Bookshelf finish question -- watco and stain...

[YJJim]

I built a bookcase for my brother and initially finished it with Watco (cherry color), but the color was not quite as dark as he was hoping for. None of the other Watco finishes looked quite like what he wanted, so I used a General Finishes oil based stain to get it to the right color.

Now, the color is about perfect, but I'm not sure what I need to do about a top coat. I had planned on just using several coats of Watco, but now that I have used the stain, I'm not sure that is an option any more.

Can I use Watco natural to build up a finish without affecting the color? Or should I just put on a top-coat of something.

If I should use a top-coat, any suggestions? The only top coat I've ever used is poly.

Thanks! YJJim

[Ba r r y]

Waterlox Original or McCloskey Gymseal are high-solids, tung oil vanishes that are easy to apply, very durable, and look excellent over almost anything.

If you want urethane, Waterlox also makes an excellent urethane product.

Barry