How to seal Merbau Specrite panel?

[em3]

Hi there we have purchased the specrite Merbau panels & have installed Them as desks in our house- question is how to seal? I purchased the feast Watson kitchen oil but this takes many days & im not sure if this is the best product for the job, the panel is inside & not exposed to any water etc - writing desks. Can I use a nice caranuba wax or is oil the way to go?

is the leaching of tannins only a problem when the timber gets wet ?

thanks 

[EricL]

Hi @em3 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's marvellous to have you join us and thanks for sharing your question about your Merbau panel.

The Feast Watson 1L Kitchen Timber Oil technically contains tung oil. If the surface of the panel was not sanded down properly the timber oil will not be able to penetrate the surface. The oil will therefore just sit on the surface and dry off in uneven patches. 

Would it be possible for you to post a few photos of the top of the panel. This will give us a better idea of the benchtop's current status. We can then make recommendations on how to proceed.

In regards to the wax, it technically would have been possible, but you've already coated the top with oil. It would be necessary to remove the oil by sanding the surface back to wood and then applying the wax. If your panel was originally oiled, it would be possible for the tannins and oil to leak.

I suggest having a quick look at this discussion -   How to cure a Merbau benchtop? by @dinaandjake. It has excellent tips on how to coat your benchtop.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[Jason]

Hi @em3,

Just wanted to check in and see if Eric's reply met your needs or whether we could assist further?

Let me also extend a very warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. We trust you'll get loads of help and inspiration for all your projects from our wonderful members.

Thanks,

Jason