Suitable finish for a rocking horse.
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Welcome! / Forums / General Woodworking Discussions / Finishing / Suitable finish for a rocking horse.
Hi, I’m looking for some advice on finishing a rocking horse made from ash. I’m going for a natural look and was originally thinking shellac/wax (as per PS) as i want it to look as natural as possible without it looking plastic of turning yellow. I am now wondering though if this would be hard wearing enough for kids climbing all over it? There will also be some moving parts where the horse sits on the base. I have very limited experience of finishes so nothing too complex!!
If you like shellac, it would be good for this. Shellac’s weakness is its reaction to some liquids, especially alcohols, but that’s not an issue for kids on a rocking horse. Its strength is its repairability. If the kids wear or damage the finish, you can easily wipe or brush on a repair. Although it reacts to some liquids, I think its actually a hard durable finish. It seems like a good choice for this.
Hi Ed, thanks for your reply, much appreciated. Sounds like shellac is much more durable then i thought! I have now applied three coats to a scrap piece of ash and I’m happy with the way it looks so I’m going ahead with it for the horse. Thanks again.