Replies

1. 
   frenchy | Dec 05, 2007 09:23pm | #1

   Tommymc

     You won't like the answer,

       it's paint..

      you can acid wash the wood and get it all shiney clean and the nature of wood will quickly start right back in  making things dark. 

    Log homes tend to be worse. 

      I have black walnut exterior timbers and trim.. 5 years after the best varnish available went on it's time to strip all the varnish , sand the wood to bring back the orignal color and then revarnish, estimates vary but most are near $80,000 to do it.. , Or I can paint everything brown for 5% of that.

    

1. 
   johnharkins | Dec 05, 2007 10:12pm | #2

   Mr. Frenchy
   reread that post - he is talking interior
   I would have bet a bazillion dollars you would have said s*****c and you said paint
   sounds like a sacrilege to me
   take another gander
   appreciate your passion

1. 
   frenchy | Dec 06, 2007 02:37am | #6

   John,

    it applies to the inside as well most log homes are made of pine, pine when exposed to the UV light darkens with age..

2. 
   TomT226 | Dec 05, 2007 11:09pm | #3

   ...or you can pull all of that sorry walnut off, stack it in the yard, and I'll come by and take it off yer hands... 

3. 
   Piffin | Dec 06, 2007 01:38am | #5

   Why not shellac? 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   frenchy | Dec 06, 2007 02:38am | #7

   Piffin,

      most log homes are pine.. pine darkens with age.

1. 
   Piffin | Dec 06, 2007 02:47am | #9

   You really ought to be more carefull with that word, "most"not that it matters here.Most wood darkens with age. 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   frenchy | Dec 06, 2007 03:11am | #10

   Piffin,

     I'm aware that black walnut lightens with age and then eventually turns grey. 

4. 
   Tommymc | Dec 06, 2007 02:24pm | #11

   Yes, I'm referring to the interior woodwork, which is pine.  BTW, when I bought the place, the exterior was a mess.  I talked with the log home mfg about sanding/lightening the logs and got a similar answer to what Frenchy said....I went with dark solid stain.

   The thing about the interior walls is that I have sanded them and gotten the dark aged color off. I know they will re-darken in time, but it seems that just the application of a finish darkens them.  I guess I'll try some of the finishes you all recommend on a sample and see which looks lightest. Thanks.

2. 
   Danno | Dec 06, 2007 01:35am | #4

   I would try extra blond or bleached shellac. That should seal it nicely. I'd use shellac cut with quite a bit of alcohol so it would penetrate a little more. Use dewaxed shellac if you think you may ever want to varnish over it.

3. 
   Sancho | Dec 06, 2007 02:42am | #8

   Go to homesteadfinishing.com and look at the General Finishes Enduro Poly they make a flat sheen which should work just fine they also make a finish thats even flatter than flat , If that makes sense. Its not on the site but Jeff might be able to get it for you.

   Give Jeff a call there and he can help you.

   Heres a link, I swear by this stuff

   http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/htdocs/generalfinishes.htm#generalclears
   Edited 12/5/2007 6:43 pm by Sancho

   
   

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   Edited 12/5/2007 6:45 pm by Sancho