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| About the Finishes I Use |
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I have been extremely pleased with two finishes for salad bowls that really get used. Behlen's Salad Bowl Finish is a high gloss finish that resists damage from daily use. Three wipe on coats of this finish gives a wonderful protective finish. We have a salad in a camphor bowl finished with Behlen's Salad Bowl Finish almost every evening. The bowl is washed with a detergent solution and dried immediately. After months of use the bowl finish shows no significant wear. I use this finish on any wood when I want a high gloss and it is a must on softer woods or open grained woods used for salads or other wet foods. The second finish I like is walnut oil, usually found in specialty or health food stores. Walnut oil really does not give a protective finish but it does bring life to the wood and the wood does not stay oily. Before applying walnut oil I wet the turning with water to raise the grain. Then the final sanding with 320 to 600 grit paper. One wipe on coating on maple, walnut, acacia, magnolia and other hardwoods with closed or nearly closed grain really gives a wonderful appearance. These woods can be washed as done with Behlen's Salad Bowl Finish and dried immediately. Re-coat with walnut oil will bring back a luster to the wood but it isn't necessary. We have used salad bowls, meat serving trays and cutting boards with one coating of walnut oil for years. Decorative items and furniture I either spray with lacquer or use a wipe on polyurethane finish followed with buffing. I have not used gel finishes enough so can't comment on them. I have given up on brush-on finishes because of my problem with runs. I have some runs with wipe on finishes but not near the problems I had with brush-on finishes. |