat builders do... Then topcoat with spar varnish for the UV protection it offers. Costs a bit more, but is a very good way to go too.

Main thing to remember is NOT to use any kind of "Poly" as in polyurithane varnish... None of them will hold up outdoors! :shock:

As for your seam or joint... May be a little late now? But it is prolly best to use epoxy (and fiberglas tape?) to make the joint. You can mix some filler like micro-beads to make a putty to fill voids with too. Of course, one of the reasons a lotta guys put a "woodie" kind of trim on their trailers is you can cover up the joints with trim... I like that look anyway, so that's what I'm gonna do to my tear... 8)

I use Mas Epoxy because I can get it for less than West System & others...
http://www.masepoxies.com/mas11.htm

PS: If you want a good spray gun for the money... This HVLP gun from Harbor Freight is a good one. I have three of them! I know a bunch of woodworkers and hot-rod builders that use this gun, it just won't last as long as a 3 or 4 hundred dollar Pro gun like for daily pruduction. They are often on sale for $49.95... I got two a while back for $39.95... I guess those days are gone tho... :o

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=43430

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Postby Miriam C. » Mon Aug 14, 2006 7:40 am

:thumbsup: Thanks very much Brick,
I will try to hide the seam. I think it is too late to fiberglass it too. If I can't hide it I guess I will try to trim it out. I like that look too, its just that I got a smooth side in my mind. 8) Stubborn I think.

I appreciate your help and the links. ;)
Miriam
Last edited by Miriam C. on Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby tonyj » Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:16 am

I haven't ever been able to find a wood filler that would hide a cut-line, nail, screw, defect--whatever. None take the stain color or disappear. The ones that say they do--Lie! I think your best avenue is to design a striking trim pattern. Or paint and faux finish a woodgrain pattern. :lol:

If someone does know of a product that "disappears" I want to know, too.
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Postby Miriam C. » Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:43 am

:( Tonyj
I am coming to grips with the thought of pattern or artistic. The problem is I am not particularly good at that sort of thing. Early on I had toyed with the idea of faux staining but if that goes wrong... :? Well, shudder, :?

I think a tortous shell (red tones) using stain would look great but I am not going to be the person to mess it up. :lol:

Going to sand now. Perhaps the wood will speak to me. 8)
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Postby tonyj » Mon Aug 14, 2006 10:13 am

How about something along the lines of Jackson Pollock?
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You won't see any stinkin' joint lines if you finish it that way and you can tell everyone you copied a famous artist!

Have fun sanding. :lol:
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Postby Miriam C. » Mon Aug 14, 2006 11:33 am

:rofl:
I wonder if he painted every line or just flipped that paint. Deference between art and making a fool of some with too much money.

Not saying what I really think. :lol: But then I have no money.

Practice staining.
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Postby Melvin » Mon Aug 14, 2006 1:13 pm

The other thing you could do is hide the joint with some automotive trim tape. In either a contrasting colour or a retroflective material.
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Postby Miriam C. » Mon Aug 14, 2006 9:32 pm

Thanks for the suggestion Melvin. I hope the stuff I practiced with today will look ok in the morning. I have tried to match up a stain color with the color of the wood fill. I got some minwax guarantee stainable. It is about the same color as colonial maple stain so I am playing with it.

If this doesn't work I will start looking for wood trim ideas. I think auto striping would take more of an artistic eye than I have to look good with a stained tear.

Wouldn't be such an issue if I had done two doors. :roll:

You all take care now
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Postby bledsoe3 » Tue Aug 15, 2006 12:13 am

Miriam C. wrote:Wouldn't be such an issue if I had done two doors. :roll:
Miriam

It's not too late. Just cut a big ol' hole in that sucker. :lol:

I don't know how big of sheets of luan are available in your area but what I did was after I was done with everything else, I glued a sheet of luan over the side walls. I don't have a single seam, nail or screw hole on my sides (except the door hinges).
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Postby Miriam C. » Tue Aug 15, 2006 11:03 am

bledsoe3 wrote:
Miriam C. wrote:Wouldn't be such an issue if I had done two doors. :roll:
Miriam

It's not too late. Just cut a big ol' hole in that sucker. :lol:

You don't know how close I am to doing just that. :twisted: However the bubble oil isn't quite that low and with my big window......

I don't know how big of sheets of luan are available in your area but what I did was after I was done with everything else, I glued a sheet of luan over the side walls. I don't have a single seam, nail or screw hole on my sides (except the door hinges).
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Thanks anyway. :thumbsup:
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Postby mosportsmen » Tue Aug 15, 2006 11:21 am

When you say "No Poly" does that hold true for interior also? I would think it would be good enough for my interior finish?

I will be fiberglassing the top and spreading at least one coat of epoxy on the sides. This beast is being tamed but it is one sweep of the sord at a time. But I hope to get the interior walls done this week.
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Postby Podunkfla » Tue Aug 15, 2006 12:51 pm

When you say "No Poly" does that hold true for interior also? I would think it would be good enough for my interior finish?


Poly is fine for interior use... It just doesn't do well outdoors. Having said that, I am not a big fan of the stuff except for floors. I rarely use it on furniture. I primarily use a catalized lacquer for kitchen & bath cabinets. For old furniture restorations and antiques I use dewaxed shellac.

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