What varnish to use on beach wood

[HarryO]

I have a very old baby cot (family heirloom) which I want to refurbish for my first grand kid due in December. I have totally dismantled it and sanded it back to bare beach wood.

Given the smelly end of babies :eek: I think I need to seal the wood so a wood stain will not work - anyone got some advise on which varnish / sealant to use.

I want to stay with the natural look of the beach wood.

Thanks

[Greatsouthernland]

Shellac.

3 to 5 coats. No sanding required between. Can wax at end. No need to french polish it.

This blog guide is a good start.

http://paulsellers.com/2011/04/how-to-apply-shellac-as-practical-wood-finnish/

[Dorian]

If you want to "seal" the wood so it's easy to clean and doesn't get usage stains, then you will need something like a poly urethane. That will give you a gloss (even the stain urethane is a bit glossy) finish, but most of the modern urethanes are fairly clear so the wood won't darken with the coating. It's tough and hard also you can clean it with most household cleaners, spray and wipe etc. You can get this stuff in spray packs as well. Don't bother with the two pack stuff as that's really only for floors.

Danish oils give nice finishes and are usually rubbed on with a rag, it's used a lot in restoring old functional furniture as it gives an oiled finish but sets hardish. This gives a true matte surface, though you will need to apply several coats (3 to 5) to get a sealed surface. It will seal the wood and keeps the surface ok, but it would need to be cleaned with a furniture polish like o'cedar oil, to keep it in good nick. For my money it's the best traditional looking surface, however, wouldn't recommend it for a kids cot. Teak and other oils are pretty much the same

Traditional varnish will darken the timber and it not that good at being waterproof. Usually only used in restoration projects now.

Shellac is good for filling the pores of timber and it's a beautiful finish, but it's really hard to apply properly talking 20 or so coats, also it's easily damaged.

The original finish for everyday furniture was to put down a couple of coats of shellac and then polish it with bees wax. gently Use a hair drier on low to get the wax into the wood. But this finish like oils need maintenance and is easily damaged by heat and water. It is a lovely finish though.

I'd suggest you use a spray on matte polyurethane, put down two light coats. You should get a traditional looking surface that's easy to keep looking good

Cheers Glen

[Greatsouthernland]

Repairing Shellac Finishes:

Shellac finishes should be kept away from water, as they will become dull or even have a white residue appear when exposed to moisture. Should your shellac finish develop water spots, repair is relatively simple. Use straight alcohol on a pad and remove the shellac from the offending area. Then pad or brush on a series of coats of shellac and rub it out until the finish is even.

Should a surface scratch appear through the finish, use a fine artist's brush to fill the scratch with shellac. Rub out the finish to even out the color between the repaired scratch and the surrounding finish.

[87County]

Thinking outside the square the most durable clear timber finish is a floor coating and IMHO the best of these is a water based quick-drying dulux product called cabot's cfp available in gloss or satin.

http://www.google.com.au/url'sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCcQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdemo.autospec.com.au%2Fproductmed ia%2Fcabolts%2Fcabots_data_pdfs%2Finterior%2Fcfp_g loss.pdf&ei=t4PqU57uGoO58gXCgIFo&usg=AFQjCNGbDVvEfIZOxpsutRMeHLiBN42UeA&bvm=bv.72938740,d.dGc

Non-toxic when dry (according to the product data sheet) - it will get chewed on as new teeth get tried out.

It is a very thin liquid (as thin as water) so only apply very sparingly and wipe any drips - I've found that it dries quickly and is very hard and durable.

I have used it on everything from coffee tables to a timber trailer floor.