MNBull Posted April 30, 2011 Report Share Posted April 30, 2011 Has anyone put a clear satin or semi-gloss urethane over tung oil treated Cedar Mantel? I have put on about 4 coats of the tung oil, the color looks great, however, it just doesnt have the sheen i am looking for. If I apply a coat or two of the urethane, will that help? I just dont want to ruin the tung oil finish. I guess maybe i should have started with a blend, but too late now! Thanks for any suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlehikoinen Posted April 30, 2011 Report Share Posted April 30, 2011 When in doubt, try it on a test piece. If you see problems, try a coat of dewaxed shellac in between. I've had great success with this method as shellac makes a great binder. Just make sure it's dewaxed as urethane 'might' flake off over time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewoodwhisperer Posted April 30, 2011 Report Share Posted April 30, 2011 You should really have no problem coating the tung oil finish with poly. Just make sure the surface is pretty much cured before the application. From my experience, using a raw oil as a pre-coat before applying an oil-based film-forming finish doesn't do much more than add time to the finishing schedule. Most oil-based finishes will bring their own amber hue to the wood grain which makes the oil pre-treatment unnecessary. But test it for yourself so you know for future reference. Take a piece of scrap and give it the same number of coats of poly that you plan on giving your Mantel. When they are both cured, compare them in not only bright light but regular house light. See if you notice a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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