I have a country house in which the interior is finished with redwood tongue and grove paneling. The finish is way too dark and I'm thinking of sanding it down and reapplying some sort of finish. I'd like to apply the finish by wiping. Can anyone suggest and appropriate finish? The goal is to darken the sanded redwood the least amount possible amount. Thanks.
-Howard
Why finish it at all? My sauna is unfinished redwood. It's 25 years old and looks great, just a little darker from natural aging. All finishes will darken it from it's raw appearance, even shellac; the lightest color it will ever be is the natural wood. Walls don't get much abuse, so I'd leave it raw. Dings and splashes add character, but could easily be removed by sanding w/o having to worry about matching the finish.
John
I agree with John. It will gray over a few years if it's exposed o sunlight though. If you feel that you must finish it or it's exposed to sunlight then a clear topcoat with good UV inhibitors¹ is what you want. Cryatalac poly-ox, GF Endurovar, or SW A-100 (untinted) are what you want. All are waterborne and easy to apply. I'd use a wide foam brush or roller although they spray easier.
¹ UV inhibitors will wear out over a period of years; quite a few indoors.
I've found that oil-based stain with little or no tint---(such as base for solid body stain without pigment) will keep the redwood look with minimal darkening, and if out of the sun, the red will last even longer before turning gray.