What Finish Sells the Most?

[lonepine]

In all your doings with the craft shows is there some finish that is apt to be more popular than others? High Gloss, Satin, or just a flat finish?
Curious...Thanks Bob

[pops-shop]

Bob

I finish all my stuff with Deft High Gloss Lacquer. Usually 3 coats. Some woods finish shinier than others.

Customers don't ask about it, so I don't tell them. What they see is what they get.

I know this doesn't really answer your question - just expressing my 2% of a dollar. :rolleyes:

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Bob

In all the years I have been doing craft shows and selling in malls, the majority of my projects have been finished with 2 coats of Danish oil with a coat of satin watco liquid wax. Now I sand all my work to 220 grit and after the Danish oil is dried and I applied the wax the wood has a soft not glossy sheen that you can't help to pick up and hold. I have been complimented many times on the finish look. Now I also do large clocks and shelves that have BLO and top coated with water base lacquer that I spray with an HVLP gun. The lacquer is semi-gloss. Now I just started doing some turning and will probably use gloss lacquer as the finish of choice here because for some reason turned items are all highly polished. Not quite sure why but I will do the same. Now if doing cabinets and things of this nature it is always semi-gloss lacquer water based. Just the way I do things and am sure others will chime in with their methods. I guess alot has to do with one's taste. I am not a big fan of high gloss poly because I think it takes something away from the character of wood and looks like a plastic coating. Lacquer will let the natural color of the wood show through better than poly but poly is a better protector of wood.

[K&MScrollworks]

What seems to be popular with customers that I have worked with is either satin or semi-gloss. Most like the semi-gloss so I have been doing every item in semi-gloss. At the present my favorite is made by General Finishes. I use their sanding sealer and for top coat polyacrylic, both products are in a water based and look like milk. Both products flow and level very nice and are very sag resistance. I have noticed that gloss and high gloss seem to show nimor defects in the wood more than satin and semi-gloss, oh maybe its just me and my eyes.
This is a good thread cause there so many products out there and I have been thinking about trying some different ones. Now I am getting thoughts from other scrollers.

Kris

[ndtroll]

I finish my projects with one or two coats of Danish Oil.... similar to what JT does but I do not put the wax coat on top..... depensing on the type of wood, one or two coats of Danish Oil seem to high light the grain with out giving it a glossy appearance

I've also used Tung oil and Teak oil.... all seem to provide about the same finish... teak oil is designed more for hardwoods, I believe

[lonepine]

Thank You, so much for all this valuable information. I am very pleased with your responces. This could mean, at least for me a difference in making a sale. Bob

[Deanna]

My thanks too... I appreciate the listing of different products. My knowledge of finishing products is very limited, so I it's nice to see what are your favorite products are.

Time to hit the stores again!

Deanna

[JABBY]

HI EVERYBODY Just thought i would add my tuppenceworth.
At the craft shows i did last year,the finish of my wooden items seemed to be unimportant. The main thing the customers commented on was the smoothness of the finish, and not the type of finish.

Also, my bookmarks are not finished or varnished in anyway, but still sold like hot cakes.

cheers
JOHN www.jbwoodcraft.co.uk