Finishing Trivets

[grumpy bear]

HELLO TO ALL

I AM IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING HOT PAN TRIVETS WITH WILDLIFE SCENES. CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHAT KIND OF FINISH DO I PUT ON THEM. DO I USE JUST POLYURETHANE. HOW MANY COATS DO I USE. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT TYPE OF ITEM WILL BE SETTING ON THESE TRIVETS.

[Tor]

I would think to avoid all film finishes. Some kind of oil I would think would be fine for cooking pans.

Tor

Oh, and is your caps lock key failed in the wrong position?

[GrayBeard Phil]

Hi Grumpy Bear:

One of several previous threads on trivet finishing:
Finish Question: Advanced topic

To sum up from Bob Flexnor's book lowest to highest heat resistance ratings:

Wax = 0 (lowest heat resistance)
Shellac = 1
NC Lacquer = 2 (Deft)
WB lacquer = 2
All Oil based = 3 (Danish, BLO, Tung, Walnut, etc.)
Varnish = 4 (Alkyd, Phenolic, Urethane, Poly)
Acrylic = 4 ?????? (I challenge this, I think it should be a 2)
Conversion = 5 (a two part epoxy finish not available to hobbyist)

But again, I point out that you should seek out a friend of the family and look at someone's wood trivet. I looked at three, and noticed they were marred by hot acid food stains. The three were finished by an Oil based finish from what I could tell. It did not distract from the look or feel of the trivets. They looked used, like the difference between house and a home. You should make your own judgement.

Personally, I went with BLO for my Niece and for another project I did BLO and a light NC lacquer spray finish.

Just keep in the back of your mind that BLO to fully cure, takes months. Like maybe 3 or 4 months to fully cure. During the 1st 24 hours after applying (the drying time,) BLO needs to be wiped down several times to remove the excess. Then a second coat is applied. Again wiping down several times. Then allowed to cure before using as a trivet.

Oil based finishes like BLO, may weep back out if not wiped down and allowed to cure. This weeping of the oil back out of the wood is where you will get into problems with the lady using the trivet. The oil seeping back out will stain the table cloth.

Phil

[Barefoot1]

That was very useful info! I never knew that about BLO!

[Mike Crosa]

Me neither. Looks like BLO it is.

[minowevie]

Wow, what great impho. I am also making one myself. out of some very old whit oak. so I know it is dry. I wonder. would that also be a facter?? good cured wood. heat seems to warp wood if not dryed well. or am I just assuming? reason I say this is becouse I have milled some of the 100 year old Quorter sawn white oak, and it still warps. MMMM I sure could use some more impho on this subject. also. should you sock the trivit in the Blo?? for some time?? or just wipe it on. mmm thanks for asking this quistion. your friend Evie

[GrayBeard Phil]

Evie:

good cured wood. heat seems to warp wood if not dryed well. or am I just assuming? reason I say this is because I have milled some of the 100 year old Quarter sawn white oak, and it still warps....

What you are experiencing is call "Case hardened lumber". Do a Google.

The surface of the lumber is dry, but the center has higher moisture. Improper drying technique. Once you work the wood, you break the moisture barrier of the very dry surface layer of the wood. Then the central wood will warp. In very rare cases, it will warp so fast that cutting with a power tool, the wood will close the kerf and trap the blade.

White Oak is very special. The cell structure makes it very water proof, or very, very immune to seeping liquid through the wood. There is a reason White Oak is used exclusively for Wine and Whiskey barrels. But that same feature makes kiln drying more difficult, air drying even more prone to case hardening. IIRC, this cell structure is called "Tyloses" in white oak; I got a few hits on a Google search with: tyloses, white oak.

...also, should you soak the trivet in the BLO?? for some time?? or just wipe it on....

Yes, and emphatic YES, dip and soak the trivet in BLO for at least 10 minutes.

When you cut the trivet, your fretwork has end-grain, and edge-grain running everywhere. End-grain soaks up more liquid finish than the edge-gain. This is a good thing with BLO, (not so good with color dyes or stains.) The sides of the fretwork will soak and release excess BLO. You will need hang the trivet up to dry, and expect seepage back out of the end-grain, so place newspaper under the drying trivets. Some members here on this board like to use a shot of compressed air to clear the tight corners and 'veins' of excess BLO.

This is just for the Guys out there (I give out this warning a lot, but it is important):
Never, Ever, borrow your wife's good roasting pan for dipping BLO. Every female in your life will hear of it, and never forgive or forget you doing it. Don't ask......
Get your own 9" X 13" pan!

I hope this addresses your questions Evie.

Phil