# Popping the grain



## TooTightIsBroke (Feb 24, 2013)

Hi guys, I'm new to finishing but really enjoy watching such dramatic changes a good finish produces. So far my experience has been limited to mostly min wax products, but I am thinking of venturing somewhere new. The project is for myself so I don't mind experimenting. I am building a dresser with walnut and soft curly maple. I heard BLO was good to use to enhance the figure, and my old boss swears by Waterlox for finishing anything. My question is would using both be redundant because of the tung oil already in the Waterlox? Also I understand when using BLO a lot of people will use dewaxed shellac before their "film". I was curious about the drying time before the " barrier coat" if the process of using BLO before the Waterlox isn't redundant? Also I have heard of people lightly staining curly maple and sanding it out to enhance the curl, would this be a better alternative to BLO since the Waterlox contains tung oil? Suggestions would be appreciated, I am fairly certain I will be using the Waterlox but any tips or add in processes would be awesome. Thanks!


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## Bonka (Mar 24, 2011)

*Finish*

waterlox will pop the grain. Go to their site and read how to apply the original and the others. It takes about 30 days to fully cure before rubbing out if that is what you plan to do.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Either linseed or tung oil is going to make the grain pop in the same manor. The only reason you might need the dewaxed shellac over waterlox is not as a barrier coat but a sealer if you planed to use a water based finish. Even though waterlox itself is a sealer, it's not enough of a film finish with one coat to prevent water based finishes from raising the grain. If you are going to use waterlox, be patient. The tung oil content would take longer to cure than linseed oil would. Linseed oil would cure enough to put a film coating over after drying overnight. Waterlox original is suppose to dry in 24 hours however I would let it dry a week before putting a polyurethane over it.


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## TooTightIsBroke (Feb 24, 2013)

I'm sorry if I was unclear, I was planning to use the Waterlox as a top coat, from what I understand, after a few coats it develops a film, but much less so than poly? I want to avoid the plasticy look of poly, but, not quite go as low as a " in the wood finish". I have been reading and it seems pointless to use both the linseed and the Waterlox, I think I may try a light stain and sand back, then Waterlox, I can get the maple pretty cheap, so I will do a few tests. Thanks, any tips on the sand back method I described?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

You are correct that it is pointless to use linseed oil and then finish with waterlox. I would just stain the wood the color you want and then start applying the waterlox. You shouldn't have to sand it after staining unless you use a water based stain. Then it would be just to smooth the raised grain. I would probably wait a month or more between coats of the waterlox for it to cure. The best way to tell when the first coat is dry is to briskly rub the surface with a clean cloth and see if the rag has the tung oil smell. When you can rub it and not have an odor then it is cured.


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## TooTightIsBroke (Feb 24, 2013)

*Yup*

Waterlox did it quite nicely, I've put on several coats here, the manufacturers instructions say 24 hours between coats. The " burn in " can be hard to handle but I find it works to put a lot of material down and move quickly. it tacks up quick once you get a film going, your sharing the Solvent with your previous coats. Sorry for the poor lighting. Il get one better pics up, maybe a thread in the projects area after I start assembly. Thanks Steve.


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