mine Posted November 1, 2011 Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 Hi, I'm a total newbie, as in this is the first project I'm ever tackling after reading much on the subject. And the project is quite ambitious. I have a 2" thick old growth redwood slab with live edges that I want to turn into a table top. My question is about sanding. One side of the piece still had some bark attached to it which came off very cleanly just by prying off gently. Now I love the look of the edge that was revealed underneath the bark. One part of the edge is very burly wood, and it has lots of nubs sticking out of it. The other part has pleasing grooves and ridges. Since it's the outermost edge of the tree there are no grain lines. I'm afraid of sanding this edge, as I really don't want to ruin it. As soon as I take 60-grit sandpaper to it, I know I'll ruin the nice natural waviness of the edge and the shape of the nubs. I do need to get all the grime off of the wood though, and for that I was thinking about using a toothbrush to clean. My question is, does one ALWAYS need to sand before applying finish? What do I lose by not sanding? If I choose not to sand the edges, do I need to do anything special with the rest of the piece to make sure I get a consistent look? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMarcel Posted November 1, 2011 Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 If the surface you have after knocking off the bark is the way you want it, go ahead and finish it. You do need to get that surface clean as you mentioned. I'd wipe the edges or even whole surface with mineral spirits as it will simulate a finish and show you if there are any marks you want removed; you could always spot-sand nubs or whatever. Does it have any black knots? Those usually need stabilizing. You can do that by pouring clear epoxy into the voids around the knot. Put tape underneath the knot in case the epoxy finds a way out the other side. Biggest issue with a slab is ensuring it is acclimatized. Has this been properly dried? You shouldn't need to apply anything special to get a consistent look; the mineral spirits wash will give you an idea, though. ...and welcome to the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
preeng2 Posted November 2, 2011 Report Share Posted November 2, 2011 Some people use a wire wheel on a drill or grinder, you could probably use a steel or brass brush and do it by hand. It will remove all the loose stuff and take a bit of sharpness off of the nibs, which I think is helpful. You should have no problems finishing the edge without sanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onboard Posted November 2, 2011 Report Share Posted November 2, 2011 Here is a post of a live edge hall table posted on TWW last year. Rob (Robert), the maker, shares some information on how he prepared this live edge in a response to comments. Scroll down until you see “Robert”. the first part of his comment talks about preparing the edge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AceHoleInOne Posted November 2, 2011 Report Share Posted November 2, 2011 My friend Bob Kloes, who is a professional woodworker, just started his own blog and is covering this very subject about Slab's. So more information to chew on. Here is the link -Ace- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted March 7, 2015 Report Share Posted March 7, 2015 I too, am a total newbie. I'm going to practice with a small table top and want live edge. For the top of the table, what level/grit of sandpaper should I use? When I finish it, do I sand between coats? How many coats? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted March 7, 2015 Report Share Posted March 7, 2015 Stella, Welcome to the forum! You opened a can of worms that will take some variable sorting to answer with certainty. The species of wood and finish you will affect some of your question. Sanding or not sanding is a discussion in and of itself if you are asking about the top of your table. The live edge will need to have the very loose material removed or stabilized. What can you tell us to help narrow in on your answers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stobes21 Posted March 7, 2015 Report Share Posted March 7, 2015 Stella, that is a very broad series of questions. I'll attempt to give you a basic overview, but understand there is a lot of room for variation and some situations where an entirely different procedure is necessary. Assuming your top is flat, you'll want to start with a coarse grit sandpaper and work your way up. I usually start with 80 or 120, depending on how rough the surface is. I scribble pencil lines all over then sand until all are gone. Then move up in grit, repeating the pencil marks at each step. Usually the progression goes 80-120-150-180-220. At that point you'll want to clean up the dust with compressed air or a tack cloth. Get it nice and clean then apply your first coat of finish. How you do so depends on the finish. Let it dry and then sand very lightly with 320 or 400 grit sandpaper. Do not use a power sander at this point, just a sanding block or pad. Then apply a second coat. Apply additional coats as needed for protection and aesthetics. We would need to know what type of furniture and what finish to give you more specific guidance on number of coats. Sand lightly between each coat. After the final coat dries you can finish the finish, so to speak. For a gloss finish just a buff with some paste wax and a soft cotton cloth will do it. For a satin finish 0000 steel wool or a piece of brown paper from a grocery bag can give it a nice feel before hitting it too with paste wax and a cotton cloth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
broose51 Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Another live edge newbie here. I'm using a slab for a bar top so I want it to be as durable as possible. Most places I've looked said to use epoxy but I don't really like how glossy that gets. Is there anything I can use to finish the top that will be durable but maybe more of a satin finish? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Another live edge newbie here. I'm using a slab for a bar top so I want it to be as durable as possible. Most places I've looked said to use epoxy but I don't really like how glossy that gets. Is there anything I can use to finish the top that will be durable but maybe more of a satin finish? Thanks Is it for your house? If so an oil-based polyurethane is as durable as it gets for DIY finishes. It comes in any sheen you want. Minwax poly is fine. It would stand up to commercial use, but for DIY, easy to use finishes it is the most durable against water. Don't ask the people at the homecenter, they will tell you to use spar (outdoor) varnish which is a mistake. It is less durable than regular oil poly. It is good outside because it is flexible, but assuming your bar is inside, outside of direct UV exposure, and somewhat climate controlled than regular minwax poly is what you want. Another option is to go with a simple oil/poly blend like watco danish oil. It is not super durable but you can scuff sand (220 or so or even steel wool) and reapply more oil anytime it starts to look crappy. As long as people use coasters and you wipe up spills right away it should be fine. If it were my house that is what I would do. I don't mind a little maintenance and the benefit is it will look brand new after do the scuff sand/steel wool and new oil treatment. If you are building for a restaurant or bar you need to step up to a commerical finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
broose51 Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Thanks for the info Mike, its going to be in my basement, UV isn't an issue. How about Behlen's Rock Hard or General Arm R Seal? I've heard some good things about those being really durable and producing a nice satin finish. Any thoughts on those? Thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 I haven't used Rock Hard, so can't comment. Arm R Seal is just varnish thinned with mineral spirits. It is a nice varnish and arguably uses high quality resins and oils than Minwax (at least that is the way they justify the price). I use it all the time, it is a great product. But because it is thinned, you need to apply more coats to get good protection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
broose51 Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Gotcha, next question or two. I though I had seen something somewhere that said the Arm R Seal adds a slight amber tint, is that true or not? Also, I don't think I really want to add any color to the slab, just want to bring out the grain, any suggestions on something to use under the arm R Seal or Rock Hard? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Gotcha, next question or two. I though I had seen something somewhere that said the Arm R Seal adds a slight amber tint, is that true or not? Also, I don't think I really want to add any color to the slab, just want to bring out the grain, any suggestions on something to use under the arm R Seal or Rock Hard? Thanks! All oil based varnishes give you a slight amber tint. It is noticeable on a light wood like maple or pine, it will definitely gives those woods a yellow cast. On a darker wood like walnut or even cherry it just makes them darker and a little richer, it doesn't really make them look yellow. You don't need to put anything under the Arm R Seal, it highlights the grain nicely on its own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 I've only done one live edge piece, and I used 4-0 steel wool to clean up the edge, The top and all the other parts, I went the normal way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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