Carpentry and Woodworking - Antique mahogany/burled walnut dresser
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redfern
04-09-02, 07:26 PM
Much to my suprise, when we stripped an old family dresser it was not oak but mahogany with some burled walnut accents. Should we stain it and then polyurathane it OR should we leave the finish natural and use an oil or polyurathane on the natural finish?
Any help would be appreciated...we're clueless.
Any help would be appreciated...we're clueless.
George
04-11-02, 07:11 PM
The question of whether to stain or not is purely one of esthetics and personal preference. It has no bearing on the longevity of the piece itself.
Take a rag wet with lacquer thinner and wet down the surface of the piece. The color you see while the surface is wet is very close to the color you'll get if you apply a clear finish without staining. If you like this color, proceed with a finish. If not, figure out which way you want to accent the color (more red, more brown, etc.) then choose the appropriate stain and go from there.
If you like the color and still feel the need for some kind of stain 'protection', use a natural stain (colorless). Good ones are made by Carver, Zar, Minwax and others.
Take a rag wet with lacquer thinner and wet down the surface of the piece. The color you see while the surface is wet is very close to the color you'll get if you apply a clear finish without staining. If you like this color, proceed with a finish. If not, figure out which way you want to accent the color (more red, more brown, etc.) then choose the appropriate stain and go from there.
If you like the color and still feel the need for some kind of stain 'protection', use a natural stain (colorless). Good ones are made by Carver, Zar, Minwax and others.