Filler for oak

[jasfrank]

Building some cabinets of quartersawn white oak and would like to have a smooth finish yet show the figure nicely.
Has anyone used drywall compound as a grain filler on white oak? If so, how did that work? If that's a bad plan, what's a better method?
What is your preferred method to accentuate the rays?
Also I was considering using a brass brush to wipe the pores clean after sanding. Would you use something rather stiff or soft? Or is that another bad plan?

[jteneyck]

Drywall compound will fill the pores but I'm pretty sure they will be white afterwards; not something I'd want. I would go to SW or BM and get pore filler designed for wood. Some are or can be tinted, too, which gives you the option to hide or accentuate the grain, as you choose.

Jeff Jewitt's finishing schedules for white oak have worked very well for me, and are available for free on his website.

I used a fairly soft brass brush to clean out the pores of several rift sawn white oak projects I made a couple of years ago. It worked great, but I wanted to physically highlight the grain. If you intend to fill the grain, I would not open it up first. I would just vacauum and blow it out with compressed air, then apply the pore filler.

John

[jasfrank]

John and Cooler. Thanks for your replies.
To clarify, I had always thought that drywall compound accepted stain. My plans were to stain the sanded wood, one sealer coat of finish, then the grain filler, then gel stain applied and wiped off. Then finally two or possibly three coats of matte finished precat laquer.
If you don't think the drywall compound would accept the stain or if you forsee other problems with it I best rethink that.

[Cooler]

Woodworkers Journal has an article on the subject. Probably worth reading: http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/wood-s...r-fillers/

[jasfrank]

Cooler, that article you referenced explained a lot about ordinary paste wood fillers. I have used them quite a bit in the past but was thinking of trying something different in using drywall compound. An old finisher told me many years ago that he used drywall compound extensively on oak pieces. I didn't question him much about it as I had no interest or time then to try it. I was hoping someone here had some experience with it.
JohnT. You sure do nice work and I hope these cabinets look as good as that you show. I will try the dye on a smaple piece to see how that works out instead of stain. I am looking for one big difference here however. Jewitt's technique leaves the pores open and my client want's a glass smooth surface.
JR pointed to a good filler,but its $30something a gallon. I can put the drywall filler in for nearly nothing. And I didn't want translucent finish in the pores but rather a darker color than medium brown.

[jteneyck]

Try the drywall compound on some scrap and see how it works with your process.

I often complain about the cost of finishing products, too, but when you think about it they are pretty cheap in comparison to all the other costs you have tied up in a project.

I'm sure you can buy tinted fillers, so if you want to make the pores dark you can get there in one step.

John

[jteneyck]

That approach won't highlight the rays nearly as well as if you use a dye first. You should take a look at Jeff Jewitt's info. I did this piece following his approach, although I used a different dye recipe from any of his.





You can make the rays pop even more if you sand back lightly after applying the dye with 325 grit sandpaper. That will preferentially remove the dye from the rays.

John

[Cooler]

In the flooring refinishing area of Home Depot they sell "grain filler" specific for oak. I've used it. You wipe it on and wait a half hour and sand it flush. It sands REALLY easily. Very easy to use.

They have a red oak version and a white oak version: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Pa.../202056470

[JR1]

Try CrystaLac® Clear Waterborne Wood Grain Filler it's kind of messy but doesn't obscure the grain.

[Dennis Puskar]

Rockler has one ( Oak wood filler ) called wonderful it does take stain and fills pores quite well. $19.95 quart.