New Kitchen Advice

Beedee

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Question for the woodworkers.

I had our carpenter sand down our oak dining table. I gave it a rub with fine sandpaper and have applied three (maybe four) coats of Danish Oil. It looks lovely. However. There are areas of it where it feels like the grain has been raised by the oiling (or maybe my initial sanding was amiss). Can I just give the whole table another light sanding and apply more oil.

Also I sat a vase in the middle of the table too soon after applying the last coat and the vase base has made a circle impression that shows slightly lighter than the table. What to do…should the light rub down and further oiling of the table top as above be the most likely thing. Or is there something I could do before doing that. The impression is slight, hardly noticeable, and will often be covered by a mat so I‘m not into making a big deal of it if there is a risk of making it worse.
Apologies if you're aware of this already, but be very careful with any rags/paper towels/etc that you might use when applying oil finishes. Make sure you dry them out thoroughly before you throw them aware. Definitely DO NOT just screw up wet rags and throw them in the bin. There are multiple instances of them spontaneously combustion 8 or so hours later.

I always wondered how real this sort of thing was, but then one of the youtube channels I follow did this experiment.
(The thumbnail is OTT, but there are flames!)
 

SwingsitlikeHogan

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If it’s a heavy use table and you want it to look right then, sadly, yes.

Preparation provides the finish as they say. What you have done is try to lay oil on oil with nowhere for it to go but sit on the surface until you wiped it off. Then repeated the process.

Danish is a lovely decorative finish, but there are far, far better alternatives now (even though most aren’t new, just repurposed. E.g. Rubio Monocoat and Osmo PolyX are both hard wax floor oils, so take a proper beating hence why many furniture makers are using them on tables and desks etc).

I’m a massive fan of Rubio Cotton White on Oak, it gives a beautiful light satin sheen while the grain lines are really highlighted in white as it tints the wood.

There are no quick fixes to well finished tabletops I’m afraid, I’d love it if there were but whatever finish you use, expect the table top to be out of use for 7-10 days from applying the final coat.
OK…while I deliberate over sanding down my table top to redo, and asking my Mrs she expected a lighter finish so I know the direction I am heading…my daughter has just asked me to show her how apply a finish to her new beech kitchen worktop. She has bought Osmo TopOil (sounds like what you are advising for me to use in my redo), and so I think that’s right for what she needs doing.

Though I assume that the worktop will be provided ‘ready to finish’ I feel I should first give it a light rubdown with fine grade sandpaper; then a good wipe with white spirit. Am I OK to then apply a coat of the oil, but then do you advise doing a light sanding before applying another coat, with ? Hrs between coats.

Many thanks in advance for your advice.
 

GreiginFife

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OK…while I deliberate over sanding down my table top to redo, and asking my Mrs she expected a lighter finish so I know the direction I am heading…my daughter has just asked me to show her how apply a finish to her new beech kitchen worktop. She has bought Osmo TopOil (sounds like what you are advising for me to use in my redo), and so I think that’s right for what she needs doing.

Though I assume that the worktop will be provided ‘ready to finish’ I feel I should first give it a light rubdown with fine grade sandpaper; then a good wipe with white spirit. Am I OK to then apply a coat of the oil, but then do you advise doing a light sanding before applying another coat, with ? Hrs between coats.

Many thanks in advance for your advice.
I've PM'd you so's not to clog the thread up.
 

Bratty

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Looks great.👏🏻👍🏻
Just a shame you didn't put in a skinny hidden cupboard for oven gloves and teatowels...! 😉
 

SwingsitlikeHogan

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Looks great.👏🏻👍🏻
Just a shame you didn't put in a skinny hidden cupboard for oven gloves and teatowels...! 😉
Maybe it’s so hidden that you can’t see it 😉 It’s just where I stuck them this morning…my wife will be wanting a proper place for them.

BTW…the cat is real. He’s decided that that’s his spot…though his bro disagrees on ownership.
 

Bratty

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Maybe it’s so hidden that you can’t see it 😉 It’s just where I stuck them this morning…my wife will be wanting a proper place for them.

BTW…the cat is real. He’s decided that that’s his spot…though his bro disagrees on ownership.
If she's anything like mine, she'll be livid you've shared photos of your lovely new kitchen online with them visible! 🤣🤣🤣
 

SwingsitlikeHogan

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If she's anything like mine, she'll be livid you've shared photos of your lovely new kitchen online with them visible! 🤣🤣🤣
She was a bit, but she wondered why I hadn’t shown our whole new space - there was me thinking that as outside was still a mess and we don’t yet have the space furnished - she wouldn’t want me sharing a picture of it. And so…

E9F67345-2C31-4C57-B620-9430A374FF59.jpeg4C116F2D-3CCF-417B-8FBE-20E6A3BE9650.jpeg
 

GreiginFife

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OK…while I deliberate over sanding down my table top to redo, and asking my Mrs she expected a lighter finish so I know the direction I am heading…my daughter has just asked me to show her how apply a finish to her new beech kitchen worktop. She has bought Osmo TopOil (sounds like what you are advising for me to use in my redo), and so I think that’s right for what she needs doing.

Though I assume that the worktop will be provided ‘ready to finish’ I feel I should first give it a light rubdown with fine grade sandpaper; then a good wipe with white spirit. Am I OK to then apply a coat of the oil, but then do you advise doing a light sanding before applying another coat, with ? Hrs between coats.

Many thanks in advance for your advice.
For some reason it wouldn't let me post this in the PM. Per our discussion on finish colours and me saying I'd finish a couple of samples.

I ran three pieces of Oak through 120. 180 and 240 Grit on the orbital (180 max for Rubio) and then applied finishes so you can compare, if Mrs SILH wants a light finish then she can reference these at least.

On the left you have Osmo PolyX Clear Satin (3032), middle is untreated raw Oak for reference and right is Rubio Monocoat 2C Plus Cotton White. The Rubio has a creamy white tint to it that causes the grain lines to be really embellished with the white tint whilst the rest is a muted white colour.

Osmo darkens the wood slightly as any solvent/oil will do (Osmo doesn't contain varnish so won't "yellow" like Danish Oil does).


image0.jpeg

Both of the Osmo and the Rubio cure to a hard shell finish (they are floor wax oils) so offer good scuff and water resistance.
 

Fade and Die

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Tony93

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Ordered from IKEA after reading recommendations on this thread (didn't even know they did kitchens) and got a local joiner to install. Really pleased with how it has turned out and surprised at the quality. Just waiting for the glass splashback and tiles to arrive so finish off the job :)
 

Bratty

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Ordered from IKEA after reading recommendations on this thread (didn't even know they did kitchens) and got a local joiner to install. Really pleased with how it has turned out and surprised at the quality. Just waiting for the glass splashback and tiles to arrive so finish off the job :)
Need photos! 😉
 
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