Wax finishes such as beeswax and carnauba wax offer a smooth finish with easy application and maintenance. Shellac finish is another option that provides a hard, glossy finish while preserving the natural look of
The best finish for walnut is a clear one. Several coats of Danish oil provide clarity. For protection, add a compatible clear topcoat.
The three main players on the market are Odie's Oil, Osmo, and my personal choice, Rubio Monocoat. Unlike film finishes, hard-wax oils provide protection by penetrating and binding to the top most wood fibres on the live edge slab and then a seal layer of wax cures on the surface.
On walnut I like to use an oil (BLO, BLO based oil finish) followed by a french polish of 1.5lb cut amber (or garnet) shellac. Being as though its a bed, I'd probably not do the french polish but instead, flow on (with a brush) a 1.5lb cut of amber or garnet shellac.
General Finishes EF Sanding Sealer is a high quality acrylic waterborne sanding sealer that builds fast and makes sanding smooth and easy. For wood with large, open grain, such as walnut or mahogany, sanding sealer is especially handy as a final fill after most of the grain has been evened out with grain filler.
Woods such as oak, mahogany and walnut are characterized as having “open grain” because the wood pores are large. In contrast, “closed grain” woods like hard maple, cherry, poplar and beech have smaller pores. You don't have to fill the pores of any wood before applying a finish.
Shellac gives a high-gloss finish in a warm tone, but it isn't very durable. Lacquer is extremely durable and gives a clear finish in a variety of sheens. Shellac is easier to repair, but lacquer is more resistant to scratches, heat, and water.
Moreover, stains tend to wash out the grain, removing bits of character. For this reason, a natural walnut wood product is rarely stained. Instead, walnut furniture tends to get a clear coat finish; either of some type of varnish, wax, oil, or lacquer.
Hand sanding works best: Walnut, although easy to work with, can be difficult to finish. To help bring out the amazing grain patterns in walnut, hand sanding works best. Simply use finer grits of sandpaper as you go along to get a smooth finish that showcases the beautiful grain patterns walnut is known for.
Yes, Walnut does accept stain and dyes well in the sense that it does not suffer from blotchiness nor does it specifically require pre-stain conditioners. It is obviously a dark color to begin with which does limit the range of stain colors you can apply to it.
Just about every popular wood is described as “warp-resistant.” Even among the most common species for woodworking, black walnut is known as a particularly sturdy wood that resists warping through a long lifetime of use.
Walnut loves oil, and darkens nicely with it. Maple's not quite so happy, as it also darkens somewhat with the oils. That's something you said you wanted to avoid. If you can't keep the oil on the walnut and off the maple, then shellac is likely your best move.
The amber-colored shellac will give the walnut a much warmer tone.
Shellac – Shellac is best used on lighter woods where durability is not a top priority. This finish is easy to apply, dries quickly, and is best on lighter-colored woods. Polyurethane – Polyurethane is a more durable finish and is recommended for heavier-use areas where moisture is a concern.
Walnut trees thrive in fertile, deep, well-drained soil. They begin to bear fruit four to i ve years after being planted and can continue to grow and bear fruit for a century or more. Walnuts are harvested using mechanical shakers that shake the nut to the ground during harvest time in September through November.
Use on Bare wood: Use one to two coats of amber-tined sanding sealer first to bring out the wet color of the wood. Sand, then apply the wood grain filler. You can rub it into the pores with a lint free rag, or brush it onto the surface and trowel(squeegee) off any excess.
Species such as maple and walnut dry at an intermediate rate, ie a 1” walnut board air dried in the south in the summer time will dry in about 120 days, and species such as oak, mesquite, and hickory dry very slowly (ie 1” per year).
One of the most effective butcher block sealers available on the market is Waterlox®. Waterlox® is a high-grade Tung oil and resin blend with a water-resistant finish that we've been recommending to our customers for years.
Sometimes during the finishing process we use water to 'pop' the grain before final sanding to help achieve a smoother finished surface. It also gives you a sneak peak into what the piece will look like when the finish is applied.
A top coat can be applied over walnut oil, but the oil should be allowed to cure for three to six months before any top coat is applied. Humid or cool conditions will lengthen this time. Walnut oil should be stored in an airtight container that protects it from light. Light and air cause the oil to cure.