Replies

1. 
   oldhand | Aug 15, 2012 07:20pm | #1

   my thought...

   My knee jerk reaction without being there is one coat sealer and 2 coats polyurethane. Use a good quality varnish and sealer not the minwax stuff from wally mart. 

2. 
   Hokuto | Aug 16, 2012 11:26am | #2

   There's really no single correct answer. It depends on how concentrated/thinned the urethane varnish is, whether you brush it on thick or wipe it on thin, how long you want it to last, what kind of wood it is, etc. You say you like the look of bare wood. What about other parts of the stairway/handrail system? Will they match if you leave the handrail bare? You can be virtually assured in any case that the wood won't continue to look the same once people start sliding dirty, oily hands along it.

3. 
   DanH | Aug 16, 2012 06:35pm | #3

   I'm halfway wondering if some sort of oil finish might not be worth considering.  It would stain with hands, of course, but would be more "organic' and the staining could probably be cleaned off at intervals without the need to completely refinish, which would be required for other finishes.

   But of course an oil finish will darken the wood immediately.

1. 
   oldhand | Aug 18, 2012 07:02pm | #4

   wouldn't do that...

   I've built a fair number of hand rails, commercially and res., own a few and would not recomend any finish that didn't have a good bit of plastic surface film.

   Unless you wear gloves all the time your " hand goo" will build up on the rail whether you are a clean freak or not.

4. 
   Piffin | Aug 20, 2012 10:06pm | #5

   The answer depends on the type of wood, the kind of poly, and the climate, but as a general rule, look for three coats

1. 
   DanH | Aug 20, 2012 10:23pm | #6

   And don't do it in humid weather.

5. 
   k1c | Aug 28, 2012 12:42pm | #7

   I made my own oak rail and used minwax water based urethane, semi gloss.  5 coats with 220 grit sanding between coats.  Water base dry quickly and does not darken the wood.  2 kids and about 8 years so far without looking aged.  I chose lightest oak I could find, rummaging through homedepot stock.  Finish you see will depend on the tone of your rail.  Aged wood usually is darker.  Depending on the surrounding, you can try lightening the wood, but you risk losing the grain.