# How to finish salt/pepper shakers



## dbales (Jun 21, 2011)

Some may have seen where I was working on some a salt and pepper shaker set using some bowling pin maple and purpleheart. If not, here's a pic:









Well I'm not quite sure how I wanna finish them and them also be safe. I know polyurethane isn't a select choice for wood being used in the kitchen, but I was wondering if a spray on poly would be fine for the OUTSIDE of the shakers? And if so, what would be a good finish for the inside of the shakers, where the salt/pepper will actually be? 

I plan on using a cork stopper on the bottom to keep everything inside and small holes at the top for pouring.

Thanks in advance.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

The only problem if you can call it a problem is the salt, finishing them. Salt in humid weather can work on the finish breaking it down. There is a paint and varnish remover called sodium hydroxide which is a salt so salt has the potential of affecting the finish but for the most part the salt in the shaker is dry and would need water to be really damaging. Any finish would work however it would be more durable to use a marine grade spar varnish. My second choice would be an oil based polyurethane. I would suspect most of the shakers found in the stores were finished with one type of lacquer or another. What ever finish you use I would just use the same inside and out.


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## dbales (Jun 21, 2011)

Thanks Steve, for the insight. I have a can of wipe on oil base poly already so saving on having to buy anything would be great. I live in a slightly rural part of GA so humidity isn't as much of a problem as say living near the ocean, but it does get a little hot and sticky outside on occasion. I knew salt was corrosive, and that was my main concern. 

Would I need a high build of finish to protect the inside, or would 1-2 coats just to seal the wood do the job?


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## HowardAcheson (Nov 25, 2011)

I don't know that I have ever seen the insides of wood salt and pepper shakers be finished. The three sets I have are all unfinished. I can't think of a reason that they would need to be finished but I can't see a reason why they couldn't.

Opps, just thought of a potential problem. While finishes are required to be non-toxic when fully dried and cured, oil based finishes off-gas almost forever and food stuffs could pick up some of the odor. Oil based finish would be just fine on the exteriors. I think I would leave the interiors unfinished.


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

Try lemon oil and wax mixture (available at Craft Supply USA) on the inside. Avoid anything solvent based, the smell takes forever to go away.


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## HowardAcheson (Nov 25, 2011)

How about the smell of the lemon?


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

C'mon, lemon pepper ;-). Seriously though, it doesn't affect the smell/taste of the pepper (haven't tried it in a salt mill yet). I've also used salad bowl finish or straight walnut oil.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

If it was a bread box I could see the offgassing affecting food but I can't see anything altering the flavor of salt and pepper.


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