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I'm building some storage for the house out of spruce ply (having decided to eat rather than buy birch). Hadn't planned on finishing it at all, but on second thoughts it might be worthwhile to protect it a bit.
Any consensus on what's best?
Varnish or diluted PVA would be preferable since I already have both. Guess some sort of epoxy-based sealer would probably be the best answer, but assume also the most expensive.
Danish oil and Osmo is what I tend to use the most in many projects, though where you have lovely pale timbers(like Birch ply) or Maple they can tend to yellow it a little.
Maybe you could try a test part and see if you like it.
If you want to keep the pale appearance then probably a water based varnish is best.
I wouldn't use PVA I don't think.
Oils will give a warmer feel generally over a varnish.
Oh, and pics please 😊👍
Cheers kayak23, I was hoping you would see this!
Not toooo bothered about yellowing.
I have various oils, inc. Osmo wood protector (and decking oil, which I guess would work) and linseed (if I dilute that with white spirit, that's essentially Danish oil, no?).
Testing on some scrap is a good idea 👍
Will post pics. But first, we pocket hole.
Danish Oil has Linseed in it I believe but it also has various other stuff that I think makes it a bit more user-friendly.
Linseed can take ages to dry I think.
Danish Oil is probably the very easiest zero-faff finish but as I say, it will tend to yellow paler woods slightly.
If you've got a water-based varnish you could try that, but not something like Yacht varnish which can yellow and look plasticy.
If you use osmo white first, that will stop standard osmo or any other oil from yellowing the surface.
Have a look at the liboron wax products.
As others have typed oil will make it yellow in appearance birch and white type woods look great with clear Polly coats like spray can car top coat
Slightly cheaper than osmo is this from Screwfix that I have had good results from on worktops
Have a look at the liboron wax products
That's what I have linked to btw op. Works for me.
Cheers all.
Did wonder about white Osmo (got some because it's on our kitchen worktops). Perhaps it would be good to not go too yellow 🤔
Danish Oil has Linseed in it I believe but it also has various other stuff that I think makes it a bit more user-friendly.
I assumed the other things was just solvent, but I could be wrong.
I might try a few things on a sample - not in a hurry because it's part of a general conservatory revamp so it's not on the critical path.
Finished building the box earlier. Needs dividers and a lid. I knew it was big, but now I can see it, it's bloody massive (2100x900x600 to be precise.
A pale water based varnish ( polyvine) would achieve close to what the white osmo does anyway. And be quicker. The process with the white osmo is a very thin coat followed by normal clear osmo on top.
I think considering colour, cost, and ease of application, a water-based varnish might be the way to go.
How well will that seal the raw edges of softwood ply? There's the odd void that I will probably fill with epoxy - will it play nicely enough with that?
Call me a heretic, but I would paint that TBH.
I used Ronseal 10 year exterior wood paint for bits of ply in the back of our camper - two coats (over a primer) or 3 coats (direct to bare wood) applied with a roller forms a nice, uniform texture that hides the wood grain and it has proved very durable so far.
I think considering colour, cost, and ease of application, a water-based varnish might be the way to go.
How well will that seal the raw edges of softwood ply?
Should do it pretty well. Sand them well first with a flat block and they should be good after a couple of coats or so.