Help a rookie with finishing a red oak stand and canopy

[trmiv]

I just ordered a new stand and canopy for my 90, out of red oak furniture grade plywood. Anyway, it's unfinished, and I'm unsure how to get the look I want. Keep in mind I've never stained wood before in my life, so you're dealing with a rookie. Most of the furniture in our apartment is lighter colored, so I'm thinking a lighter, or just natural color would be the best to use for the stand.

So what should I use, and how should I do it? I really want something relatively easy to do. Someone recommended Watco natural oil to me, but I'm not sure that's what I should use. I haven't found much info on it. The stand will already be sanded when I get it, so I guess I don't have to do that step.

For the inside of the stand and canopy I'll likely use two coats of water based zinsser outdoor sealer primer (or is oil based better?), followed by a coat or two of exterior 100% acrylic latex enamel. How does that sound?

 

[TAB]

Well what do yuou want your stand too look like??? You said lighter... do you want a gloss, semi gloss, satin ,flat....

On painting the inside oil is better, but it is not really needed. FYI the "two coat" thing is bs from your painter to charge you more. I know I am a painter. AS far as paint you get what you pay for. Every thing sold at Home depot/lowes is pretty much crap compared to a major paint label.( it also cost alot more for the same grade) Go down to a local paint store buy a Gal of a good qualtiy primer( talk to the guy at the counter he will help you) then see if you can buy a ether some "miss match" or a "stock" (off white not strait white) semigloss ext paint. Then reason for going with a "stock" paint is that it has more "stuff"( hide) then if you had them pull a base and mix it to that color. Make sure you have them give the paint a shake.


When you apply the primer your goal is to help with adhesion and a little bit of sealing. you will still be able to see thru the primer. ( 1 coat 2 will actually shortin the life span)

Then apply a thick coat of the ext paint.( once again 1 thick coat is better then 2 coats-- unless they are applyed atleast a week apart. paint does not full dry for atleast a week unless its very hot)

 

[mpomfret]

I build furniture for fun and have used a variety of stains over the years: Minwax, Zar, Deft and a few others. I applied Watco to a loft bed I made for one of my kids and loved it. I have used it several times since.

Some of the stains out there need to be handled with care, making sure you brush it on evenly, wipe off excess evenly and at the right time. It can be hard to stay consistent if you stain your project a piece at a time over the course of several days.

Watco, on the other hand seems to be very forgiving of incostencies. Comes out the same whether you follow directions to the letter, or pour a small puddle on your work and push it around with a brush. I found a small can at Lowe's (first time I'd seen it there) once, but usually have to go to a local building supply place. It comes in a bunch of colors and they can be mixed (instructions on their website). Sounds like "Golden Oak" might be close to what you're looking for.

Matt

 

[trmiv]

Something like this is the finish I'm after. I have a can of this Watco Natural Exterior Wood finish that I bought for a previous project and never used. But would I be better off getting the Golden oak in the regular Watco Danish Oil? If I use the watco, should I seal it with Spar? Both Lowe's, Home Depot and a few other places around here carry the full line of Watco finishes, so I can get any of them.

 

[BigJPDC]

trmiv
There is nothing wrong with mis-matching wood stains in a room full of furniture, so don't be stuck on having to match the rest of the scheme in the room where the fish tank will go.

That being said - how about picking up some scrap pieces of the exact wood you have and trying out a bunch of stain\oil combos? After you get a few coats of stain and finish you can leave them around to see how different lighting looks and make a final decision later. Sometimes you really don't know how it will look until the very end.

.02
jp

 

[trmiv]

I like the lighter color stains anyway, it's just a preference. I'm not a fan of the brown stains. I do like the reddish mahogany look, but that doesn't have spousal approval.

 

[Donw]

Potassium dichromate and deft make a really nice natural red oak finish. Darkens the origonal colors instead of changing them with stain or dye.

Don

 

[trmiv]

I don't think I'm quite ready to handle something as toxic as potassium dichromate. This is my first time staining wood.

 

[cerreta]

I have done this several times, and like you I am no expert. I used the minwax brush-on type with satin 360, walnut. It is a pain in the butt and I discovered it was thick to work with and ended up looking like painted wood, thus hiding the grain.

I discovered the brush-on types have a sealer that is designed to applied as a one time application, that it why it is popular.

Recently, I used a Watco oil stain that was awesome. Rather than brushing a thick stain onto the wood, you rub a fine oil onto the furniture then quickly wipe it back off with a clean rag. It is easy to apply and actually nore enjoyable to do than brushing. I suggest wearing thick gloves.

Furthermore, the stain does not hide the beauty of the wood grain like the minwax stuff did.

I am curious in this subject since I too will lbe redesigning my stand and canopy and want to do a better staining job next time around. The Watco stain I used does not protect or seal the wood, so I am curious about what you do and use to acomplish this.
Cheers,
Scott

 

[BigJPDC]

I agree with Scott. For the stand I am working on I used old t-shirts and rubbed in a Minwax aged-oak gel stain. By rubbing it out you don't overpower the color and it lets the grain show. I think it looks amazing, will get new pics in my gallery this weekend.
Two coats of tung oil afterwards gives it a nice shine. I can't see using a brush again with stain.

jp

 

[trmiv]

The Watco sounds like its the way I should go. I really need something easy to use. So what do I finish it with afterwards to protect it?

 

[mpomfret]

Beautiful tables. I like the through-tenons on the legs.

I think the Golden Oak will wind up a little yellower than the finish in the pics. I have only used it on birch so I couldn't tell you what it would look like on red oak. Watco does make a Natural stain that probably won't alter the wood's color much.

As BigJPDC said, buy a couple of cans and test it on a piece of oak to see what works.

As far as finish goes, you'll definitely want a urethane of some kind. Spar is supposed to be pretty good. I used a spray can of it about a month ago with nice results. Most of what I have used in the past year or two has been Deft I switched recently to spraying it with a compressor and gravity fed sprayer. That's the way to go if you can. No drips, no runs, almost no sanding, and it dries very quickly so you can do several coats in one evening. From the pics above I would guess you want a satin finish. If you can stand paying the extra for the spray cans (assuming you don't have a compressor, etc) you'll get good results and avoid having to clean brushes. Wear a mask, though. And make sure the can is in motion BEFORE you push the button.

Good luck,

Matt

 

[mpomfret]

I thought of one more trick if you decide to spray. After your final coat dries, rub the whole thing down with a piece of cardboard. Sounds odd, I know, but it will come out really smooth.

Matt

 

[bassnman11]

If you are having the stand built, ask them to save some of the scrap. Pick out the color you like and get a small can and try out the stain on the scrap. Just do a strip 2 or 3 inches wide till you get what you want. Once you stain the project, the only choice you have is going darker.

 

[cerreta]

I forgot to mention. Take a scrap piece of wood to HD, Go to the paint counter and ask them if you can try a few stain colors before you buy. I found them to be willing to do this with no problem at all.

 

[bassnman11]

Oh, stains by different companies may have the same name but be very different color. athe red in red oak tends to come out when stained. If you want to see what a natural clear would look like, lightly wipe a inconspicuous place with a little water on a rag. Preferably on the inside.

 

[trmiv]

Thanks for the replys. I will be doing this on an apartment balcony, so a compressor isn't really an option. Spray cans shouldn't be a too big of a problem ( I sprayed the back of the tank black on the balcony), although I would like to avoid that.

Anyone know what the difference is between the regular Watco and the Exterior Watco? I have a can of Natural color exterior watco oil that was I was thinking about using. It claims more protection than the regular stuff.