White Oak Table Finish

As the table dries after wet sanding a white residue will appear.

White oak table finish.

Daily use wears away the finish on the edges of tables and chairs. Check out the recipes that make use of these techniques in 4 proven oak finishes below. Residue left in the grain lines of coarse grain wood will be trapped under the final coat and haunt you forever. The best finishes for oak celebrate its grain.

Because of oak s cellular structure the pigments in oil based stains collect more in the wood s open grain areas while the smoother denser surrounding areas retain less. And then there are all the little scratches dents and divots that mysteriously appear on wood surfaces. Be sure to clean it off completely. Once the sealer dries sand lightly with 320 grit sandpaper then repeat to create a long lasting protective finish for your oak table.

Unless you live in a museum your furniture takes a lot of hits. When you want a clear or natural finish on quarter sawn white oak beware. Clean off the white stuff. An application of varnish or lacquer or shellac might look nice at first but there is a better way.

A 180 grit final sanding may neutralize this contrast. This can result in strong light dark contrasts. In this article i ll highlight some key finishing tips and techniques used to create the multilayered finishes that bring out the best in oak. The piece on the right was first finished with a coat of clear danish oil then it has 3 coats of sanding sealer and 3 coats of lacquer.