Finish for Utility Shelving

[chrisb]

My wife and I are putting up some simple shelving in our pantry that uses metal brackets with wood shelves.  We were considering buying the shelving (particle board covered in melamine), but I happen to have some pine that might work instead.  How should I finish the pine?  I am hoping for both paint and stain suggestions so I can give my wife a choice.

 

Chris.

[Guest]

I'd either paint it you use a water base clear poly, like Minwax polycrylic or general finishes high performance.  Pine looks like crap stained (in my opinion) and oil based clear coats give it that 1950's yellow knotty pine look you see in basements.  A water base clear will leave the natural color.   If you are going to stain, use a gel stain.  They give it a lot of color and won't blotch like penetrating stains do.  

[chrisb]

I'd either paint it you use a water base clear poly, like Minwax polycrylic or general finishes high performance.  Pine looks like crap stained (in my opinion) and oil based clear coats give it that 1950's yellow knotty pine look you see in basements.  A water base clear will leave the natural color.   If you are going to stain, use a gel stain.  They give it a lot of color and won't blotch like penetrating stains do.  

 

Thanks for the advice.  What paint/primer would you recommend? 

[estesbubba]

 

Thanks for the advice.  What paint/primer would you recommend? 

Whatever is on sale!

[Guest]

I link zinser BIN shellac-based primer.  It dries super fast and sands easily.  For a top coat I like Sherwin Williams ProClassic acrylic latex enamel or Benjamin Moore Impervex acrylic.  Those two products are formulated for wood (rather than drywall) and brush nicely.