I own a 30 yr old log home, the original owners never sealed any of the woodwork. Through the years it has darkened, both from dirt and age. I’ve been sanding the interior log walls and would like to seal them. When working with new wood, I know that water based poly tends to go on clearer without yellowing, but when I apply it to the aged logs, they darken right back up. Does anybody have recommendations for clear finishes that won’t darken the old wood? It’s amazing how much lighter the sanded walls make the rooms so I would like to keep that look.
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Replies
Tommymc
You won't like the answer,
it's paint..
you can acid wash the wood and get it all shiney clean and the nature of wood will quickly start right back in making things dark.
Log homes tend to be worse.
I have black walnut exterior timbers and trim.. 5 years after the best varnish available went on it's time to strip all the varnish , sand the wood to bring back the orignal color and then revarnish, estimates vary but most are near $80,000 to do it.. , Or I can paint everything brown for 5% of that.
Mr. Frenchy
reread that post - he is talking interior
I would have bet a bazillion dollars you would have said s*****c and you said paint
sounds like a sacrilege to me
take another gander
appreciate your passion
John,
it applies to the inside as well most log homes are made of pine, pine when exposed to the UV light darkens with age..
...or you can pull all of that sorry walnut off, stack it in the yard, and I'll come by and take it off yer hands...
Why not shellac?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Piffin,
most log homes are pine.. pine darkens with age.
You really ought to be more carefull with that word, "most"not that it matters here.Most wood darkens with age.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Piffin,
I'm aware that black walnut lightens with age and then eventually turns grey.
Yes, I'm referring to the interior woodwork, which is pine. BTW, when I bought the place, the exterior was a mess. I talked with the log home mfg about sanding/lightening the logs and got a similar answer to what Frenchy said....I went with dark solid stain.
The thing about the interior walls is that I have sanded them and gotten the dark aged color off. I know they will re-darken in time, but it seems that just the application of a finish darkens them. I guess I'll try some of the finishes you all recommend on a sample and see which looks lightest. Thanks.
I would try extra blond or bleached shellac. That should seal it nicely. I'd use shellac cut with quite a bit of alcohol so it would penetrate a little more. Use dewaxed shellac if you think you may ever want to varnish over it.
Go to homesteadfinishing.com and look at the General Finishes Enduro Poly they make a flat sheen which should work just fine they also make a finish thats even flatter than flat , If that makes sense. Its not on the site but Jeff might be able to get it for you.
Give Jeff a call there and he can help you.
Heres a link, I swear by this stuff
http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/htdocs/generalfinishes.htm#generalclears
Edited 12/5/2007 6:43 pm by Sancho
Edited 12/5/2007 6:45 pm by Sancho