Wood trim

[Manxcat54]

Hi

Bit of a dilemma on what to use and what colour of stain/varnish, I bought some 60mm x7mm oak flat, but it feels overpowering when I try it, I also have 36mm softwood and that looks less overpowering, I will probably paint the ply lining in a cream shade, but cannot decide on a contrasting colour for the trim, can anyone offer decent advice please. 

Edited December 27, 2024 by Manxcat54

[Alan de Enfield]

9 minutes ago, Manxcat54 said:

it feels overpowering when I fry it,

 

 

Try a fat-free 'air fryer', or maybe better still, try boiling it, you may get a less overpowering result.

[Manxcat54]

Oh no the shaking finger strikes again 

[blackrose]

You're asking for advice on which shade of wooden trim to use? 

 

Surely that's all down to personal taste? It's like someone asking if they should paint a room in their house white or magnolia. Only you can decide.

 

I would use the oak without any stain and a clear satin yacht varnish, but you've already decided the oak is "overpowering", whatever that means to you.

Edited December 27, 2024 by blackrose

[Russ T]

If you do go for varnish/stain, don't forget, it is likely to get darker over the years as it ages. Obviously paint is a different kettle of fish.I always like to contrast light with dark, so maybe a shade of blue would work well with cream, but as said, it's all down to personal preference.

 

Don't discount that at some point you might want to sell it, so painting it black inside might not be the best option.

Edited December 27, 2024 by Rod Stewart

[David Schweizer]

15 minutes ago, blackrose said:

You're asking for advice on which shade of wooden trim to use? 

 

Surely that's all down to personal taste? It's like someone asking if they should paint a room in their house white or magnolia. Only you can decide.

 

I would use the oak without any stain and a clear satin yacht varnish, but you've already decided the oak is "overpowering", whatever that means to you.

 

Agreed. Even clear varnish will darken the wood a little, and oak will naturally mature over the years to a lovely golden brown.

[Manxcat54]

39 minutes ago, blackrose said:

You're asking for advice on which shade of wooden trim to use? 

 

Surely that's all down to personal taste? It's like someone asking if they should paint a room in their house white or magnolia. Only you can decide.

 

I would use the oak without any stain and a clear satin yacht varnish, but you've already decided the oak is "overpowering", whatever that means to you.

Yes I know it's a personal taste, the 60mm oak is probably too big, maybe if I purchased some 35mm x 5mm thick, also with clear varnish, I did a tester and wasn't convinced, I was hoping someone would have a tried and tested set up, Maybe more fidlin about tomorrow. 

[David Mack]

Why not use the softwood trim and paint it the same colour as the ply.

[Bee]

I would try routing the edge of the oak first,  some sort of 'Ogee' profile although that  can look fiddly or just round it off or something. That might take some of the heaviness out of the appearance. As for colours I find Farrow and Ball colours are good - I find one I like and then try to match it by mixing it myself from the stack of old paint tins  in the shed or (a much better idea) find sheet of RAL colours from e.g. Black Country Paints and see what works. A light cream is a good colour to start with (well I think it is) 

[Manxcat54]

37 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Why not use the softwood trim and paint it the same colour as the ply.

I want a contrast dark against light (I think) I have just returned home and I am going to look at some boat interiors, I like the shades on that ladies boat "The mindful narrowboat" I think her blog is named, I'm going to see, also look at the sizes of the trim, I have never had to do the interior of a boat before, it's nothing like a house or even a campervan.

[IanD]

8 minutes ago, Bee said:

I would try routing the edge of the oak first,  some sort of 'Ogee' profile although that  can look fiddly or just round it off or something. That might take some of the heaviness out of the appearance. As for colours I find Farrow and Ball colours are good - I find one I like and then try to match it by mixing it myself from the stack of old paint tins  in the shed or (a much better idea) find sheet of RAL colours from e.g. Black Country Paints and see what works. A light cream is a good colour to start with (well I think it is) 

IIRC this is RAL9001 (cream), with clear varnished oak trim...

[David Schweizer]

53 minutes ago, Bee said:

I would try routing the edge of the oak first,  some sort of 'Ogee' profile although that  can look fiddly or just round it off or something. That might take some of the heaviness out of the appearance. As for colours I find Farrow and Ball colours are good - I find one I like and then try to match it by mixing it myself from the stack of old paint tins  in the shed or (a much better idea) find sheet of RAL colours from e.g. Black Country Paints and see what works. A light cream is a good colour to start with (well I think it is) 

 

I agree that a profiled edge would enhance the trim, but would advocate a square ovalo profile which will throw the light better, and can be matched up, either way round. I used mahogany ovalo trim against pine on Helvetia and it looked really good after it had weathered a bit.

 

 

Edited December 27, 2024 by David Schweizer

[LadyG]

I would keep any routing absolutely simple as fancy work will collect dust.

As for staining, i would avoid this as long as there is some nice graining. Once done it cant be undone. 

I like a gloss clear varnish interior. Maybe a clear high quality epoxy might work. 

[Peugeot 106]

42 minutes ago, LadyG said:

epoxy might work

I think you mean polyurethane LadyG. Epoxy would be totally over the top and you couldn’t put it on in this weather in any case. You’d end up with terrible amine blush and it wouldn’t go off. Epoxy is brilliant but I wouldn’t use it here unless you plan to coat it all at home  before fitting and even then a good polyurethane available in gloss, mat or eggshell would be much better, simpler and cheaper

[Gybe Ho]

An Ogee profile would be a tad fussy on 7mm thick trim but taking the edge off would help soften the impact of a varnished trim.

 

I find the red/orange tinge in the varnish finish to be too strong, how about a neutral wood oil.

 

You cannot go wrong with a wood trim border around a painted cream panel, it is a classic for a reason. However I notice that your panels are not well aligned wall to ceiling and the porthole nearly collides with a panel edge so in that case an all painted finish is better. Go for the square edge shaker look on the trims with just a hint of rounding on the edge.

[Peugeot 106]

6 minutes ago, Gybe Ho said:

An Ogee profile would be a tad fussy on 7mm thick trim but taking the edge off would help soften the impact of a varnished trim.

 

I find the red/orange tinge in the varnish finish to be too strong, how about a neutral wood oil.

 

You cannot go wrong with a wood trim border around a painted cream panel, it is a classic for a reason. However I notice that your panels are not well aligned wall to ceiling and the porthole nearly collides with a panel edge so in that case an all painted finish is better. Go for the square edge shaker look on the trims with just a hint of rounding on the edge.

I reckon the fit of the ply is pretty good. He is planning to paint it and the trim is to hide the inevitable gaps. I’d be pleased with it if I’d done it. I’m not sure how you could get it to be a perfect fit without it taking ages and the boat will probably move slightly in any case which is why people use trim

 

 

[blackrose]

23 minutes ago, Peugeot 106 said:

I think you mean polyurethane LadyG. Epoxy would be totally over the top and you couldn’t put it on in this weather in any case. You’d end up with terrible amine blush and it wouldn’t go off. Epoxy is brilliant but I wouldn’t use it here unless you plan to coat it all at home  before fitting and even then a good polyurethane available in gloss, mat or eggshell would be much better, simpler and cheaper

 

Polyurethane varnish is fine for interiors as long as it's nowhere near windows. PU varnish hates UV light which causes polymer chain scission resulting in flaking. Yacht varnish is much more suitable for interior window trims.

Edited December 27, 2024 by blackrose

[LadyG]

52 minutes ago, Peugeot 106 said:

I think you mean polyurethane LadyG. Epoxy would be totally over the top and you couldn’t put it on in this weather in any case. You’d end up with terrible amine blush and it wouldn’t go off. Epoxy is brilliant but I wouldn’t use it here unless you plan to coat it all at home  before fitting and even then a good polyurethane available in gloss, mat or eggshell would be much better, simpler and 

I dont like polyurethane as it creates a sort of thick, almost plastic coat which if used outside will be the very devil to remove. I'd never use it.

Inside or outside, i use proper yacht varnish, not acrylic which is water based.

You may need  thinner to degrease the surfaces, and to lightly thin the first coat. Several coats applied at the correct temperature for curing is the way to go. 

With kitchen units the plan is to protect the wood from dirt, so it needs to be sanded, any grease and dust removed then a thin coat of varnish. Windows are a source of moisture, and will always need to be monitored.

 Repeated coats of varnish using the finest of wet and dry, to key getween coats, and make sure everything is dust free.

Foam brushes are ideal for varnish.

I mentioned clear epoxy because I have used this on my new wooden worktop. I am sure this is better than Danish Oil, but I'm not convinced it will be maintenance free. I think will have to re do it every year. Obviously I will make sure it is the correct temperature. 

 

Edited December 27, 2024 by LadyG

[Gybe Ho]

2 hours ago, Peugeot 106 said:

I reckon the fit of the ply is pretty good. He is planning to paint it and the trim is to hide the inevitable gaps.

 

 

If you spend more time superimposing varnished wood trim onto the panel joints you will see the problem. The vertical trim right of the porthole centre will collide or nearly touch with the porthole liner.  The nearest ceiling trim would be about 150mm off from the vertical trim and a wide 60mm ceiling trim would nearly meet the flange of the nearest ceiling spotlight and both ceiling spots would not sit well within the varnished wood trim framed ceiling pane.

 

These are minor aesthetic oversights and would be lost to the eye if painted trim is used. 

Edited December 27, 2024 by Gybe Ho

[Russ T]

My old dad used to wax (no pun intended)lyrical about his lovely varnished ercol dining table. When I asked what kind of varnish he had used, he told me it had been Polyurinated. 

 

I never did find a tin of it. 

[Peugeot 106]

27 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

Polyurethane varnish is fine for interiors as long as it's nowhere near windows. PU varnish hates UV light which causes polymer chain scission resulting in flaking. Yacht varnish is much more suitable for interior window trims.

Not if you use marine polyurethane paint eg International Paints Compass. I’ve use gallons of it over the years on boats I’ve owned and built especially to coat epoxy coatings and prevent yellowing and deteriation of the epoxy. Yacht varnish is also good but not as hard wearing. You need to find a UV stabilised product 

 

19 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I dont like polyurethane as it creates a sort of thick, almost plastic coat which if used outside will be the very devil to remove. I'd never use it.

Inside or outside, usa proper yacht varnish , several coats applied at the correct temperature for curing is the way to go. I like to see a deep shine if it is to enhance the wood.. but that requires good wood, sanded, grease and dust removed then a thin coat. Repeat. Use the finest of wet and dry, and make sure everything is dust free.

Foam brushes are ideal for varnish.

I would not bother trying this with the cabinets shown, but several thin coats will be fine. 

 

 I can only assume you’ve been using the wrong varnish or it’s been too cold if it goes only on thick. Varnish and polyurethane will never cure if put on too thick. The top layer dries but underneath stays gooey. The outside layer dries and prevents the solvents evaporating. With epoxy it cures from inside out but would be a right faff. It also very brittle which can result in leaks eg windows

 

Epoxy: very expensive, very short working time, goes yellow very quickly in UV light (outside), hard as nails to get off, beware amine blush nothing will stick to it including the next coat, incredibly temperature sensitive. I would only use it for bonding, laminating or coating flat surfaces subject to a lot of wear. Two pack needs carefully mixing and foam tools will dissolve if you don’t use the correct solvent resistant foam.

 

Polyurethane: available marine ( external grade) used to overcoat clear epoxy, easy to put on, washes with turps, quick drying, available Matt, eggshell and gloss. Easy to sand but not as easy to sand as yacht varnish, much more long lasting and hard wearing than yacht varnish. 

 

 

[agg221]

I went with Osmo oil when did the oak windows, doors and sills in our kitchen. It had two coats and nothing since for a decade. It had minimal effect on the colour and the sheen is very slight, and it still looks fine.

Alec