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Any recommendations for finishing ABW handrail

PostPosted: 08 Jan 2022, 19:06
by RogerS
American Black Walnut.

Any suggestions ? Should I grain fill ? Seal ?

TIA

Re: Any recommendations for finishing ABW handrail

PostPosted: 08 Jan 2022, 19:19
by Mike G
Well, I've used my oil/ varnish/ white spirit mix on ABW in the past with great success. I also used Rustins Plastic Coating on it once, and that worked surprisingly well. It'd be easy to do on a handrail, because the trick is keeping a wet edge moving, and that's easy on such a narrow piece. RPC would be the absolute bomb-proof finish. You'll get other suggestions, too, so I hope you've plenty of scraps to be trying them all out on.

Re: Any recommendations for finishing ABW handrail

PostPosted: 08 Jan 2022, 20:17
by droogs
All depends on how much and how often you are willing to do maintenance. RPC or similar for me, 4 coats a week between each and forget about it for a decade

Re: Any recommendations for finishing ABW handrail

PostPosted: 09 Jan 2022, 19:00
by Craig Salisbury
id go with something like this:

https://www.morrells.co.uk/products/woo ... -lacquers/

I have used the pigmented lacquers and they are rock hard

Re: Any recommendations for finishing ABW handrail

PostPosted: 09 Jan 2022, 19:06
by RogerS
Thanks haps. I'd completely forgotten about RPC. I remember the very experience finishing guy leading a one-day course at Peter Sefton's being very impressed with it. I did buy some but never got round to using it anger. I suspect it's way past its sell-by date !

Re: Any recommendations for finishing ABW handrail

PostPosted: 10 Jan 2022, 09:13
by RogerS
Craig, many thanks for reminding me about Morrell's. I see they have a branch at Gateshead and so may well wander over. Be interesting to try some of that on some oak flooring as the Blanchon doesn't repel water that well, I've since discovered.

Also gives me an excuse to go AWOL for the day ;) :D

Re: Any recommendations for finishing ABW handrail

PostPosted: 10 Jan 2022, 10:42
by Woodbloke
RogerS wrote:Thanks haps. I'd completely forgotten about RPC.

I remember a lecturer at Shoreditch raving about this stuff and he demonstrated it on a bow that someone had made. I personally thought it was horrible as it seemed to produce a completely impervious, plastic (which is what it is :D ) surface, so you were never actually touching the wood at all. I was so disenfranchised with it, I've never used it in over four decades of making stuff.

I'd go for a few coats of MMM (Mike's Magical Mixture :D ) or simply a couple of applications of satin Osmo, with wax over the top - Rob

Re: Any recommendations for finishing ABW handr

PostPosted: 10 Jan 2022, 13:02
by Andyp
I’ve obviously never finished, or even started :) , a hand rail but would a microcrystalline wax not be hard wearing enough and easy to apply and easy to reapply?

Re: Any recommendations for finishing ABW handrail

PostPosted: 10 Jan 2022, 15:48
by Craig Salisbury
nothing quite like going AWOL :)

Re: Any recommendations for finishing ABW handrail

PostPosted: 10 Jan 2022, 18:59
by Mike G
Woodbloke wrote:......I'd go for a few coats of MMM (Mike's Magical Mixture :D ) or simply a couple of applications of satin Osmo, with wax over the top - Rob


Would wax be wise? I dunno, because hands get run over this surface all day everyday, and it does get dirty. I can see wax needing removal and replacement rather often. I've never used wax on a handrail, so I'm just speculating.

On furniture, Rob, I agree with you re RPC. It's just that a handrail is such a highwear surface that I'd certainly be tempted. You don't have to build it deep, nor have it glossy.

Re: Any recommendations for finishing ABW handrail

PostPosted: 10 Jan 2022, 20:20
by PAC1
I would be tempted to use General Finishes High Performance water based top coat https://generalfinishes.com/wood-finish ... hane-water
It is available from Eurofinishes in Edinburgh.
It is a good finish that is hard wearing

Re: Any recommendations for finishing ABW handrail

PostPosted: 10 Jan 2022, 20:27
by Sheffield Tony
PAC1 wrote:I would be tempted to use General Finishes High Performance water based top coat https://generalfinishes.com/wood-finish ... hane-water
It is available from Eurofinishes in Edinburgh.
It is a good finish that is hard wearing


Does it not go tacky after a lot of handling ? Every water based paint or varnish I have tried goes sticky - moisture ? Oils from the skin ? I used a water based white gloss on our handrail, and it went sticky, dirty, then washed off completely with repeated cleaning leaving the oli based gloss underneath exposed. I need to repaint it with proper paint.