Woodworking

Lenardo

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Just an fyi for those of you in Boston area. Keep an eye on Facebook marketplace. Client of mine just bought a brownstone and the people living there are moving to elderly housing and the husband is leaving about 20 or 30k worth of woodworking tools which my client is going to put on marketplace. Old dude has 3 lathes, a delta band saw delta pull arm saw, delta table saw ~40 or so bar clamps 5 ladders, scaffolding etc. I was at the site going over the proposed new water and fire pipe stuff and and the cients general contractor with us there and i were gushing over the tools. Closing is probably mid to late feb so it will go on marketplace after
 

BrutulTM

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Question for the finishing experts out there. I have cherry butcherblock countertops in my kitchen. I oil them from time to time with a mixture of beeswax and coconut oil. I have a leftover chunk that I want to put on a bathroom vanity in my basement. I want the color of the ones in the kitchen, but I don't want to have to worry about water being left on it and staining it. It's a basement bathroom that kids are going to be using and that's just too likely to get water left on it. What I'm thinking is I'll oil it to get the color I want, then put a few coats of polyurethane on it to make it waterproof. Does that seem reasonable? I'm thinking I don't want to use the beeswax because it might keep the polyurethane from adhering. Could I just oil it with coconut oil or mineral oil or something and then coat it with polyurethane? Or is there some other method that might work better?
 

Intrinsic

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Question for the finishing experts out there. I have cherry butcherblock countertops in my kitchen. I oil them from time to time with a mixture of beeswax and coconut oil. I have a leftover chunk that I want to put on a bathroom vanity in my basement. I want the color of the ones in the kitchen, but I don't want to have to worry about water being left on it and staining it. It's a basement bathroom that kids are going to be using and that's just too likely to get water left on it. What I'm thinking is I'll oil it to get the color I want, then put a few coats of polyurethane on it to make it waterproof. Does that seem reasonable? I'm thinking I don't want to use the beeswax because it might keep the polyurethane from adhering. Could I just oil it with coconut oil or mineral oil or something and then coat it with polyurethane? Or is there some other method that might work better?

I'd be concerned with standard poly that various bathroom items like toothpaste, mouthwash, products, steam, moisture, etc would eat away and get into the vanity. And also think you're right about the wax part.

Have you looked at Waterlox? Waterlox Coatings Corporation it may work in your situation and be better suited.

You could also consider something like Total Boat spar finish might work? Although when I've used it, it doesn't harden like an epoxy and may not be as durable (you could use a Total Boat tabletop epoxy). There are spray finishes that might work but not sure if you can DIY that.
 
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BrutulTM

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I did my other bathroom countertops with polycrylic and they have held up pretty well but I stained them first. It's only been about 3 years though. I imagine the waterlox would darken the wood in a similar way to putting oil on it?
 

whoo

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Waterlox is a tung oil based varnish used on floors (among other things). It's a dark oil, unlike coconut oil, so it will add color, especially with multiple coats. It's very durable.

Edit: Waterlox is Tung oil based - not teak oil
 
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BrutulTM

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Waterlox is a teak oil based varnish used on floors (among other things). It's a dark oil, unlike coconut oil, so it will add color, especially with multiple coats. It's very durable.
Thanks. I want to bring out the red color of the cherry. I don't mind if it gets darker, as long as it stays reddish. Maybe I'll get a little can and test it on some scraps. Do you think the polycrylic over mineral oil or something similar would work, aside from whatever limitations the final finish has for waterproofing?
 

whoo

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Mineral oil does not dry out. It will cause whatever topcoat you put over it to fail. If youre going to poly over any oil, Tung oil or teak oil or boiled linseed oil are your best bets. You will have to wait at least 48 hours (preferably 7 days) when topcoating oil finish.

If you don't want to use waterlox, the next best bet is an oil based marine varnish. Leave the poly out of it. Its not necessary.
 
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Cutlery

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I did my other bathroom countertops with polycrylic and they have held up pretty well but I stained them first. It's only been about 3 years though. I imagine the waterlox would darken the wood in a similar way to putting oil on it?

This is what waterlox did to my walnut.

It looks unbelievable.

IMG_20250726_114709789.jpg
 
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Cutlery

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That seems like it will work for me. I ordered a quart. Expensive stuff.

It's also absolutely disgustingly powerful odor

I put it on right there - in the garage, with the 2 car door open, and it was so brutal I had to go in the house.

So you're fucked until you can put it on outside.
 

whoo

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It's also absolutely disgustingly powerful odor

I put it on right there - in the garage, with the 2 car door open, and it was so brutal I had to go in the house.

So you're fucked until you can put it on outside.
It may burn off some nose hairs, but it's nothing like spraying conversion varnish or catalyzed lacquer. You'll be fine! :)
 

BrutulTM

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So I'm almost ready to finish the counter top. YouTube seems to suggest there's issues with trying to reuse brushes for multiple coats. I don't want to buy a bunch of brushes. Is there anything wrong with putting it on with a rag? I have a whole bag of old flour sack dishcloths that seems like they would be perfect for the job.

I'm going to have to do it in my basement. There's no way I can wait until it's consistently over 50 degrees outdoors. Luckily I love the smell of volatile organic compounds in the morning.
 

Burns

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So I'm almost ready to finish the counter top. YouTube seems to suggest there's issues with trying to reuse brushes for multiple coats. I don't want to buy a bunch of brushes. Is there anything wrong with putting it on with a rag? I have a whole bag of old flour sack dishcloths that seems like they would be perfect for the job.

I'm going to have to do it in my basement. There's no way I can wait until it's consistently over 50 degrees outdoors. Luckily I love the smell of volatile organic compounds in the morning.
While I have never used it, if multiple people are saying they had issues trying to clean it off a brush, I would take warning.

This dude says he had issues ("dried" up gel beads) with the finish while reusing a cleaned brush. The first comment to the video says they use foam brushes and also stated some of their recommendations for storage of the Waterlux.



Something somewhat related (for storage) that looks interesting, Stop Loss bags:


P.S. shower thought: Wonder if you could vacuum seal it (got a brushless sealed motor?) to retard the oxidation and toss it in the freezer between coats. Obviously this could be a fire hazard with putting volatiles through a vacuum motor. Could also use a ziplock and a bucket of water to get most of the air out, before putting it in the freezer, but where's the fun without a little fire risk?!
 
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BrutulTM

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That's actually the exact video that got me worried about it.

With regard to storage, some other videos I saw suggest this...

Screenshot 2026-02-26 6.29.03 PM.png


Inert, heavier than air argon gas in a can. You spray some in to displace the air and put the lid back on. Interesting idea. Other people just smash the can until it's full again.

I'll see how far it goes but I imagine I will probably use most of my can and just figure it's a cost of the project if there's some left.
 
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Cutlery

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So I'm almost ready to finish the counter top. YouTube seems to suggest there's issues with trying to reuse brushes for multiple coats. I don't want to buy a bunch of brushes. Is there anything wrong with putting it on with a rag? I have a whole bag of old flour sack dishcloths that seems like they would be perfect for the job.

I'm going to have to do it in my basement. There's no way I can wait until it's consistently over 50 degrees outdoors. Luckily I love the smell of volatile organic compounds in the morning.

I didn't have those problems. I used the foam brushes, and there's a thinner for it - mineral spirits maybe? I poured some mineral spirits in a ziploc bag, tossed the brush in there, completely clean the next day for the next coat.
 

Cutlery

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While I have never used it, if multiple people are saying they had issues trying to clean it off a brush, I would take warning.

This dude says he had issues ("dried" up gel beads) with the finish while reusing a cleaned brush. The first comment to the video says they use foam brushes and also stated some of their recommendations for storage of the Waterlux.



Something somewhat related (for storage) that looks interesting, Stop Loss bags:


P.S. shower thought: Wonder if you could vacuum seal it (got a brushless sealed motor?) to retard the oxidation and toss it in the freezer between coats. Obviously this could be a fire hazard with putting volatiles through a vacuum motor. Could also use a ziplock and a bucket of water to get most of the air out, before putting it in the freezer, but where's the fun without a little fire risk?!


I used a mason jar, and I've got one of those mason jar vacuum seal things. Worked out fine, but I haven't opened up since I did the first piece. We'll find out when I finish the next one this summer.
 
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whoo

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Waterlox has a guide for using their finishes. I recommend following it:


You tell it your job details and it tells you what products to use and how to apply them.

Both natural bristle brushes and foam brushes work. Plan on about 4 coats with 24 hours between coats.
 

BrutulTM

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I've found quite a few videos where people are putting it on with a rag, including this one from the Waterlox channel.



This dude sanding the wet finish is really something I've never heard of.