Maybe this should go over to knots, but I’ll give it a try here. I finished some clear pine crown/cornice detail for our master bedroom with a coat of stain and one coat Polycrylic (Minwax). Planning for subsequent coats, but I’m a bit worried the water based may not give me the finished look I’m after. The first coat doesn’t do the nice pine justice.
Anyone help me decide if more water based coats will suffice for more enhancement of the wood, or is it possible for me to apply oil poly or tung oil?
BTW, the look I’m after is to fairly match the existing doug fir darker stained case & base. After many tries on several wood variations, I finally feel good about the stain color. Nothing except more fir will be exactly matching, but this is close. Besides, fir is fairly hard to get anymore in 1X or even customs like crown and chair rails.
Any input is appreciated.
Neither cold, nor darkness will deter good people from hastening to the dreadful place to quench the flame. They do it not for the sake of reward or fame; but they have a reward in themselves, and they love one another.
-Benjamin Franklin
Replies
Personally, I've never seen pine stained well. It always looks blotchey.
I have been happily surprised with the results of my recent finishing on pine. Some has gotten sanding sealer (if I remember), but most has turned out fairly well with stain and poly.
I must admit the recent interior work on my in-laws house that I've done with clear pine did turn out blotchy. It looks good nonetheless, they're happy.
As I said, I'm using pine as a best option to match my doug fir. I know with the proper stain, cherry is close, but my budgets never allow. I had someone recommend using nice fir 2X and re-saw and plane for boards, but that's lotsa work.
I have used fir flooring from Menards for cabinet face frames before. Works well to rip the T&G off. Seems to match OK.Neither cold, nor darkness will deter good people from hastening to the dreadful place to quench the flame. They do it not for the sake of reward or fame; but they have a reward in themselves, and they love one another.
-Benjamin Franklin
One of the downsides of some wb finishes is the cold look. I havent seen one yet that matches the warm golden look of solvent finishes, though some come far closer than others.
Fuhr is a WB lacquer I've used that I think is the closest. I've had test boards done up and about 75% of the people asked to distinguish between wb and solvent put that in the solvent batch. And its durable. Polycrylic is hugely cold. So, what to do.
I prefer to tint the top coats just a touch, and a little amber (golden brown or honey amber transtint) goes a long way, and the transtints are compatible. It does put you in the boat of having to be really sure of the even-ness of your coats, since an uneven patch, a drip, a run . . . you have more color there and it could be visible.
I myself would be cool too at the idea of a solvent stain, wb finish, and back to solvent over that. Your first coat of finish either did or didnt add depth. Solvent after that isnt going to cure it and could (not will, but could) have adhesion problems. I havent done it to tell you that it will or what products will. I have shot Kem Aqua over a nitro lacquer finish and it gripped extremely tight, so maybe thats an indicator of hope.
I think its Behlen (kind of tan label with brown writing) that makes another one I kind of like. It seems really thin but I've used that trying to replicate a factory glazed finish on cherry. It let me put down a number of very thin coats without building much film until I got the color tweaked, and since it was in the finish, I knew it wasnt going to change with more clear on top. I think the solids content of that one must be much lower than KA or polycrylic.
Last thought, polycrylic has one thing going for it that I like. Its the perfect finish on the days you'd never dream of spraying anything else. 50 degrees out and raining, shoot something on sawhorses in a garage with the door open. Its just glass. But try shooting it at 80 and low humidity. Totally different, in a bad way.
Real trucks dont have sparkplugs
Yeah, polycrylic wasn't the best choice. I was in a hurry and wanted to make the most of the weekend. Best option now is solvent over the water. this gives me good opportunity to fill holes.
I have been tinkering with different finishes for the new woodwork in various areas of the house. I think I'll steel wool the water based before adding the next coat anyway, so hopefully adhesion isn't an issue.
Thanks for your detailed response.Neither cold, nor darkness will deter good people from hastening to the dreadful place to quench the flame. They do it not for the sake of reward or fame; but they have a reward in themselves, and they love one another.
-Benjamin Franklin
"I think I'll steel wool the water based before adding the next coat any"
I believe best practices forbids the use of steel wool and waterbased products. Water + steel = rust spots.