best finish on ash

[bespin]

hi, does anyone know what product will give the best finish on ash. i have read that oil will cause the wood to yellow. ive looked at both water based laquer and rustins plastic coat though they both seem to give a gloss finish that im not sure if i want. also dont know if i want to use brushed on varnish as i will probably mess it up.

[Evo]

Is it inside or outside...I'm no expert but we lined the upper cabin on our boat with bloody expensive tongue and groove ash and had the same dilema. We didn't want to put anything on it, it looked so nice, so what we did was use a bits of scrap and mess around with all sorts of stuff until we got the look we wanted.

In the end as it was inside, we decided it didn't need a great thick coat of anything just something to enable it to wiped clean, basically sealed.

We used a thin wash of Satin varnish - brushed it on and ragged it off, leaving a dead smooth matt finish. That was 10 years ago and it still looks like the day we did it. Cant find a photo.

 

found one, it isn't as shiny as it looks in the photo - honest

 

Edited August 26, 2010 by Evo

[Dovetail]

I like oil finish it takes a long time of several coats but can give you the wow factor.

Ash is yellow in colour in the first place and the oil will make it a deep yellow look but although I do use water based varnish ect only inside cupboards, the water based products to me look like plastic coatings and not natural and the oils work with the wood.

[bespin]

thanks for the replys evo dovetail, the finish does look good on your pic. I really want to avoid a gloss type finish. It the over yellowing of the ash that im worryed about as people have said it can go a very pee yellow and im wanting to keep the boat as light as possible. our current boat as oak that as been varnished and the finish looks patchy. ive also been looking at Osmo Polyx Oil as this clams not to yellow the wood though is expensive.

[Dovetail]

Bespin Osmo Oils are great and easy to apply I have used them in the past and finished the interior of my boat with them You are right they are expensive and I recommend getting the fast setting version even more expensive as I have found they can take a bit of time to harden off and as we are now entering a the back end of the summer things will take longer to dry. One other point when I first started to use the Osmo Oil and perhaps even now it was a two coat application only, I tend to overfinish things and in the past applied three or even four coats of the oil only to fined that after the 2nd coat any other coats just sat on the surface of the 2nd coat and looked fine but abrasion on the surface and the top layers peeled off to the 2nd coat a lesson learnt the tin said two coats.

The Oil in the tin is a thick mid brown colour and will darken the Ash a bit but will also perhaps make it less yellow

[Evo]

"Top layers peeled off".

Do the oils dry hard.??

 

 

Light and airy is exactly what we wanted, the pic is terrible, its evening, some curtains are drawn, flash has gone off, and everything - as Dovetail eluded to - looks plastic coated. It is actually nothing like that I dont know where all those reflections have come from.

 

Get a piece of scrap and have a play, its the only way. Oils sounds like hard work to me Dovetail..?

a thinned satin yatch varnish piled on and worked in with a big brush and then all wiped off when it has soaked in a little was all done in an hour or so and dry the next day. Lots of rags and a bit messy but wood looks perfect...no runs or brush stokes...try it, alot will depend on the finish of your wood.

[WotEver]

As has already been said, Ash is pretty yellow anyway and oil doesn't really make it any 'more' yellow, it simply makes it 'richer'

 

This had 4 coats of Danish Oil ragged on, and very lightly de-nibbed and flattened between coats with 0000 steel wool. The colour in the foreground is much closer to the 'true' colour than in the distance - it was shot with the crappy LED flash on a phone camera. You can see that it has a 'sheen' without being plasticky and wet-looking. More coats would make it shinier, and wax applied with steel wool would give a more even sheen.

 

 

Tony

[Dovetail]

"Top layers peeled off".

Do the oils dry hard.??

 

 

Light and airy is exactly what we wanted, the pic is terrible, its evening, some curtains are drawn, flash has gone off, and everything - as Dovetail eluded to - looks plastic coated. It is actually nothing like that I dont know where all those reflections have come from.

 

Get a piece of scrap and have a play, its the only way. Oils sounds like hard work to me Dovetail..?

a thinned satin yatch varnish piled on and worked in with a big brush and then all wiped off when it has soaked in a little was all done in an hour or so and dry the next day. Lots of rags and a bit messy but wood looks perfect...no runs or brush stokes...try it, alot will depend on the finish of your wood.

 

Evo I was not making comment on your boat your boat looks great fantastic and from your description you applied an Oil Based Yatch Varnish and a product I would be happy to use myself.

I was referring to and mentioned Water Based Varnish this product to me looks plastic.

Its the Osmo that peeled off after two coats and this required a bit of abrasion to do this Osmo is more available now but has not been around many years and given the range now available they are expanding the product and you may be able to apply more coats now without the peeling problem.

A good oil finish in my opinion is the best finish you can achieve but it can be slow and hard work at times and requires patience to build up the layers and sanding between coats. It is also easy to apply further coats in the future and improves with age.

[Evo]

Well thats all right then..!!! watch it, I'll poke your eye out next time...!!!

 

Seriously, I know what you meant and agreed with what you were saying, I'm unfamilar with the oils you are talking about and am imagining oil - as in oil, slimey lubriacting type stuff - so was surprised when you said it went hard and flaked off. Sorry for any confusion, just me being a dick again I guess.

[WotEver]

... I'm unfamilar with the oils you are talking about and am imagining oil - as in oil, slimey lubriacting type stuff - so was surprised when you said it went hard and flaked off. Sorry for any confusion, just me being a dick again I guess.

Buy yourself the smallest can of Danish Oil you can find in B&Q next time you're in and wipe it onto a scrap piece of wood. The following day wipe some more on and so on. Play with rubbing it down with 0000 wire wool (but not on Oak - use a fine Scotch Pad on Oak). You'll soon see what it's like to use and the finish it gives

 

Tony

[Pluto]

Historically, I think lemon juice was considered best.

[Christine]

If you choose Danish Oil, I suggest you do it on a hot, sunny day. You can get a good hard finish easily. Today I was using Danish Oil on some oak and it's still tacky and fear it won't be hard at all because the weather was damp and cold.

 

On ash, I use a thin foam mini roller with Sadolins Satin polyurethane with 'Teflon' and use a palm sander with 400 grade Mirka Carat paper to smooth it down - makes a nice silky finish.

Edited August 27, 2010 by Christine

[PhilR]

If you choose Danish Oil, I suggest you do it on a hot, sunny day. You can get a good hard finish easily. Today I was using Danish Oil on some oak and it's still tacky and fear it won't be hard at all because the weather was damp and cold.

 

On ash, I use a thin foam mini roller with Sadolins Satin polyurethane with 'Teflon' and use a palm sander with 400 grade Mirka Carat paper to smooth it down - makes a nice silky finish.

 

Is Danish Oil the same as Tung Oil? or does does Danish Oil contain Tung Oil + other ingredients?

 

I have just used some Rustins Yacht varnish, which contains Tung Oil, on the front and back doors. I'll let you know in a few years how it weathers. Personally, I have never had any good results with any polyurethane varnish on timber - it dries too hard, although it is OK in a 100% dry environment.

[Christine]

Is Danish Oil the same as Tung Oil? or does does Danish Oil contain Tung Oil + other ingredients?

 

Danish Oil has added dryers, pure tung oil doesn't. Here is the link to Luberon Data on Tung Oil:

 

http://www.liberon.co.uk/oil-finishes/pure-tung-oil,434,464.html?&args=Y29tcF9pZD0zMDQmYWN0aW9uPWZpY2hlUHJvZHVpdCZpZD0xOTMmfA%3D%3D

 

Sorry I can't make this a cliky link as I don't have the options (I'm still on an old IE - having trouble getting Firefox to run)

[Dovetail]

Is Danish Oil the same as Tung Oil? or does does Danish Oil contain Tung Oil + other ingredients?

 

I have just used some Rustins Yacht varnish, which contains Tung Oil, on the front and back doors. I'll let you know in a few years how it weathers. Personally, I have never had any good results with any polyurethane varnish on timber - it dries too hard, although it is OK in a 100% dry environment.

 

I have used Tung oil and never got on with it slow to harden and not as hard wearing as other oils. I for many years used Rustins Finishing Oil but think that a Danish Oil is as good. Given that I have Made plenty of solid hardwood worktops and have finished them in either Rustins Finishing Oil or a Danish Oil they are the best oils for the job and providing they are applied correctly last a long time and look great and can be easily re coated. As for exterior timber given that a timber worktop and has to cope with I would consider either of the oils for exterior but would prefer a Polyurethane Varnish as the resulting thicker coat gives a good durable finish but an exterior finish will need to be re finished every two years to keep a good finish. For what its worth I like International Varnish.

Edited August 27, 2010 by Dovetail

[RLWP]

Historically, I think lemon juice was considered best.

 

???

 

Why?

 

Richard

[DHutch]

Due to the nature of our boat (fuel choice and the boating we do with it) roubustness is the order of the day, so our ash TnG is varnished with about four coats of decent gloss polyurethane exterior/yacht varnish. Works for us.

 

I like the matte/oiled look, but we would be able to support it.

 

 

Daniel

[bespin]

ive just ordered a small sample of the Osmo oil and will pick up a cheap bottle of danish oil today so i can try them out on a few off cuts of ash faced ply and see which we perfer.

[J R]

hi, does anyone know what product will give the best finish on ash. i have read that oil will cause the wood to yellow. ive looked at both water based laquer and rustins plastic coat though they both seem to give a gloss finish that im not sure if i want. also dont know if i want to use brushed on varnish as i will probably mess it up.

 

When we did the fitout on the boat we varnished the ash boards and trim with water based Ronseal satin clear varnish, three coats and loghtly sanded down between coats. The wood had never been coated before, so not sure if if your wood has been pre treated. The finish we achieved was simple and professional and also allows for the wood to mellow over the years which it has. Had no problems with flaking or discloration etc. If your ash has been previously treated with oil or varnish best to find out if you can what it was so that you can make your decision as to what to coat it with from there.

[Mikeonb4c]

I've found Briwax polish excellent on things like obechi and pine DIY wardrobes at home. Quick to apply (ensure good ventilation due to fumes), satin finish, no darkening with age etc. BUT, it watermarks badly so is not good for surfaces such as table tops etc. (although ou can substantially disappear the watermark by redoing the Briwax). You can get Briwax in a range of tints, plus untinted, and it is a wax. I have an alarm bell telling me it may no longer be available in its original form though as the solvent did not comply with EU H&S requirements. But you could ask local antique restorers though as its what they used to use to make old stripped pine stuff look good ready for sale. Or maybe just google it.

[WotEver]

Historically, I think lemon juice was considered best.

For prawn cocktails?

 

Tony