Best finish for spalted wood bowl?

[Paul DuBose]

Maybe this was a mistake, but one of the first bowls I made was from spalted maple. In general, the bowl turned out okay (I'd change some of my design decisions if I had it to do over again). I decided to use Watco Danish Oil for the finish, but I thought the results were a bit lack luster. After it dried, I decided to apply some gloss lacquer (rattle can) and while I like it better, the finish isn't very smooth, and the wood grain and imperfections from the punky spalted maple show through and don't look very good. So the question is, what are the best options for finishing a spalted bowl? Also, as far as the spalt, punky areas, knots, and wood grain, do these need to filled/sealed before applying the finish? Thanks!

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Spalted woods will take the same finishes as any wood. As to the punky areas the finish will not perform the same on these areas and may not give a smooth appearance. I have used dyes on spalted bowls with good results also. My preference is semi gloss lacquer.

 

[Dean Center]

A picture might help with a response to the specific issues you encountered. Did you apply the lacquer directly on top of the Danish oil? Are the punky areas smooth, or do they have little pits? Have you 'finished' the finish, by sanding, rubbing with steel/synthetic wool, or buffing?

It seems to me that an oil based finish can make the wood colors look 'muddy' on solid wood where the spalting has caused some coloring of the wood, and film finishes can be too shiny on punky wood. But that's a personal preference kind of thing.

Punky wood is a challenge and it takes some practice and skill to get a good result. Even then, sometimes it's just gone too far to get a level surface and a really nice, smooth finish.

 

[hockenbery]

On punky wood that I have used thin shellac (2x alchohol) on to stiffen the fibers
I apply more during the sanding.

I apply thin shellac before sanding with 320
The after the 320 sanding. Then I sand by hand with 400

Then most ant finish.

 

[Paul DuBose]

Spalted woods will take the same finishes as any wood. As to the punky areas the finish will not perform the same on these areas and may not give a smooth appearance. I have used dyes on spalted bowls with good results also. My preference is semi gloss lacquer.

I think I'll give the semigloss lacquer a try, thanks!

 

[Paul DuBose]

On punky wood that I have used thin shellac (2x alchohol) on to stiffen the fibers
I apply more during the sanding.

I apply thin shellac before sanding with 320
The after the 320 sanding. Then I sand by hand with 400

Then most ant finish.

Do you use the wax or the de-waxed shellac? I looked into using de-waxed shellac as a sanding sealer but was surprised how expensive it is. The sanding sealer would cost more than anything I'd use as a final finish.

 

[hockenbery]

Do you use the wax or the de-waxed shellac? I looked into using de-waxed shellac as a sanding sealer but was surprised how expensive it is. The sanding sealer would cost more than anything I'd use as a final finish.

I use the blond dewaxed flakes and mix my own in 95% alchohol. I think 1 pound to a gallon works out to 2oz flakes to to a pint.

I use a guesstimate Jimmy clewes showed me. Put flakes about an inch and a half high in a throwaway plastic water bottle and fill with alchohol shake leave over night.

Woodcraft has the flakes. You can get the flakes from some paint stores, Amazon
I think there is shelf life on the flakes - i have had good results using flakes 3 years after putting them in a jar.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Shellac is mixed in lb/gallon so a 2 lb cut would have 2 lb flakes in 1 gallon alcohol. I usually only mix 8 liquid ounces at once as shellac does go bad in about a year when it dries very slowly and is easy to make more. Flakes usually sold in 1lb bag and cheaper from specialty houses. Shellac Shack runs 27 to 35 per lb so not cheap. Lasts a long time so I keep excess in fridge for freezer.

 

[hockenbery]

Shellac is mixed in lb/gallon so a 2 lb cut would have 2 lb flakes in 1 gallon alcohol.

That is standard.
On punky wood I use a 1lb cut. Thin and it dries in seconds.
I use that 1lb cut as a sanding sealer too.