Natural Finish: Advice Needed

[wlivesey]

Let me start by saying, I don't know anything about finishing wood. I know this is the place to get some good advice on the topic. This pic below is a good example of what I'm going for. I'm thinking of using Ash plywood and would like to keep as close to a light, natural finish as possible. I don't want to see much grain at all.

Could I get some pointers on how to achieve this? Thanks in advance!

[EffieRover]

If you're looking for little or no grain, try a sanding sealer followed by a pickling (white) stain. Followed, of course, by your choice of shellac, varnish, polyurethane, whatever. Sand lightly after the sealer and the pickling stain will make only a subtle difference - just hiding the grain and lightening the color. I find a nice poly or varnish then darkens just enough to create the richness of wood without the yellowish tones. Works on almost any wood (probably not mahogany or cherry but I haven't had the privilege) - gives it a European feel. Hope that helps.

[wlivesey]

Wow... That's great info. Thank you! I'll have to test that out on some scraps. It sounds like I might want to practice a bit. Thanks again!

[madjack]

Bill, I would recommend pickling as well...also recommend doing a test piece before hand to establish your technique...you can get it as solid or translucent as you like...you can also kinda splotch out and havvta spend a week sanding ...don't ask how I know about that one........
madjack

p.s. we pickled the ceiling in our first tear...birch ply, pickling, PolyCryllic, an indoor clear...here' a pic..........MJ

[wlivesey]

p.s. we pickled the ceiling in our first tear...birch ply, pickling, PolyCryllic, an indoor clear...here' a pic..........MJ

I would love it if mine turned out like that. That's the look I'm going for. The Birch looks great, I wonder how Ash would turn out??? I don't think I've seen an Ash interior before.

[madjack]

...ash being a lighter wood with minimal graining, it should show up a slightly more uniform coloring...since you can pretty much control the color level with the pickling, you should be able to make it as light as you want...the birch in that pic was a fairly dark color and you can see how it came out.......
madjack

[wlivesey]

EffieRover, Madjack, Thanks for all your help!!! Here is my first test. I think it's going to work out perfectly.

This is birch ply, with a coat of sanding sealer followed by two coats of pickling stain and two coats of satin polycrylic. I think it needs one more coat of polycrylic before it's done. I'm really impressed with how closely this matches the Airstream interior I posted previously.

Again, THANK YOU!!! You guys have really helped me get the look I was going for.



I love this website!!!

[EffieRover]

Glad I could help with sumpthin

[Roly Nelson]

Pickling, pickling, what's pickling? Can it just be a light or white stain?
Roly

[madjack]

Pickling, pickling, what's pickling? Can it just be a light or white stain?
Roly

...also known as "whitewash"......................................

[EffieRover]

Pickling, pickling, what's pickling? Can it just be a light or white stain?

My understanding is that pickling is what you're doing to the wood by applying the white stain. Never heard it used with any color other than white. Have often discussed 'pickling stain' although there really is no such thing. It's just white stain.

[kennyrayandersen]

Yeah – I did the girls bunk beds (years ago) using a Behr white base cut 50% with water (water-based) and followed up with a water-based polyurethane. I used an HVLP gun and shot it right in the house – no problems whatever. It has held up really well through the years.