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I've stopped using grain filler on oak and my work looks better now
For years I filled every oak piece, thinking it was the 'right' way. Then I saw a 1920s mission oak dresser in a St. Louis antique shop that was never filled, and the open grain had aged into this beautiful, deep texture. I left the grain open on a white oak table I refinished 6 months ago, and the client just sent me a photo showing how the light catches the pores perfectly. Am I the only one who thinks we overfill oak sometimes?
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jenniferlane6mo ago
I get what you're saying, but for a lot of my clients, a super smooth finish is the whole goal. I just finished a modern oak desk where the filler gave it that sleek, polished feel they wanted. Without it, the surface would have felt too rough for writing on. That open grain look is cool in some settings, but it doesn't fit every style.
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victor_ward6mo ago
My buddy built this amazing walnut dining table, no filler, and his wife loved the natural feel. But then they had her parents over and her dad kept complaining his fork would catch on the grain. The guy actually asked if it was "unfinished." Now my friend's thinking about sanding it down and filling it just to avoid that talk at holidays.
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oscar_hall606mo ago
Yeah the filler can make it look sort of plastic sometimes. Maybe it's just me but that open grain feels more real, like you can see the wood's history.
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