Grain filling Queensland Red Cedar

I have been given some Queensland Red Cedar floorboards from an 1860's vintage house.

I have re-sawn and thicknessed some of the floorboards into pieces which I intend to use as sides for boxes.

http://img.skitch.com/20101209-t6jr8...kw.preview.jpgClick for large view - Uploaded with Skitch

The timber has a very open grain and I would like to grain fill the wood when I have finished the boxes.

Does anyone gave any suggestions on what to grain fill Queensland Red Cedar with please?

My only past experience with grain filling was in using Wattyl products when I stained and grain filled all of the Meranti skirting boards, door jambs, window surrounds, etc when I built my house 28 years ago. That worked out very successfully but it was easy to know what to use in that case because the Wattyl brochures showed what grain filler to use with what stain. I am not sure what to do with natural timber colours like the Qld Red Cedar.

All advice most gratefully received. :)




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Good score!

What do you plan to finish them with?

Shellac will fill the grain. Ditto oil if used via wet sanding.

Otherwise, Neil has spoken favorably about Intergrain filler. Click

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Originally Posted by rsser

Good score!

What do you plan to finish them with?

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Ah sorry - I should have mentioned that. I want to finish them with Organoil Danish Oil. 'Tis easy stuff for a mug like me to use.

Thanks for your response. :)


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Hmm, well with their Hard Burnishing oil, the finish is wet sanded and that builds up a grain-filling slurry. Job done.

They don't mention this approach with their DO however. Click

Hello Charleville

Have a lookat this recent thread, Wood Grain Fillers.
Now oil darkens red cedar a fair bit so try some out on a scrap before using the oil-based filler suggested there. See if you like the effect. Otherwise the shellac/talc filler works beautifully on red cedar and sands back to silky smoothness. As red cedar is so open-pored you will need a couple of coats of the shellac filler.

Good advice Brian.

I'm not a fan I have to say of adding talc, though it was common enough in the industry, as it turns shellac towards the opaque end of the continuum and may mean you lose the signature figure of Aus Red Cedar.

My notion was that, used as a sanding sealer, this actually enhances the figure. I add a little red oxide powder to the shellac/talc, sand back to bare wood when the filler is dry, then use whatever finish I have chosen. But I'm just a hobbyist. So it's something I do at long intervals.
What say you Ern? Do you think this dulls the figure?

Thanks for the responses, gentlemen. :)

I shall experiment a bit on some off-cuts and see what happens.

I recall from my earlier modest experience with grain filling just how nice the result was when the grain was filled to be darker than the wood itself.

However, as Wizened of OZ has noted, the red cedar does go pretty dark when oiled. That suits me as I shall be contrasting the cedar against some birdseye yellow stringbark so the depth of colour in the oiled cedar should give me the effect that I seek.


Yesterday morning, before I started this thread, I actually ordered the Ubeaut book on finishing. There is much for me to learn.



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I get you Brian; thought you were bodying up with Shellac and talc.

Some cedar pieces I've restored had had grain and holes filled with English whiting I think. I'm told in a resto baby oil wiped over it and then Shellac applied blends it in but have never tried it.

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Originally Posted by Charleville

I recall from my earlier modest experience with grain filling just how nice the result was when the grain was filled to be darker than the wood itself.

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Hi Charleville

Perhaps also try Burnt Umber as a colourant instead of Red Oxide. I recall testing it out once on red cedar but thought the effect was a bit too dark.

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Originally Posted by Wizened of Oz

Hi Charleville

Perhaps also try Burnt Umber as a colourant instead of Red Oxide. I recall testing it out once on red cedar but thought the effect was a bit too dark.

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Thanks Wiz. Much appreciated advice. Will give it a try.


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Grain filling red cedar is a PITA at the best of times, using a low building finish makes it nearly impossible.

On small items like boxes, used wipe on poly and sand every 2nd coat until finish was achieved, sometimes as many as 18 coats.

On larger items, lacquer 3 coats, sand, 3 coats, sand, ad infinitum until base built, then finish applied.

Implied is already used a sanding sealer as base coat.

http://www.cruzis-coins.com/tmp/projxib003e.jpg


Grain filing is only really needed for full gloss finishes, you can get away with a lot more on satin and matte finishes.

Thanks, Cruzi.

Lovely box, BTW. Very nice!



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