How to get this sort of finish on raw timber?

ThisIsWeird

Pondering what I want in my bathroom, I saw the following in a nearby café, and liked it a lot. The table tops are solid, and are sort of 'bleached' wood, with the sunken parts of the wood grain highlighted. I'm largely curious about this finish, and how it's protected - these are café tables, so much has a tough time.

The main counter, tho', is well yummy - a more colourful and burnished finish, on raw timber.

It would all appear to be made up in at least two layers - a dark waxing or similar, that fills the deepest grain, followed by a sanding and a lighter coloured wax to finish it off? Or how?!

stuart45

Have you asked the cafe owners? Could be a burnt timber.

ThisIsWeird

I didn't - I just mentioned to the staff member that I liked it and would hope to replicate. 

I don't think it's burnt, tho' that was going to be my original ideal. That would be a lot darker, tho', and would leave the timber smoothish, and not so 'raw'.

Eldi_Dos

If you are going to decorate your bathroom in "the bothy look"get a bothy spade to leave in the corner to complete the ambience.

twopenny

I think this is the current trend for burning with a blow torch and sanding.
https://www.dreamstime.com/burnt-wood-texture-horizontal-burnished-wooden-planks-closeup-view-stock-photo-image129689863
The white is either paint or liming wax. Scroll down
https://vintagesurface.com/495/reclaimed-french-oak-beam-cut-smoked-fumed-limewashed-0001/

ThisIsWeird

Bothy spade - I had to look that up

Thanks, 2'penny. I do like the burnt look, and it was my original plan. It leaves the wood smooth, tho', even tho' it increases the ripply texture.

What I liked about the counter in the café, other than the colour, is that the timber was barely sanded, so was still rough and raw.

I think, therefore, it's done with a couple (or more) of stains/waxes, the dark applied first, and then given a relatively light sanding or wire brushing. But don't know.

twopenny

The burnt wood effect has been done on lots of gardening programmes. Loads of variations on YouTube.

I used to do lime waxing on shelves and mirrors at one job. It was a popular effect for a while and I really like it. Was hoping to do that in my bathroom till it was pointed out lime was not a great idea for skin contact  so was going to experiment with lime wash and varnish or watery emulsion.

Please let me know how you get on.

Unsanded planks in bathroom? Splinters???

jusferbrowsing

This guy has some good how to videos for ideas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5C4KIPJfXM

ThisIsWeird

Fab - thank you. :-)

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

ThisIsWeird said:

a dark waxing or similar, that fills the deepest grain, followed by a sanding and a lighter coloured wax to finish it off? Or how?!

That's the gist of it, I don't think it's wax as it would be hard to sand wax off the higher grain, doesn't look like it's been burnt either but that could possibly work. If you are going there again you could dig a fingernail in and see whether you get any wax or burnt smelling dust under the nail? 

The second photo looks a bit like dirty pallet wood. 

The reason that table top looks good is the seamless join between the boards, you can simply butt two boards to together but it won't look as great, the boards need to go through a jointer to get one true edge then the other edge can be cut on a table saw.

I really like that kind of style as well, would be interesting to see what you come up with   

ThisIsWeird

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

ThisIsWeird said:

a dark waxing or similar, that fills the deepest grain, followed by a sanding and a lighter coloured wax to finish it off? Or how?!

That's the gist of it, I don't think it's wax as it would be hard to sand wax off the higher grain, doesn't look like it's been burnt either but that could possibly work. If you are going there again you could dig a fingernail in and see whether you get any wax or burnt smelling dust under the nail? 

The second photo looks a bit like dirty pallet wood. 

The reason that table top looks good is the seamless join between the boards, you can simply butt two boards to together but it won't look as great, the boards need to go through a jointer to get one true edge then the other edge can be cut on a table saw.

I really like that kind of style as well, would be interesting to see what you come up with   

Thanks for that. But don't hold your breath :-)