Finish for Kitchen Island

[jtpr]

I am just finishing my kitchen island, made primarily of Birdseye Maple. M= y question is regarding finish. I really would like to use something that = will pop the grain as much as possible. So, I was thinking of using BLO fi= rst, the an oil based satin poly over it. Is this a good idea? How long a= fter applying the BLO can I start putting the Poly on?

[Swingman]

question is regarding finish. I really would like to use something that will pop the grain as much as possible. So, I was thinking of using BLO first, the an oil based satin poly over it. Is this a good idea? How long after applying the BLO can I start putting the Poly on?

Why don't you try using one of the General Finish's products (Arm-R-Seal) that David J. Marks uses that are known for showing the depth in grain patterns of highly figured woods:

will get all kinds of comments about various finishes not being recommended in a kitchen, for a furniture like island made with figured woods I would personally ignore most of them and do what you want to do to get the kind of look that _you_ want.

Finishes that will be commented upon as "not being good in a kitchen" are almost universally the easiest to fix when the inevitable happens in that type of environment.

[Larry Jaques]

Skip the agony and delays by simply applying Waterlox Satin to the countertop. It contains tung oil for the pop (and it does that well) and phenolic resin for durability and waterproofing. It's also easily repaired, unlike polyurinestain. It doesn't leave witness lines and layers melt into each other a bit.

Be sure to put Bloxygen or argon over the top before you reseal the container. It goes off too easily.

I'm with Swingy. Almost any finish is OK in the kitchen as long as you're not chopping on it. Then you don't want any finish (ie: a butcher block.)

-- Accept the pain, cherish the joys, resolve the regrets; then can come the best of benedictions - 'If I had my life to live over, I'd do it all the same.' -- Joan McIntosh

[Lew Hodgett]

---------------------------------------- I'm no finishing guru; however, use BLO cut with turps (I like the smell of turps better than mineral spirits suggested by manufacturer) on most projects.

Usually wait 14 days to seal, wax, etc.

YMMV.

Lew

[jtpr]

Thanks. I only have one coat of the dealer an d one coat of the finish so far and it looks great.