5 Different Finishes, 5 Different Results [Walnut Edition] 

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Interesting

I’ll have to check it out!

Very nice. I’ll have to check it out.

I've had some good luck spraying water based floor finishes, pretty amazing products. Wondering how they would work on kitchen cabinets as compared to post catalyzed solvent based varnish?

I like waterlox as well. It just smells awful lol

I have some ideas for a video like that in the future for sure

Glad it was helpful

I have a few other colors I want to try and see if I can find a good solution

No problem!!

😂 I like to live dangerously. Glad you enjoyed the video.

You’re welcome

Awesome! Glad it helped with your confidence!

I wanted to leave a follow up in case my experience helps anyone else. I ended up building two walnut table-style vanities and one eight-drawer storage chest (also out of walnut) for our new master bathroom. After watching a few other videos, I went with Rubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C Pure. I sanded everything to 120-grit, and then applied the Rubio Monocoat. I absolutely love the product. It's so easy to apply (I wouldn't think there's any possible way to mess it up), and it has a very pleasant smell to it. It really brought out the rich, deep color of the walnut in such a gorgeous way. But I did feel like the surface was too rough. If I brushed against the dark wood with a dusty pant leg (which happens often as the bathroom is still under construction), the dust would not wipe off easily. In fact, trying to wipe it off seemed to kind of bury the dust further into the wood. I ended up giving the vanities and storage chest another sanding using 220-grit sandpaper, and after cleaning the dust off really well (I just used a wet rag since I figured the first coat of Rubio Monocoat oil had soaked into the pores of the wood and would keep it safe from the water) and letting it dry completely overnight, I applied a second coat of Rubio Monocoat. The new finish is GORGEOUS!! It really brought out more of the beauty of the wood, and the finish is so silky smooth. Now when I get dust on it, the dust wipes off very easily. I can't get over how silky smooth the finish is. It feels like a professional finish (and I'm not a pro, I'm just a DIYer). I will definitely keep using the Rubio Monocoat, especially on gorgeous wood like Walnut. But I'll always plan for two coats. I like the idea of sanding to 120 and doing the first coat so that the oil can really soak into the pores of the wood. But that second 220-grit sanding with a follow up coat of the Rubio Monocoat leaves such a silky smooth finish that can't be beat. Anyway, that's my own personal experience with my first time using the Rubio Monocoat (and my first time building with walnut).

I hope to do the white oat one soon 👍👍

They need to actually cure fully before any sort of durability test. I have future video plans for that.

@@bentswoodworking Can't wait for those vids!

I’ll have to give that a shot, thanks!

Sterling Hein, that's nice to know. Thanks

Do you have any pics of walnut done in Rubio walnut color?

@@hallieelliott6681 I thought I responded to this a few weeks back, but doesn’t appear to be posted. My Instagram account (same username as my RU-vid) has a photo. Look for the sharpening box/drawer post. Second photo shows the sapwood near the front of the case. It’s still lighter than the rest, but I find it not as pronounced.

Nice, I think you are going to like it!!

I have not. I picked the shellac to show a readily available option. 👍

Sprayed shellac works great. I don't brush anything that is a clear finish except boat varnish.

That’s a great point.

Hello

Durability is for sure important, but repairability has become more important for me. I've made tables for clients with kids...and both were wipe on poly, 4 costs or so. One table has kids that are a bit more, "rough" on it, no finish can stand up to that. It now looks like a small war happened on top, scratches all over it. And it's going to require sanding down the entire top to refinish it. The other table is holding up better but only because it's treated better. Rubio on the other hand may be considered less durable by traditional standards when comparing it to a plastic layer, but the same damage can be repaired in 10 or 15 minutes with no witness lines or need to sand back the entire table. For me, knowing when to pick my battles with finish durability is key. I've also put spaghetti and red wine on white oak with Rubio on it and no staining when left on for 30min to an hour, I didn't test longer times as I figured these sorts of things should get cleaned up quickly. Now if little kids aren't involved, all of the finishes that form a layer could be great choices. I've also never used a conversion varnish, but all the others I have.

@@stumptownwoodworks I found your comments interesting and helpful. Making a dining room table for the first time. My wife wants the lighter color of the bur(r) oak and did not care for the sample piece I did with a shellac sealing coat and then two coats of Minwax Polycrylic Crystal Clear top coat-clear gloss finish. To dark for her liking but did like the gloss. The table will not harsh treatment as you described. I've looked at a lot of videos on finishes and get more frazzled and undecided the more I look.

Yeah a lot of it boils down to personal preference I guess. My goal is for people to see the differences. I may have to try red oak as well.

Glad it was helpful!

For the white oak I plan on 4-5 different Rubio colors.

Glad it was helpful!

Hopefully I can do that soon.

I think you will like it.

I hadn’t either until recently and I really like them!!

Lol that’s a good point. 🤣

No filler used.

I agree, for a dining table more than "looks" is necessary to choose a finish system. I'm quite sure Bent knows this, and maybe he can have another video doing tests like you mentioned.

Glad you found it helpful

Spar urethane’s are good for UV protection

Anything intended for marine use, as mentioned. I use Epifanes varnishes on mahogany and oak pieces on my wooden boats. Each season, you can lightly sand and recoat. Takes a long time to cure though.

Will do thanks

I haven’t used it much yet myself

@@bentswoodworking I tried it at the same time as the Osmo extra thin, and the Livos counter top oil. Osmo told me that the thin is the same as the regular, just made for oily woods, and like you said it does'nt leave that weird milky tint to it. also tried the same experiment as you did, but with all the high end clears on some 4x4 1/4'' thick plywood. Interestingly the Arm R Seal, and the birchwood casey Tru Oil added almost no color, which I applied to the one piece with the Univ Maint oil with shellac in between. I like the Tru oil, as I do not have a clean room, and it dries faster. I like the above 3 hard wax oils for not leaving that milky tint. Not sure if this would help you or not but, I've lost so much finish over time, until I tried the Vacuvin wine saver set up, and some flat bottomed bottles with a lab magnetic spin mixer, I no longer lose finish. I got the idea from an old timey woodworker who used the (pump and seal) which makes getting the lids off very hard, so I tried the vacuvin thing. Thanks for your informative vids, they help me a ton (newbie).

Interesting, I’ll have to check it out sometime

Thanks

I didn't

I don’t sand after the final coat

No, you have to mix them.

Unfortunately I don’t have any experience with Purple Heart so I can’t help you with that. As for gluing a piece of ply to the bottom of that hardwood top may end up causing more problems in the end as the panel would have no way to move at that point.

With Rubio, I think it lasts very well. However, if it’s being used heavily, with children, I think there are some better options mainly because the abuse they will get.

The shellac was not over it, it was under it.

@@bentswoodworking Ok, even under them, the UV over time will effect the color. I was using Gn Fin High Performance flat on white oak, but using a low % white stain first, as this will stabilize the wood from aging color shift.

Thanks

Can’t do a durability test immediately after applying. Have plans for future videos on that.

Good question. I may have to do a project with it and see.

Rubio call it the Hybrid Wood Protector

I am about to do an oak outdoor table top and I will be doing Halcyon from total boat. Have heard good things.

@@bentswoodworking With your suggestion I tried the Halcyon on a white oak table - sanded to 240, the wood was 8% and gave it 8 coats of Halcyon - I like the rapid application but the first time the table got wet the water got through the varnish and lifted it (mostly at the knots) .... any suggestions? I have asked TotalBoat for their viewpoint

I would like to do a durability test as well

I’ll have to check it out

I have not

This was just a scrap piece that I resawed to thin pieces for the comparison

Glad you found it helpful

Not yet but I want too

I’ll definitely be doing a white oak video