Mahogany - To Fill or Not to Fill
#1
02-21-07, 10:17 AM
Mahogany - To Fill or Not to Fill
I am building two bathroom vanities from African Mahogany for my daughter. I have never worked with Mahogany before and am concerned about its porosity.
While we are not looking for a "fine" furniture finish and prefer a natural look, will be be able to accomplish a decent finish with an oil stain followed by several coats of oil finish?
My daughter would prefer not to use a filler, nor poly or varnish if possible.
Thanks!
Matt
While we are not looking for a "fine" furniture finish and prefer a natural look, will be be able to accomplish a decent finish with an oil stain followed by several coats of oil finish?
My daughter would prefer not to use a filler, nor poly or varnish if possible.
Thanks!
Matt
#3
02-22-07, 03:11 PM
My african mahogany is quite porous even after sanding. It has similar porosity to red oak. I am concerned that it will still be a bit rough textured after finishing.
Matt
Matt
#4
02-22-07, 08:40 PM
Group Moderator
After the investment of time and the cost of materials, I wouldn't be comfortable having wood like this in a moist/wet location like a bathroom without protecting it with several coats of poly.
#5
02-23-07, 05:04 AM
If you use an oil such as 100% tung oil, you will have a durable finish that is waterproof as well as being easy to renew over time as needed. This sort of finish usually requires several coats to build a suitably thick film, because it is typically applied by wiping. It will take several days to achieve the needed thickness due to its slow drying rate.
#6
02-23-07, 10:21 AM
Thanks all!
After discussing your suggestions with my daughter, we've decided not to apply a pore filler and leave the surface natural after scraping & sanding it as smooth as we can.
We'll also use several coats of a polymerizing tung oil for as much water resistance as possible. This won't be as strong as polyurethane, but we like the idea of being able to touch up any future problems by simply applying more tung oil.
Thanks again!
Matt
After discussing your suggestions with my daughter, we've decided not to apply a pore filler and leave the surface natural after scraping & sanding it as smooth as we can.
We'll also use several coats of a polymerizing tung oil for as much water resistance as possible. This won't be as strong as polyurethane, but we like the idea of being able to touch up any future problems by simply applying more tung oil.
Thanks again!
Matt
