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doglvr
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# Posted: 4 Jan 2021 09:23pm - Edited by: doglvr
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My inside project for the winter is to make balusters and railings for my cabin that I am building. I have quite a few small spruce and hemlock trees and limbs that I cut last spring when clearing my lot for the cabin. I purchased a couple different drawknives to hewn off the bark. Very satisfying by the way! One thing I noticed as I am getting to learn how to use the drawknives is how buttery smooth the hemlock is compared to the spruce. The bark peeled off much easier and as I worked to get to the flesh of the log I was surprised how much faster it was to get the desired shape. I am now starting to think that hemlock is the way to go. I know it is traditionally used for outside projects due to its resistance to the elements but it would be quite a time saver. I also noticed how much whiter the flesh is compared to the spruce. Doubt that it will stay that white but I was hoping a good varnish would protect it's color for a little bit before it yellows. Maybe a lighter stain? My question is will hemlock yellow more than spruce and any concerns for using hemlock for balusters and log stairs? I have heard Hemlock can get splintery but I was hoping a good sanding an varnish would help?
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ICC
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# Posted: 4 Jan 2021 09:30pm
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Are you sure it is hemlock? Hemlock I have seen is not white ???
https://www.wood-database.com/eastern-hemlock/
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doglvr
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# Posted: 4 Jan 2021 10:30pm - Edited by: doglvr
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Positive. I have hemlock and spruce and it is very easy to tell the difference based off the bark, needles and more noticably the weight. Hemlock weighs a ton compared to spruce. I built some log stairs for my boat dock this summer out of hemlock and it yellowed and then grayed quite a bit being outside but right after it is peeled it has a very nice white flesh at least in my part of the world up north. Just not sure how much it will yellow or gray when it is inside. Was hoping a stain and or varnish would be the answer....or is it better just to use spruce?
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 4 Jan 2021 11:11pm
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Howard Hughs built his 'Spruce Goose' out of......
Maybe overkill for balusters and railings?
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Brettny
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# Posted: 5 Jan 2021 06:00am
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Graying in wood is happening from UV Ray's from the sun. You shouldn't have that much inside. A darker stain will protect exterior wood from graying.
Why varnish? Penetrating oil based stains are my wood Preservative for ease of application alone.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 5 Jan 2021 11:52am
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My fav diy oil treatment for decades has been odorless mineral spirits mixed 50/50 with boiled linseed oil. Well, that is how it started anyway. After a while I had a partial bottle of tung oil, then some gunstock 'Truoil' that would just go bad over time anyway so I mixed them in. Likewise through the years, some o' this, some 'o that..... So it is a little heavier on the oils with a bit of some varnishes now. No stains though.
It is so easy to put some on a piece of wood to see how it changes the look, but actually it is similar to wetting the wood with water.
Nice thing has been that for something I want some 'protection' on that Im not quite finished with (say, a walking stick carving) I can use it, come back later and change it, rub in more finish and it is seamless.
Btw, I often use the natural wood tones rather than staining unless I have to match something up to prior work.
The mineral spirits will offgas, use well ventilated and not around ignition sources.
A gal. each of MS and BLO 30+ years ago made me 2gal. of this. Ived added maybe a quart of other stuff through the years and still have 1/2 to 2/3 gal. left. And Ive done a few big projects, I aint shy with the stuff. In reflection I could have easily started with a quart each of 'starter blend'.
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doglvr
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# Posted: 5 Jan 2021 06:25pm
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I was told varnish is a better uv protector than polyurethane???...It is crazy expensive though. I did want a gloss finish on my logs but I like the idea of boiled linseed oil or maybe even teak oil that supposedly has uv protection. Uv protection is important as I will have a lot of light in the cabin. The hardwood floor in my old house was made of white ash and lasted all of 2 years before it turned an old orange/yellow color from the sun. I want to avoid that in the cabin.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 5 Jan 2021 06:57pm
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What, you dont have UV glass?
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Fanman
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# Posted: 5 Jan 2021 07:20pm
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Quoting: gcrank1 Howard Hughes built his 'Spruce Goose' out of......
... birch plywood, mostly.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 5 Jan 2021 08:18pm
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It has been my understanding that the main structural/stressed members were spruce due to its strength; along with lots of other things that have been 'my understanding', it may be wrong?
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Aklogcabin
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# Posted: 10 Jan 2021 02:05pm
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I'm not too sure about anything stopping UV rays from oxidizing the wood. I would let them dry a bit. Then sand. Topcoat. Clear topcoats such as polys or varnish reduce moisture transfer reducing movement.
Should look great. Good luck
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