Badltl510 Posted July 17, 2023 Report Share Posted July 17, 2023 This is my first large furniture project. Its a walnut dinning room table and I'm looking for the finish. What's everyone's go to finish for a table and would you recommend pore filling? If pore filling what's everyone's recommendations on that as well? I know this has been talked about on the show numerous times but finishing is not my thing so hard to keep it all straight in my head. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted July 18, 2023 Report Share Posted July 18, 2023 Welcome, @Badltl510! Please, feel free to share some photos of your work, we all enjoy seeing what others turn out. As for a dining table finish, I suggest an oil-based polyurathane for durabilty and ease of application, especially the wipe-on varieties. My go-to finish for my last several projects has been Minwax 'Tung Oil Finish'. It is a wipe-on oil / poly blend that penetrates well, and can build to a glossy sheen without looking too thick. There are plenty of good options, that happens to be my current favorite. As for pore filling, I personally don't feel it is needed on walnut, unless you want a mirror-smooth surface, like with a french polish. If you choose to fill, I favor a clear product like Aquacoat or Crystalac. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted July 18, 2023 Report Share Posted July 18, 2023 Walnut …. The wood that look’s better without its ego altered! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post gee-dub Posted July 19, 2023 Popular Post Report Share Posted July 19, 2023 I only pore fill if I am after a mirror finish. Something I hope to never do again till I leave this world . Walnut, unlike many other woods, lightens with exposure to sunlight and age. My early walnut pieces bother me a bit due to this fact. 15-odd years ago I started to add just a bit of color to my walnut finishes. This is generally a bit of Transtint medium brown or golden brown depending on the base color of the walnut (and it comes in quite a variety). The look I shoot for is what freshly oiled walnut without any colorant would look like. Years later . . . . . . the color still looks fresh as long as the piece is well cared for; wax, polish, whatever your regime is. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted July 20, 2023 Report Share Posted July 20, 2023 @gee-dub, does the tinted finish also lighten over the years, I.e., you tint it darker than you like to get the preferred finish years later? Or does it remain relatively the same color? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted July 20, 2023 Report Share Posted July 20, 2023 The idea is to create the color of fresh oiled walnut and have it stay that way. I have been pretty successful but it took a while to get a feel for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted July 21, 2023 Report Share Posted July 21, 2023 I plan on building us a king size bed in the near future to replace our existing queen. The reason to build instead of buy as the mfg no longer offers this style. We plan on keeping the dresser and night stand and would like to match the existing walnut finish. I guess my question is, once I match the shade with the tint thru trial and error, can I be assured that the color will reasonably remain the same? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted July 21, 2023 Report Share Posted July 21, 2023 I can only speak from my experience . . . I have pieces that are 10 years old that match their original photos pretty well. They do receive sunlight here and there throughout the week but none of them are setting right in front of a south facing window 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everett Posted July 31, 2023 Report Share Posted July 31, 2023 For Walnut the Walnut or Chocolate color from Rubio works well; few years later looks the same. I've moved to Rubio because its so easy to repair, and for a table, it's not if it gets dinged up, it's when it gets dinged up. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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