# finishing wormy chestnut



## silverraven (Sep 7, 2009)

I have been reading through your posts, and have not seen this question asked, but please forgive me if I am reapeating.
I have 100 year old wormy chestnut that was reclaimed out of an old church. Hubby and I are making kitchen cabinets (doors, drawer fronts, face frames) out of this wood. We have tried many many different finishes on scraps, but are having a hard time.
Here's the list so far:
100% Tung Oil - Looks good on most boards, some boards turn very very dark. On the boards it does look good on, it really pops the grain, better than anything else. Plus, not sure it will protect it enough for kitchen
Waterlox - Tooooo golden oak looking. 
General Arm R Seal - It's ok, still very golden oak looking.
Polyurathane Ugh, just doesn't do anything for the wood at all!
Shellac Looks ok, Doesn't highlight the grain as much as tung oil but probably not enough protection for a kitchen.
Lacquer Looks ok, stays very close to true wood color, but doesn't highlight the grain. (this is brush on lacquer Deft)
Minwax Polycrylic Keeps the wood the closest to it's color, but doesn't highlight the grain much. This is what we will probably go with if I don't find something better? 

Now, here is the problem, we don't have spray equipment, so I am basicly stuck with wipe or brush on. (unless there is a cheap sprayer out there I don't know about) Messing around with samples last night I thinnned some of the Polycrylic with water (1C Poly 1/3C water) and wiped it on a board. After it dried it seemed to highlight the grain better than just full strenght Poly. Is it ok to thin Poly like this for the first coat? (the can says do not thin)
Any suggestions would be appreciated. Does anyone know what color wormy chestnut turns as it ages? Am I crazy for trying to stay away from the 80's Golden Oak look? Should I pull my hair out now and braid a noose out of it to put myself out of my missery??? 
S
Oh, one more. We have never made raised panel doors before. If I put polycrylic on full strenght do I have to worry about the panel not 'floating' anymore?


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## Julian the woodnut (Nov 5, 2008)

You already asked this on lumberjocks. Didn't you get the info needed already?


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## silverraven (Sep 7, 2009)

Gee, so sorry, I didn't realize that it was the same group of people over here as over there. I like getting many different opinions, then make the best possible decision I can. 
I shall now go crawl into a corner and leave you all alone.
Sorry again
S


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## Julian the woodnut (Nov 5, 2008)

No need to take it the wrong way, but I figured you got what you needed when you had 20 responses all giving good advise about using many different types of finishes.


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## silverraven (Sep 7, 2009)

I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. It has been a very long, very bad day today, and I am ready for it to be over. 
I was just trying to get some more opinions because I just can't make up my mind. I sit and stare at all these samples and none of them jump out at me and say "Hey, Pick ME!!" I think I am just going to go with Polycrylic, that way the finish won't be changing color, only the wood underneath. That way the wood should stay more in the tan/brown family instead of going golden oak color. 
I would like to know if anyone has thinned Polycrylic, and if so, to what extent. So I could use it wiping instead of brushing.
Again, I am very sorry for being rude, my momma raised me better than that. 
S


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## Julian the woodnut (Nov 5, 2008)

I can't say that I have tried thinning polycrylic before, so I don't know what you would use to do so. I have sprayed it before without thinning, and it sprays well. Brushing lacquer is another non yellowing choice for you that is easy to apply.


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