Ideally the finish will be clear, waterproof, hard and not sticky, and add some strength to the piece.  I have already tried using clear spray acrylic on another piece and while it gave me the look I wanted, the finish remained slightly sticky for at least half a year until I sold it, and lint and dust stuck to the surface.

Here's the piece I need to finish after I sand it.  Thank you for any advice. 

I wasn’t sure if this fits perfectly here, but since a lot of you have great experience mixing materials and finishes, I figured this would be a good place to ask.

I’m currently working on a home project where wood is the main feature—think natural oak tones, warm finishes, and a pretty organic overall look. Recently, I started considering adding some stone elements into the mix, specifically Melly Grey Marble and grey granite. I really like both materials individually, but I’m not 100% sure how well they’ll pair with wood in practice.

Melly Grey Marble has this soft, cloudy grey tone with subtle movement that feels elegant without being too bold. On the other hand, grey granite is a bit more textured and speckled, with a slightly more rugged and durable feel. My concern is whether combining either (or both) of these with wood would create a balanced look—or if it might end up clashing or feeling too “cold” compared to the warmth of wood.

The main areas I’m thinking about are a kitchen and a living space. For example:

 Wooden cabinets or shelving paired with a Melly Grey Marble countertop or backsplash
 A grey granite island top combined with a wood base
 Possibly even mixing wood furniture with stone flooring or accent walls

Has anyone here tried something similar? I’m especially curious about a few things:

1. Does grey stone take away from the warmth of wood?
   I love the cozy feel wood brings, and I don’t want to lose that by introducing too much grey.

2. Is marble or granite a better match with wood?
   My instinct says marble might blend more smoothly because it’s softer visually, but granite might add a nice contrast.

3. Any tips on tones and finishes?
   For example, would lighter wood (like oak or ash) work better with grey stone than darker wood (like walnut)? Or does it depend more on the specific shades?

4. Too many materials?
   Is it a bad idea to use both marble and granite in the same space along with wood, or can that work if it’s done carefully?

I’m trying to avoid a space that feels overly modern or sterile. Ideally, I want something that still feels warm and inviting but a bit more elevated than just wood alone.

If anyone has photos, experience, or even general opinions on mixing these kinds of materials, I’d really appreciate the input. Even if you haven’t used Melly Grey Marble specifically, insights on grey stone + wood combinations would be super helpful.

Thanks in advance!
 

I need to thin spar varnish but only have regular naphtha, and wanted to know if there was a difference.

Thanks,

Mike

1) Minwax Polycrylic

2) General Finishes WB HP

3) General Finishes ARS

I am refinishing a snare drum and have applied a Mahagony veneer to the outside of the shell. I have built and refinished dozens of wood drums over the years using many various woods or wood veneers; however, this is my first time using Mahogony.

As I always do, I applied two coats thin coats of Watco Danish Oil, wiping thoroughly after every coat and again after 24 hours. I then allowed the Danish Oil to cure for about 4 days.

In the past, I have used Polyurethane on top of the Danish Oil with excellent results. This time, I decided to try Minwax spray Lacquer. My plan was to add enough coats to fill the grain, then wet sand and compound/polish to a high gloss finish.

Using lacquer instead of polyurethane appears to have been a huge mistake. I kept getting small bubbles in the finish unless I applied extraordinarily light coats, which left a finish with heavy orange peel. The lacquer is not filling in the grain completely despite over 20 coats. I sanded in between each coat with 500 grit sandpaper followed by 0000 steel wool. Because I can't spray even a medium heavy coat without getting bubbles, I think I would be spraying for the next year to completely fill the grain. I have already gone through 1.25 cans of lacquer.

I do not understand why I am getting bubbles as I have never had this happen before when using polyurethane over Danish Oil. I am certain that the Danish Oil was cured completely and did not have any wet spots before I added the first coat of lacquer.

Regardless, I would like to abandon the lacquer finish, sand it until the orange peel is removed, and apply polyurethane over the top. I have used Varathane triple thick polyurethane with great success in the past even on fairly open-grained woods like Ash and Walnut. I have done a lot of research on whether this is possible, and responses vary from "the poly will definitely crack and fall of instantly" to "it'll be fine." Which is correct? I am reading that I need to allow the lacquer to cure completely, but how long will that take?

Note that both the lacquer I used and the polyurethane I want to use are oil-based.

I’m re-doing my deck with some beautiful Tigerwood lumber from Advantage Lumber, and I’m hoping to somewhat match the finish and coloration of that wood (which will be used for the decking, the stair treads, and the railings), on horizontal pine “wickets.”

The pine is kiln-dried and green, ground contact.  The “wickets” will be strung horizontally between the vertical support posts, and while I know there won’t be any way to truly make them match, I’m seeking advice for how to get them into the wheelhouse as far as coloration and satin finish goes.

I hope this doesn’t come across as the dumbest question of all time, and I’m not looking to win any awards on this project, just to find a bit of aesthetic balance and to not have to do constant maintenance on the “wickets.”  Once they’re installed, sanding would be mostly out of the question.

Thank you in advance for any advice that any of you can provide!

-Chris

"Solid mango wood legs with acrylic-based lacquer coat, hand-finished with a rubbed wash wax"

How would you treat this so it will last outdoors?

Thanks!

I attached a picture of the “spot” for a visibility.

Frustrated do it yourself’er!

I am definitely not an accomplished finisher, so I'm hoping someone can shed some light. 

Here's the facts: 

1. I applied 5 coats of thinned shellac to Cherry. Coats 1 &2 were thinned 1:3 (1 part shellac, 3 part DNA). Coats 2&3 were 1:1 and final coat was back to 1:3. 

2. I used 1000, 1500 and 2000 grit sandpaper on a flat block for VERY light sanding in between coats, mostly to knock down inconsistencies and high spots in the application. 

In doing so, i got some black marks like this: 

These appeared almost exclusively on side grain and chamfers. I don't think i saw any on the face grain. 

They look like a light sanding would remove them, but they were really stubborn and difficult to remove, had to sand back to bare wood in some instances. 

I thought at first this was due to build up in the paper, but i got the same thing when using fresh sheets. 

Any idea what caused this and how to avoid in the future? 

Thanks in advance! 

But where this gets super unclear is if the products from N3, Carbon Method, or Black Forest actually can back up the claim they work better on top of common wood finishes than, say, a ceramic coating you'd use on a car. All I've seen is that people put them on a table top, throw some liquid on it and watch it bead. And then say "man, it works but is sure is pricey!"

Are there any resources from, say, someone who can read the SDS sheet and see if these woodworking-focused products are actually truly different and where they're safe, i.e., won't accelerate your finish going kaput and won't kill you slowly if you use them on a desk or a table? 

I realize I'm asking more internet randos about chemistry, but this seems like the right place :D 

I applied a thin coat, and then let it sit for a week, then i followed this up with another coat. A few days later the surface became extremely rough. I was able to sand this away with 320 grit, but am now seeing spots of oil appear. Any advice on how to proceed? The surface definitely needs more oil but I am afraid to apply any more.

I built a game where you roll a wheel. The wooden rod rolls along two wood beams. I finished it with polyurethane. It works fine until it’s been in the sun for awhile then the wheel will spin in one place and not roll. It’s like the sun heats up the poly and makes it slick.. I do not have this problem when it’s indoors. Is there something I could finish the wood with to prevent this from happening outdoors in the sun? I have some other games too, I would like them all to be finished the same. Ideally non glossy, non yellowing natural wood look if possible.

Any suggestions will help!