Expert: Greg Scholl - 11/20/2009

Question
QUESTION: the project:
interior of entire 1&1/2 floor house, of mostly wooden surfaces, consisting of:
- structural: beams (mostly pine beams glued together for strength
- under the eaves & some attic walls: large plywood panels with poplar veneer
- cabinetry: large plywood panels w birch veneer
the look:
-the house is "minimal", "zen", "scandinavian", with large empty plain surfaces that emphasize the pallor of the wood surfaces & its minimal veins
the question/problem:
-what do i use to treat all this wood, mostly from the yellowing effects of sunlight (already apparent)? it needs to be a "natural" "non-toxic" product that will keep the wood in good condition for years, minimize the darkening upon application & minimize/retard the inevitable yellowing.
thanks so much
d

ANSWER: Hi Dimitris, I am not aware of a product that would fit those criteria..especially the "natural" part. An Acrylic Urethane fits closest, but keep in mind that the wood itself will change color and hue due to UV light..and Pine, Poplar, and Birch will all oxidize and change differently. Some cabinet finishes do have "sunscreens", or UV inhibitors in them, but this is all synthetic chemistry for the most part....most importantly, is that I have absolutely no idea what the coatings regulations and availability would be in your Country. I would steer you towards a kitchen cabinet manufacturer in your area, or an architectural woodworking firm, as they will likely be using the state of the art coatings that you're seeking...hope that helps a little- Regards- Greg

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks greg. sorry i was not clearer: i am doing this on my own & i will not use anything synthetic.  any opinions on linseed & other oils versus beeswax based products?  basically, this HAS to be done with the natural product that will best fit the bill, regardless of its limitations with UV inhibition. the house is in california.  thanks

Answer
Any oil will darken the woods you have quite substantially, especially after the recommended 2-4 coats....especially Boiled Linseed oil which is very dark and continues to darken with age...something like Watco "natural" is a "Danish" oil finish, that's got resins, Phenolics, thinners,and dryers in it, but I'm pretty sure it's not all "natural"...although you certainly could research that. Beeswax, while being "natural", has thinners in it, and would be a nightmare to apply evenly and buff off over all these types of surfaces....Watco make a "Liquid Finishing Wax" product designed to use over an oil finish...easy to apply and buff off, but not designed to be used as a finish itself...and any of these waxes will have to have Petroleum distillates in them, which will evaporate of course leaving behind a non toxic finish....You're extremely limited by you criteria, since modern state of the art finishes are really based on synthetic chemistry....so called "natural" finishes really don't exist because they don't offer any of the benefits you seek, especially durability, longevity, and protection from everyday use and UV damage. California also has the most stringent VOC (volatile organic compounds) regulations in the Country, so they're really eliminating almost all of your choices anyway...so again, I'd seek out an Architectural Woodworking company, and/or a kitchen cabinet manufacturer in the area and pick their brains....I'd be interested to hear what you find out as well. There are some companies working hard to produce viable finishes that will fill the void as we're legislated away from traditional types of solvent finishes....so Google will be your best friend....Vermont Natural Coatings is one of these companies manufacturing a Poly/Whey finish...:

http://www.vermontnaturalcoatings.com/quality_safety.html

I have not yet started to really contemplate seeking out and using these products, as I do mostly Antique finishing, and use the Mother of all non toxic finishes....shellac. While it uses Alcohol as a solvent, it is Historically accurate, and available in many forms and colors from around the world..and when the alcohol evaporates, one is left with a Non-toxic film that brings out the grain of the wood like few other finishes, it's repairable, and wax-able for maintenance...and is all natural in composition.

The Vermont company looks really interesting, definitely worth your investigation...hope that helps a little- post back- regards- Greg