Finishes

  • Fine finish starts with good preparation! Use these mildly abrasive pads after sanding for a final smoothing process to give a near-perfect surface prior to applying any finish. Very long lasting, these pads are also very flexible and do not crumble, thus avoiding contamination of your work.
  • This amazing product is a cut and polish paste containing Tripoli powder, an ultra-fine abrasive.  The polish is designed to be used in conjunction with Shellawax Cream and liquid formulations or as a finish in its own right on plastics (such as acrylic, resin-impregnated burr, crushed velvet, artificial ivory and similar products used for pen bodies).  It can also be used after French polishing and restorers will find it useful to cut and revive previously polished surfaces.  Although designed to be used directly on raw timber, bear in mind that EEE is not a finish in itself and the polished surface will need protecting by the use of some other product (such as Shellawax).  EEE-Ultra Shine can be used over many other finishes such as oils and most types of varnish, enhancing the surface and giving it a smoothness and lustre with an ease that you would never have thought possible.
  • Good finishing requires a good foundation, and Cellulose Sanding Sealer is probably the best way of providing one. Compatible with everything in the Chestnut Products range that benefits from the use of a sanding sealer (which is pretty much everything apart from oil finishes!) it is superbly universal. The purpose of a sanding sealer is manifold.
    • It seals the open pores of the timber prior to the application of the next coat, meaning that more of it stays on the surface and less of the finish is needed. Not only does this make it economical, when finishing the thinner the applied coat the less likely it is to get damaged, so a sanding sealer will help the top coats be more resilient.
    • Sanding Sealers also bind the loose fibres of the timber together giving a more solid foundation for the next coat, which helps make sure the final finish is able to adhere properly and thus be more durable.
    • They also include a sanding agent which acts as a lubricant to make the sanding process easier – the sanding agent also stands slightly proud of the surface of the sealer and it is this that is denibbed – the sealer itself should still be intact after sanding.
  • A one-application woodturners friction polish that really does work and is ideal for use on smaller spindle work such as pens and similar objects up to around 10 cm (4") diameter.  This exceptional polish is made using a specially formulated hard shellac as a base to give a harder, more durable finish, giving greater resistance to marks and blemishes from water, alcohol and heat.  Normally applied directly onto bare timber (though it can be used over most oils too – but test on scrap first) this polish dries almost instantly yet goes on hardening for up to three weeks resulting in a truly durable finish which far exceeds others on the market today.  Once fully cured the finish is food-safe and non-toxic.
  • Woodturners stick wax is a mixture of beeswax and carnauba wax it is slightly softer than the Carnauba Wax Stick and therefore slightly easier to apply and there are no concerns about it marking softer woods. Applied over a sanding sealer, simply hold the stick against the revolving work and allow the heat generated to melt the wax onto the wood. Buff up straight away using Safety Cloth, using the cloth to ensure an even coating.
  • Wood Bleacher is ideal for removing dark stains caused by rust, alcohol, damp, ink, ring marks and fruit. It can also be used to lighten naturally dark wood or natural wood which has darkened through alkali stripping, staining or weathering. It does not harm the wood.
  • Shellawax cream is a woodturners friction and buffing polish. Sharing many of the characteristics of Shellawax liquid, Shellawax Cream is specially formulated for use on larger turned projects where it would normally be impossible to get a first class finish using a conventional friction polish and on stand-alone articles such as carvings.  As with Shellawax, only one application is required to completely finish the work.  Made using a specially formulated hard shellac as a base, this excellent product gives a hard, durable finish, with impressive resistance to marks and blemishes from water, alcohol and heat.  The cream formulation retards the frictional drying characteristic of friction polishes, making it suitable for use on larger lathe-turned items such as bowls and platters.  Being a cream, this product is easily controlled in application and is very economical in use.  Shellawax Cream is non-toxic.
  • If you’re looking for a clear finish that is tough, hardwearing and gives a satin lustre yet is still very easy to apply, even on larger areas, you’re in the right place. Hard Wax Oil is a particular blend of tough oils combined with special waxes which dries to an exceptionally resilient finish. Ideal for anything that is going to be subjected to water splashes or a lot of handling this oil may not be indestructible but it will stand up to a lot of abuse. It retains the ease of application typical of an oil and it stays wet long enough to get a smooth, even finish – even on large areas – but is touch dry and tack free in about 20 minutes, and better yet is ready for a second coat after about four hours (in normal conditions). Hard Wax Oil will build to a bright gloss finish after 2-3 coats. Rub down lightly between coats with a fine abrasive. Once hard dry (allow at least 24 hours) it can be brought to an even brighter shine using either the buffing wheel system or burnishing cream. For a not-quite-so-bright finish use a mild abrasive to reduce the gloss. For best results lubricate the abrasive with microcrystalline wax  to retain the toughness of the oil.
  • This is a solid block of carnauba wax, popular with woodturners. It gives a bright gloss finish and is also very hard wearing, able to withstand a medium amount of handling without showing finger marks. Apply over a sanding sealer by holding it against your work at it revolves on the lathe. Do not press too much – the wax is very hard and can scratch softer woods – the idea is to generate enough heat for the wax to melt slightly and transfer onto the wood. (This is easier than it sounds!). Use sparingly, and use the polishing process (using safety cloth) to ensure the wax is spread evenly. Buffing will produce a high gloss finish.
  • An exciting and vibrant set of colours for staining wood, Spirit Stains are methanol based to make them quick drying and because of this they also will not raise the grain of the timber they are applied to. The pigments used to make this stains are of the highest quality and all score the top ratings of 7s and 8s in the Blue Wool Scale, the measuring system used to rate fade resistance. This means you can use them with confidence knowing that the colour you apply will still be the same many years later. Spirit Stains are fully inter-mixable so you can produce virtually any colour you can think of, giving you full opportunity to be as creative as you wish. The colours will also mix after application so you can blend from one colour to another for fantastic ‘flare’ effects. Spirit Stain White is designed primarily as a mixer to create pastel shades when mixed with other Spirit Stain colours. It can be used to stain timber but as it is a translucent stain this can have a limited effect depending on the base colour of the timber used. Should you want a more subtle colour you can dilute the stains with Spirit Thinners for a delicate wash effect.
  • As the name suggests, the High Gloss variation brings a higher shine to your decorative woodwork . It is  tough, with an additional 'Pow' of shine that suits some lathe projects. Contains a high quantity of carnauba and microcrystalline waxes.   Shiny, tough and exceptionally long lasting. Food and toy safe, too. Supplied in 130g tins.
  • Chestnut Cellulose Thinners

    £12.00£21.65
    This pure cellulose solvent is a high quality dilutant for our cellulose based products, such as Cellulose Sanding Sealer and Melamine Lacquer. Thinning these products can help to make them easier to apply, especially over larger areas as it helps them flow out. Cellulose Thinners is also useful for cleaning any spills you may have in the workshop and is strong enough to help clean most things, taking care to ensure that it does not attack It can also be used to thin Spirit Stain to give a delicate wash effects, although spirit thinners is the better option for this.
    1. Professional Clear Gloss Lacquer Superb thick, nicely levelling product. Requires fewer coats for a deep, lush shine. Can be mechanically buffed after a few hours.
    2. Professional Clear Satin Lacquer Produces a superb satin finish on most surfaces in just two coats (over sealer) without further work required.
    3. Professional Black Gloss Lacquer Like the Clear Gloss, this black requires fewer coats for a fantastic depth of finish.
    4. Professional Black Satin Lacquer A silky smooth black surface over sealer can be produced in just a couple of coats. Use without sealer to preserve visible grain.
    5. Professional Matt Sanding Sealer An excellent spray-on sealer with plenty of solids providing a super-hard surface for any finish to be applied over the top.
  • Chestnut Friction Polish

    £20.13£36.90
    Friction Polish is a shellac based polish ideal for creating a high gloss finish on or off the lathe. It’s a great decorative finish and is ideal for small items but can be difficult to apply to larger items on the lathe (over about 8 inch diameter). The high amount of shellac in Friction Polish does two main things. Firstly it helps seal bare wood and give it a great shine, which is good. Sadly the price of this commodity shot up a few years ago when the shellac crop failed and it never went back down, meaning that the cost of the polish has also risen sharply. Nevertheless, Friction Polish remains one of the most popular finishes for turners. It can be applied to bare wood but is normally used over a sealer and any of the sealers in the Chestnut Products range are suitable for this. Applied with the lathe running it dries almost instantly and builds to a deep, rich shine very quickly. Avoid using too much as this can cause ‘rings’ to appear on the surface. Friction Polish can be applied off the lathe with great success, using it like a French Polish and rubbing it into the surface. This does require a large amount of elbow grease (sadly not something we supply) but the end result is well worth the effort!
  • Chestnut Products’ Microcrystalline Wax is a blend of high quality waxes rich in microcrystalline wax – a wax derived from the petroleum refining process and known for the fineness of its crystals. This is mixed with a special solvent to create a firm wax which, when dry, knits down to form a very dense coating making it very water resistant, meaning that it is ideal for any items that are likely to come into contact with water for short periods of time. Microcrystalline waxes also have a higher melting point than other waxes traditionally used to make polishing waxes, the benefit of which is that repeated handling of items finished in Microcrystalline Wax won’t finger mark in the same way, as the melting point is higher than normal body temperature. Microcrystalline Wax should be used over one of the Chestnut Products’ sanding sealers and allowed to dry (about 20 minutes) before buffing to a shine. For best results apply a very thin coat, spreading the wax evenly over the entire surface. Microcrystalline Wax can also be used on the buffing wheel system. In this situation use the A and B Wheel as normal, then apply the Microcrystalline Wax to the item you are polishing. Allow 20 minutes for the wax to dry then buff and normal using the C Wheel. You can use the same C Wheel for both Microcrystalline Wax  and the Carnuaba Wax Stick Microcrystalline Wax has been tested to the EN71 Part 3 regulations regarding coatings used on toys.
  • Getting a good base for your finishing is essential when you want to get a great finish. Sometimes the piece you’re working on makes that more difficult due to its shape or size or for many other reasons. Or sometimes you just want a quicker, cleaner method of applying a sealer. That’s where Cellulose Sanding Sealer in an aerosol comes into its own. Basically the same product as in the tin, it has all the same benefits of quick drying and universal compatibility, it also has the added advantage of being easier both to apply and to get an even coating. Use it before applying waxes, lacquers and polishes for a more durable final finish.
  • Hampshire Sheen Embellishing Wax are ideal for enhancing open grained decorative items from woods such as Oak or Ash or woods with added texture.  They work brilliantly in combination with the Intrinsic Colour Collection and this selection available in nine colours are a great, easy to apply alternative to gilt creams. Supplied in 60g tins.
  • Safety Cloth is a thick, non-woven paper cloth. Designed to stay wet longer to assist the transfer of finishes to your chosen surface, it also tears very easily if it gets caught in revolving parts thus avoiding the danger of fingers being dragged into machinery. The texture of Safety Cloth ensures that a thin, even coat is applied and the thickness means that it retains it’s strength and the same piece can be used several times with the same finish. Safety Cloth is not a replacement for common sense and good safety practise.
  • End Seal is an emulsified paraffin wax used the seal the ends of freshly cut timber to slow down the drying process and reduce the risk of the timber splitting. It can also be used on work-in-progress that is being left unfinished where there is a risk of the timber splitting. Apply it liberally, normally by brush but it can be sprayed if needed, usually to the smallest surface of the timber which will normally be the end grain where moisture is most likely to escape from. Sealing the surface will encourage the moisture to escape via the larger areas which will result in a slower exit.
  • This is the same wax Chestnut use in the tinned version of Microcrystalline Wax but in a solid block form with no solvent. This means there’s no waiting around for it to dry before buffing it. Like the original version, this wax should be used very sparingly, a little goes a very long way and once applied it might even be necessary to spread it thinner using Safety Cloth (the texture of this makes it ideal for this purpose). The Microcrystalline Wax Stick is also perfect for use on the Buffing Wheel System, use it on Wheel C to buff up to a brilliant, hard wearing finish.
  • Hampshire Sheen - Lacquer 500ml Aerosol have been formulated to be strong, flexible and very glossy. They can be used for both internal and external projects. Glass like finishes can be achieved with these two superb acrylic spray lacquer products. Supplied in 500ml cans with 2 nozzles.
  • Cut’n’Polish is a blend of two waxes with a fine abrasive held in suspension within them. This is a soft wax designed to stay ‘wet’ slightly longer during application, allowing it to lubricate the abrasive to give a very fine cut to the timber and also to collect any dust generated during use and some subsequent sanding, preventing it from entering the workshop atmosphere. On bare wood; sand to 240 grit as normal, apply a coat of Cut’n’Polish with the lathe stopped, then switch on the lathe and buff to a soft sheen whilst smoothing the timber at the same time. On sealed wood apply after the sealer in the same way, polishing to a slightly higher shine. Cut’n’Polish dries almost immediately and can be overcoated with Friction Polish or any Chestnut waxes for a higher shine.
  • Ebonising Lacquer is a tough, hard-wearing water-based lacquer. It is heavily pigmented so that when it is dry it emulates the classic satin look of ebony. Usually applied over a sanding sealer (either Cellulose Sanding Sealer or Acrylic Sanding Sealer aerosol) it is touch dry in about five minutes and hard dry after twenty minutes. Although heavily pigmented it is not paint and will still allow the grain of the timber to show through, rather than obliterating it completely. Liming Wax and Gilt Cream can be applied over Ebonising Lacquer to give a pleasing, eye-catching yet very simple artistic effect. If a bright gloss finish is required from Ebonising Lacquer this is best achieved by using Burnishing Cream on the lacquer with will polish it up to a high gloss. Acrylic Gloss Lacquer can also be applied on top of Ebonising Lacquer, as can WoodWax 22 and Microcrystalline Wax.
  • If you don’t have access to spraying equipment, this aerosol lacquer will give you a great finish quickly and easily. A spray application is particularly relevant when trying to achieve the best gloss finish possible. Acrylic Gloss Lacquer is a high build water based lacquer specially adapted to give the best delivery through the nozzle (chosen to give excellent results without spitting, spotting or clogging in normal use) without, of course, the use of CFCs. The lacquer itself dries quickly to give a high gloss finish straight from the can which has the benefit of being extremely hard wearing and durable – so much so that it can be used on items that will be kept outdoors or used in areas where moisture could damage other finishes. Acrylic Gloss Lacquer is touch dry and tack free in around five minutes and hard dry in twenty minutes, ready for a second coat if needed after a light rubdown with a fine abrasive. The sheen level can be increased if required by using Burnishing Cream (which will not affect the durability) or, after allowing 24 hours to ensure it is completely hard dry, by using it in conjunction with the Buffing Wheel Kit.
  • Fine finishing starts with good preparation! Use these mildly abrasive pads after sanding for that final smoothing process to give a near-perfect surface prior to applying any finish. Very long lasting, these pads are also very flexible and do not crumble, thus avoiding any fear of contamination of your work. Exercise care when using these pads with the lathe revolving.
  • WoodWax 22 contains beeswax (for shine) and carnauba wax (for hardness). Blended together in a solvent to produce a soft creamy paste. This makes it very easy to apply over any surface. WoodWax 22 is quick drying enough to be applied onto unsealed wood but works best on one of Chestnuts sanding sealers. If working on the lathe the wax should be applied with the lathe stopped. Apply using a cloth (Safety Cloth or Stockinette works well with this); the wax spreads easily over the surface, after about 20 seconds it starts to drag slightly. This means it is ready to buff up; if you haven’t covered the whole piece by then don’t worry, just take a little more wax from the tin and carry on applying, the wax won’t mind waiting! It’s best to buff WoodWax 22 as soon as you can; that way any surplus wax that might have been applied will be removed, allowing the shine to really show through. If working on the lathe Safety Cloth should be used for the buffing process and let the lathe do the work for you. Off the lathe Safety Cloth or Stockinette can be used. A second or even third coat of wax can be applied if required, leaving about twenty minutes between coats. After three coats the finish can become softer and will mark very easily.
  • If you’re looking for a finish that won’t change the colour of your timber, won’t overpower the natural beauty of the wood with a high gloss but will still protect the timber and smell nice, well, you’re in the right place! Lemon Oil is a clear, low build finish. By that we mean that it’s a very thin liquid with a very low solids content, so no matter how much you apply it’s not going to build up to a discernible visible film on the surface. Instead it soaks in and seals the surface, offering a level of water resistance and protection against handling. Normally applied with a brush or a cloth it’s very  easy to use and covers well and doesn’t usually show overlaps, so it’s ideal for large areas which often look better without a high gloss. And as you might expect, it has a pleasant lemon aroma too, although this does fade after a while.
  • Hampshire Sheen’s Danish Oil is food contact and toy safe when fully cured and complies to EU71 regulation. Thinner, more penetrating and less smelly that other Danish Oils, this product contains only pure Tung Oil and no artificial varnish, resins or other vegetable oils.
  • Food Safe Finish is a clear, food grade mineral oil. Chestnut use a thin grade of oil to allow it to soak into bare timber which then protects it against water splashes etc whilst not tainting or affecting the food in any way. It dries to a fairly matt finish; it is however ideal to use for wet sanding and when used with a very fine abrasive it can give an exceptionally smooth surface which has its own gentle glow. Apply with a clean cloth or brush direct onto bare wood, up to three coats are recommended. If the oil sits on the surface and won’t soak in it means the timber has absorbed as much as it can and no further coats are needed. Any surplus can be removed with a clean cloth if required. Depending on the way the item is used it might be necessary to top-up the finish, especially if it is washed regularly.
  • Chestnut Finishing Oil is Chestnuts' version of Danish Oil* and uses Tung Oil as its base but with the addition of solvents and driers. This aids the drying of the product and speeds it up dramatically, so that it’s dry within eight hours. It has a pale amber colour and dries to a hard yet flexible film which is very hardwearing and water resistant. For a high gloss finish apply several coats with a light rub down between coats; after 5 or 6 coats a good sheen should be visible. Finishing Oil is normally applied by cloth but on larger areas a brush can be used very successfully.
  • This is an oil type finish similar to Danish oil but nothing like it. This product is designed to be hand rubbed on to raw timber, giving a finish with a hard, bright, high gloss. It will bring out amazing depth and brilliance to most timbers making the grain pop and become opalescent, vibrant, shimmering and alive. Especially when used on a fine grained, highly figure timber. And if that's not enough it does it all in a matter of minutes.

    Aussie Oil is ideal for use on most small items like pendants, brooches, earrings, small turned items that cannot be fully finished on the lathe. Pens, magnifying glass handles, compacts, key rings, letter openers, in fact almost anything made of wood you can comfortably hold in your hand to polish.

    As an extra added bonus, it also works brilliantly as a friction polish on the lathe.

     
  • The finest of Steel Wool, very low crumble and virtually oil free to ensure there is no contamination of your work. Use it after sanding with abrasive sheets to give an ultra smooth surface, or to apply waxes to smooth the timber whilst applying a thin coat. Steel Wool burns very quickly and easily; keep it away from sources of combustion (i.e. sparks etc). Always use a knife or scissors to cut Steel Wool

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