I’m trying to finish about 1500 square feet of new brazilian cherry with a U-sand random orbital sander (four 6″ pads”). I started with 40 grit but it takes forever! I’m thinking of switching to a drum sander from the local rental store, but I’ve read they have pretty steep learning curve. I need to do something…that brazilian cherry is harder than a groom on his wedding night!! Any thoughts or grit sequence for new Brazilian Cherry (Jatoba)
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What is the problem? Too much material to remove to level the floor? I haven't used those particular sanders before. What I've used is the squarepad sanders that work the same way. (about 24x20")
There I started with 24 grit paper and got the floor level. Once level it's extremely quick to go through the grits to polish it up. I'd say 85% of the time was on that first grit. I used 2 sheets of 24 grit and in retrospect I should have used 3 for 500 sq. ft. but once level I went thru each grit in very short order and I saved all the rest of sheets for the next two or three floors I do..
Yes absolutly don't use drum sanders! While they are faster getting things level the probablity of deep gouges is simply too great for a novice without an expert right there to guide them.
what sequence of grit did you use if you started with 24?I tried starting with 40 but it took me about 3 hours to do about 100 square feet. Maybe I should have started with 24 like you.
before you settle on that finish can I talk you into trying shellac?
If you don't like it, it wipes right up with no need to sand.
Here's why to try shellac..
1st. it's the finest finish there is.. used by expensive furniture makers, antique restorers, and violin makers the world over. Nothing brings out the natural beauty of wood better.
2nd. it's extremely safe.. you've been eating shellac all of your life.. candy and pills are coated with it.. it's biodegradable and renewable.
3rd. It's extremely durable some have written here about shellac lasting more than 80 years.. Talk to a floor refinisher and they will tell you it's among the hardest to sand off.. yet you can do instant invisable repairs any time in the next 100 years if you want.. No sanding involved..
4th it's Cheap, fast, and easy to apply. If you want I'll talk your through the simple steps involved and honestly you will have1500 sq.ft. done in about 3 hours and the furniture back in place that afternoon.. If you start doing it at 8:00 in the morning when you eat lunch it will be done and there will be no odor present..
I agree with you in most cases. The buyer should always buy fresh shellac. Because shellac is not sold all that often it can get old sitting on a shelf. That is the reason I use shellac flakes. However shellac does not do justice to dark colored woods as an oil finish would. Shellac looks great on woods such as Maple but not on Walnut. If an oil finish is used on light colored woods such as Maple it will bring out the greens and reds and leave an amber color. Shellac will not. In dark colored woods such as walnut, shellac will not bring out those colors but will leave a rather flat looking surface.
What?
How can you say that? Have you looked at my floor pictures? (85891.1& 94941.1 scroll through to get all the floor pictures) ) Black walnut with nothing more than Zinsser's blonde shellac.. No stain no anything!
Zinssers changed the formula a few years back and now shellac over a year old is fine.. I've even used some that was older than that.. straight out of the can add denatured alcohol to it in a 2 -1 ration and slop 'er on.
I can't paint so I simply flood or mop it on and it comes out beautiful!
You did not mention what kind of shellac flakes you used. Orange shellac will look different than super blonde shellac.Take one piece of Sugar Maple and Walnut and then put super blonde shellac on one end and an oil finish on the other end and compare. Then you will see the differences.If you pour on any finish to a plastic like thickness it will look much different than when you keep it thin such as when using shellac polish.
Edited 11/7/2008 3:17 pm by gb93433
I've stopped using flakes since Zinssers changed their formula, now it's straight from the Bulls eye can.
It's far cheaper than buying flakes and it's never once failed me. (Unlike flakes which have)..
Yes I've used the trick of grinding them up with a coffee grinder, yes I've tried the double boiler trick of appling shellac at a warm temp.. I even tried trick of using linseed oil instead of water to heat up the shellac in a double boiler.
Right now I open a can, spend maybe 30 seconds or so stirring it up, dump 2 gallons into a pot and one gallon of Zinsser's bullseye and mop it on..
Bang!
Instant grain pop! Three coats and I'm happy with the finish.. (you did look at the pictures didn't you?)
Far better than oil and it lasts for decades or longer. I've got a grandfather clock I made that I oiled and waited and reoiled and waited and reoiled and waited and reoiled and waited.. Yet every 2 years it needed further attention..
When this house is finished it's getting a shellacin'
If I wanted a french polish finish I could achieve that but I don't like that look, (or maybe more accurite I'm not willing to put the insane amount of effort into it that french polishing calls for).. I can achieve 90% of that finish by putting a 4th coat on and then color sanding it to 4000 grit.. Followed by a careful paste waxing.. Only real experts could possibly tell and I could do 500 sq.ft. to that level in a day.. whereas doing 500 sq.ft. with french polish would take me the better part of 3 weeks.. (sorry I'm just not that vigerous anymore)
I have Jatoba too. I actually started with 50grit, but next time I will start with 36grit. I used one of those 3head random orbital Varathane sanders. Took a lot of time, but I didnt have as much to do. I agree with Frenchy, stay away from the drum. The pro models are wood eaters.
By the way, what are you using to finish it? If any of the polys, I would make sure to check out the potential for a white crazing with Jatoba. I learned that some can lead to a white crazing sometime after finishing. If you have not already, do a search and you should find some more info. No idea why or what causes it.
Brad
hey brad, can you tell me what grits you used for your floor?? also I'm planning on using a waterbased finish. Bona Traffic.
Bona traffic is what I used too. The supplier I was dealing seemed to know his stuff and I dont think he was just trying to upsell me. I did track down some others that found the same and recommended the Bona Traffic. I can already hear Frenchy gettin fired up for the shellac talk.
I started with 36 grit. The Varathane sander may work a bit better, but I doubt it. It is essentially three 7" orbitals with a big mass (motor) in the center. Most of these rental type ones are all toys in comparsion to the drums. I bet I spent close to 1d sanding around 400sqft with it and maybe another 4hr - 6hr with an orbital. I have another 800sq ft to go, but not for a while. Its tedious, but be patient.
Brad
<hey brad, can you tell me what grits you used for your floor??>
Down here, we eat the grits.
Forrest
<potential for a white crazing with Jatoba>
Down here, it's white crazing with Obama!
Forrest
I have used a floor polisher machine with a sanding screen to make the rough cut. Works OK, once you learn to "steer" it, but that has a bit of a learning curve -- don't put anything breakable nearby. ;-)
These are a bit easier to control the cut than the drum sanders, which can easily make the floor look like the ocean on a windy day.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA