How to Finish Obeche Wood
Obeche is an imported African hardwood that is strong relative to its light weight and is economical in comparison to other hardwoods. Known natively as African whitewood due to its creamy color, it replaces American whitewood applications in many instances due to cost. Common applications for obeche are low-strength joinery, picture framing and musical instruments. Applying a finish to obeche wood requires the same skills you need with all types of hardwood; the most common finish is a polyurethane satin varnish.
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Things You'll Need
- Latex gloves
- Respirator
- Rubbing alcohol
- Cloths
- Polyurethane satin varnish
- Stir stick
- 2-inch paintbrush
- Sandpaper (180-220 grit)
- Fine synthetic steel wool
Instructions
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1
Wipe the prepared wood with a rubbing alcohol-dampened cloth to remove any grease marks and dust, and allow the obeche to dry. Shake the can of polyurethane satin varnish to begin to amalgamate the solution.
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2
Remove the lid and use a stir stick to thoroughly mix the varnish to an even consistency. Use a clean 2-inch paintbrush and apply a thin coat of varnish onto the obeche surface in long, swift strokes. Avoid making puddles of varnish on the wood or overloading the brush. Brush the strokes with the grain.
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3
Allow the varnish to dry using the manufacturer's guide-time as a reference, commonly one hour. Use 180-grit sandpaper and sand the surface lightly to remove any imperfections in the first coat of varnish. Wipe the obeche with a water-dampened cloth to clear away the sanding dust.
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Brush on another thin coat of varnish, loading the brush evenly across all bristles and with the same amount of varnish each time. This attention to detail for brush-loading helps to maintain the evenness of application across the whole surface and saves time on sanding.
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Allow the second coat of varnish to dry, and use a 220-grit sandpaper to gently sand the surface. Wipe up the sanding dust as you did previously, and brush on a third coat of varnish evenly over the obeche. Allow it to dry.
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Use fine synthetic steel wool to lightly sand this layer of varnish to obscure your bristle lines, and wipe away the dust with a damp cloth. Apply the final coat of varnish to finish the wood completely, and allow it to dry before using the surface.
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Tips & Warnings
Use polyurethane varnish in a well-ventilated area to avoid vapor concentrations.
Wear latex gloves and a respirator when working with obeche because it is a skin and bronchial irritant.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit kitchen image by Rich Johnson from Fotolia.com
