I know complete out of left field question here. My wife and I are finally moving forward with our outdoor patio space and kitchen and now are in the shopping for furniture portion of the project. I have been looking all over the place for a pub style dining set that works for us and have zero success.
I have had a large butcher block style cutting board for years not knowing what to do with it until now. It is 30” x 60” x 3” and I am thinking of trying to do Shou-sugi-ban treatment to it and then some sort of polyethylene or shellac for weather proofing?
Has anyone here done anything like this and do you have any suggestions or tips? I plan to buy a bunch of scrap wood to practice on to get a feel for it but having no experience with this I am trying to get as much info as possible it's basically a one shot deal. I have watched a ton of videos regarding the process and was hoping some here may have some suggestions for me based on your experience?
I have always been interested in this style of wood treatment it’s pretty cool IMO and don’t want to F it up so to speak.
Thanks for any insight you can send my way.
If you don't intend on cutting on the surface and don't mind the sheen, I'd go with epoxy to finish. Much more durable and with UV stabilization it won't fade either.
Yes
But the majority of applications I have seen are used for house siding and such not outdoor tables what would not allow the water wicking effect as siding does. In addition being a table I would like to avoid any rough surfaces so I figured polyethylene would allow a smooth surface? I could be wrong but thought that was the best way to go?
If you don't intend on cutting on the surface and don't mind the sheen, I'd go with epoxy to finish. Much more durable and with UV stabilization it won't fade either.
If I finished it with a polyethylene or some type of sealant
Why would I need to maintain it with oil? This is going to be for a pub height dining table not for food prep use. I only figured using the board simply due to the fact I have nothing else to do with it, and it looks great with the wood grain in it. Other than sell it I thought this would be my best option
I am just curious why you would use this technique if you are going to coat it with something. Is it for the color? Iz it just as a project that you want to try? It seems like a lot of work that is unnecessary if you are sealing the wood anyway.
Damn spell check.
I guess that is another question not noted in my OP is this even possible with this kind of wood? I know these boards are put together with glue but I was figuring with the intense heat for a short amount of time & clamping all four sides for support would do the trick? I maybe wrong as I said this is my first rodeo in this.
I am just curious why you would use this technique if you are going to coat it with something. Is it for the color? Iz it just as a project that you want to try? It seems like a lot of work that is unnecessary if you are sealing the wood anyway.
I have always liked this style and old school look.
It is without question a project I have always wanted to try this but never had a reason to do so. It’s not about just sealing the wood that’s easy but sealing it with the look & style I at least hope to achieve is the goal. And I agree it will take time and effort but my hope is in the end I have a one of a kind table that is also a conversation piece.
If you don't intend on cutting on the surface and don't mind the sheen, I'd go with epoxy to finish. Much more durable and with UV stabilization it won't fade either. [/quote]
Thank you for the info.
You can acheieve a similar effect using a solution of vinegar with steel wool pads left to soak in it for a period of time (from a couple days to a month). It reacts with the tanin in the wood to create a very aged/weathered look. If the wood used in the butcher block doesn't have a lot of natural tanins (like maple or ash)you can add in a tea bag to mixture to compensate.
IMHO I always thought that a nice stain with a lacquer finish would have been better. Frankly, it looked a little weird.