Finishing for Larch cladding

[Sir Percy]

Umming and ahhing over what finish to use on internal Larch TGV cladding. Currently thinking I'll use hard wax oil like Osmo Polyx.

 

Water-repellency, stain-resistance, tint, and durability is what I'm after. Also would like a matt/satin finish, not gloss.

 

Good choice, or is varnish/other more suitable?

[Higgs]

1 minute ago, Sir Percy said:

Umming and ahhing over what finish to use on internal Larch TGV cladding. Currently thinking I'll use hard wax oil like Osmo Polyx.

 

Water-repellency, stain-resistance, tint, and durability is what I'm after. Also would like a matt/satin finish, not gloss.

 

Good choice, or is varnish/other more suitable?

 

 

I would go for the satin finish varnish, it won't be drying out like oils and waxes. 

 

 

[David Schweizer]

4 hours ago, Higgs said:

 

 

I would go for the satin finish varnish, it won't be drying out like oils and waxes. 

 

 

 

Agreed, but dont use water based varnish , over a large area it risks swelling the cladding. Go for a decent quality spirit based varnish, it takes longer to dry, but once cured will last for years (decades). My preferred brand is Blackfriars, although you may have to seek out a decent Paint merchant or traditional Ironmongers/hardware shop to find it.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 25, 2021 by David Schweizer

[Higgs]

32 minutes ago, David Schweizer said:

 

Agreed, but dont use water based varnish , over a large area it risks swelling the cladding. Go for a decent quality spirit based varnish, it takes longer to dry, but once cured will last for years (decades). My preferred brand is Blackfriars, although you may have to seek out a decent Paint merchant or traditional Ironmongers/hardware shop to find it.

 

Don't think I've ever used a water-based varnish, but I think you'd be right about the possibility of it causing the veneer to swell. One more thing - lay off the varnish with the run of the grain. 

 

 

[Sir Percy]

Varnish is the obvious choice, but thinking about maintenance: waxoil might need to be more frequent, but I imagine that it would be easier than varnish, and touch-ups could be done on spots without having to redo the whole surface.

 

Apologies for not mentioning this before: the cladding is going underneath the gunwales where it might pick up scuffs and dings.

[David Schweizer]

On 25/06/2021 at 19:05, Sir Percy said:

Varnish is the obvious choice, but thinking about maintenance: waxoil might need to be more frequent, but I imagine that it would be easier than varnish, and touch-ups could be done on spots without having to redo the whole surface.

 

Apologies for not mentioning this before: the cladding is going underneath the gunwales where it might pick up scuffs and dings.

 

Yes. So after advice two well informed sources, why are you even considering a modern oil based alternative, ? I am not against oil finish as such, but the only one I ever use is a traditional linseed oil polish based on a formula which predates French Polish, and I would only use it on on antique furniture which has never been varnished.

 

 

Edited June 26, 2021 by David Schweizer