Technical How to make my wooden dash shiny?

I made the dash for the roadster out of cherry wood and I'd like to make it nice and shiny, kinda like the one below.



I'm not a wood guy, at all. Someone told me to use spray urethane so I sanded a test piece with 150 grit and tried some of this (although it was gloss). It came out really blotchy. Not at all what I was looking for.



Anyone have any suggestions on preparation and what to use?

 

It will take several coats of anything you use before it gets enough coverage to be shiny. The raw wood will suck up the material.

That urethane will work eventually. Let it dry sand with 220 and spray it again. Repeat until satisfied.

There should be application and dry times on the can?

 

Cherry is extremely dense, and if not properly applied, anything will peel right off especially when out in the Sun.
I'd talk to someone at a marine supply or fine woodworking store. Around here we have Rockler and West Marine.

 

I wonder if you use clear epoxy. It sure shines up countertops and other wood projects. Check this video out.

 

What Slim 38 said!..if you look at my avitar you will see an oak bed,( repop beds weren't available when this truck was completed about 29 years ago) this was finished with a clear epoxy like is used on tables and counter tops...it is very thick and I had to roll the bed around and only apply material to the level surfaces....took several days to complete the job but it's EXTREMELY TOUGH !

 

I've used automotive clear urathane before, spray sand reclear until you get the results you need.

 

It's wood. nothing will last forever. Marine Spar Varnish is made for extreme outdoor protection and beauty.
Better yet, hydrodip it in wood grain vinyl and a gloss clear automotive clear coat.

 

Spar varnish. Good for exterior.
Thin the first coat 50/50 to let it penetrate.
"Sand" with 0000 steel wool.
Apply about 4 or 5 coats.

 

First, the surface must be smooth, sand with at least 220-360.
If you want traditional varnish, start out with thinned first coat 50-50 varnish and mineral spirits.
The next two cut back to about 10-20% varnish to spirits,then full varnish coats up to about 8-10 coats til you like the finish.
Block wet sand with 220 between coats after 2nd coat, block wet with 400 before the final coat.
I thought I had pics of this that I just did on my sailboat, but I erased them,but the beam on the boat had about 5-6 coats on it.

The last two are is with 2 coats on another boat I built
It will take multiple coats to "fill the grain" and get the mirror finish you want
You can use a urethane, but I use traditional Spar varnish with badger hair brushes
http://www.pettitpaint.com/products/varnish-wood-finishes/exterior-varnish/captains-varnish/

 

I use Tung oil on most of my projects. It usually takes at least 3 coats and it looks really good. If it is exposed to the weather, I don't know how it would hold up. To refinish all you would have to do is scuff with fine (0000) steel wool and reapply. Wood Is Good!

 

I'd say the dash is painted woodgrain on a steel dash. that makes it easier to be shiny.

I would think you need something thick that goes on with a brush. brush, sand brush, sand until you get it smooth.

I don't think wood looks good shiny so I never tried it.

 

Back to rods
This is the bed from my avatar truck, after about 4-5 coats.
Wood was in bad shape, so I didn't spend as much time and effort in it as I usually do

 

Cherry wood is perfect for smoking meats.

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That should work, but If it were me I'd use automotive 2k clear. It's more durable and cures much faster. Spray, let harden, sand w/6-800. Repeat. When you get the grain filled an level, one more coat to provide gloss.

 

I went back and did a little research on clear epoxy and everyone says that sun exposure yellows it and makes it brittle in as little as 200hrs. Being as it's going on a dash I dont know that it will last.

 

You will also want to do front, back, and sides, to keep it all on an equal humidity level.

 

I was a 'yacht carpenter' for 35 years and we would use spar urethane on exterior brightwork. Builds up faster than varnish, but it still takes patience and a lot of coats. We would use "Scotchbrite" pads to smooth it, blow it off with compressed air, then wipe it down with a "tack cloth" or a clean rag moistened with thinner between coats. There are all kinds of ways to do it. Don't lay the finish down too thick, and allow each coat to dry over night.

 

The problem is wood doesn't stay the same size; it expands/contracts according to heat and humidity, much more than metal. To get a really glossy finish, you need a hard finish and sooner or later it will crack/lift. I've owned Jags (which feature wood trim with the kind of finish you're after) and I've never seen even one (that was actually used and not stored all the time in a temperature-and-humidity-controlled environment) more than 5-6 years old that didn't have the finish failing somewhere. Personally, I'd use tung oil as that can be applied yearly without having to prep it every time, or very minimal prep. Marine varnish or urethane would be my second choice, but repairing the finish usually means sanding the old finish off.

 

A can of urethane and a sponge brush are your best bets. Sand that wood as smooth as you want it, if you plan on staining it, stain it, and then go to town with the urethane. Drag it along the whole length smoothly if you can using the sponge brush, repeat every 15-20 minutes for at least 4-5 coats, if not more. It’s the same technique I used for some shelves and a desk I built a few years back, as well as some stairs.

 

About 40 years ago I bought an old hard maple dining table that had a flaking shellac finish. I stripped it and sprayed some clear Ditzler automotive urethane on it. I gave it a couple days to dry in the sun and buffed it like you would a car. It has scratches of course after all this time, but it still looks great.

 

Epiphanes varnish was my favourite when I was restoring wooden boats. Or Cetol but is has a bronze colour that some people don’t like. 4-5 coats you should be good. Biggest issue is keeping the dust out. Some folks say sand between but I find that creates dust and I like to reapply while it a bit tacky.


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So, something like this and sand between coats?

 

Clear marine epoxy is your best bet but you'll need to cover all surfaces. Otherwise moisture will cause it to eventually lift.

 

West systems epoxy resin with the 207 special clear hardener does not turn yellow, it stays clear.

4 coats should do it, then clear coat with good quality paint.

 

Having had a sailboat for the past 16 years I'd agree 100% with getting a real Marine finish. Not the "spar varnish" from the hardware store but a genuine marine finish from a marine supply house and where you live you are not that far from a number of them. I've used the Helmsman spar varnish from the local hardware on my teak and every year I have to sand it down and redo it as it doesn't handle the weather that well. True that boat lives under a lot harsher conditions than that car does.

 

Instructions from Pettit......use the instructions from whatever product you choose

http://www.pettitpaint.com/media/4034/pet-786-bru-varnish-2017-broch-catalog-web.pdf

 

The dash in your photo is a wood grained metal dash and probably has a 2 part clear done in multiple coats.

The spary can you posted is satin which is far from being a gloss finish.

With Cherry wood you need to seal it before applying a clear gloss finish.

A natural oil base stain will seal the grain of the wood and help prevent blotches, the best wood finish for exterior in my opinion is a spar (exterior) urethane, not polyurethane.

To get the best gloss it will take multiple coats, you can use 0000 steel wool or fine sandpaper and use a tack cloth to remove the dust, repeat. HRP

 

I am not MR Woodwork either.

If it were mine I would sand it with a block and fine sandpaper (150 may be a little corse try 300-600 grit). Then I would do it the old fashioned way Marine Deck Varnish and a good brush. 1-3 thin coats the 00 steel wool then repeat until I had it built up to my liking.

 

The Epoxy work vey well but it’s self leveling so if your piece is not completely flat it will just run off on the floor. This stuff doesn’t setup until it stops flowing. Also if you use it have a plumbers propane torch lit. When you see bubbles coming up to the surface hit them very very lightly with the flame to knock them down. If you don’t it will look like someone that had a bad case of acne long ago. Once you start you need to stay with it until it stops flowing.

The guy in the clip is taking out bubbles with the heat gun he’s not applying heat to help it setup but it will help.


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Here's an article from Popular Woodworking that I found helpful: https://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/the_basics_of_wiping_varnish2/

It's about how to make and apply "wiping varnish," which is essentilly a mix of varnish and mineral spirits. Also explains how to choose from among the different types of varnish out there (spar, polyurethane, alkyd).