Achieving the perfect finish on white oak that preserves the natural, unfinished look without darkening the wood too much can be tricky. With a few expert tips, we'll cover a range of proven techniques and products, from DIY methods to professional-grade processes, and everything in between. Let's jump right in!
First, Let's Cover Some Basics
The simplest way to achieve the natural white oak look, is to use just a water-based clear protective topcoat like varnish or polyurethane. There is a BIG difference in color between oil-based and water-based: oil-based topcoats are often amber to begin with, and push white oak to a more orange tone. Water-based, on the other hand, looks a bit like skim milk and helps to preserve the natural unfinished look on white oak.
This is an important distinction moving forward: a good rule of thumb is water-based finishes have very little color change, oil/solvent-based finishes have quite a bit.
Good, Better, Best
Good: Just A Water-Based Topcoat
This is the simplest and most DIY-friendly (or low-skilled-painter-friendly) approach to preserve the unfinished tone of white oak. Most water-based topcoats will add a little touch of yellow, but nothing like the drastic ambering we see with solvent-based topcoats. Staining light colors on light woods can be especially challenging, so eliminating any stain and just using a topcoat is very simple to do!
Good, professional grade, available-to-the-public topcoats come from brands like General Finishes, Renner, Centurion, and Mohawk.
Better Option: Renner's Natural Oak Stain
If you're wanting to preserve the exact look of unfinished white oak, then we suggest using Renner's Natural Oak stain. This will counter the slight yellowing the topcoat creates, keeping the natural tone of unfinished white oak. Here is an excellent video of the entire process, from surface prep to final sealing, and a direct link to buy everything you need online.
Staining lighter colors on lighter woods can be especially tricky (it can be hard to see where the stain is and where it isn't) so be sure to flood the surface to ensure complete coverage. You can't "over-stain" something, so don't worry about using too much, you'll wipe all the excess off anyway.
Best Option: Your Finisher Figures This All Out
Like we've discussed before, if you're paying a professional cabinetmaker top dollar to deliver you a completely finished product, you should have absolutely nothing to do with the process. Any good finisher should be able to look at a few of your inspiration photos and create several samples of a similar look. It is not your responsibility to "give them a stain recipe", Minwax color, or, worst of all, create your own samples (could you imagine if they asked you to create your own door sample? You would laugh and find another cabinetmaker).
If you are working with a proper professional, it is your responsibility to be consistent in the look you're wanting to create. Most pros won't take specific stain recommendations, rather ask to see a few photos and they'll use their tried-and-true system (remember, cabinet finishes are entire systems rather than simply a stain color) to create the look you're wanting, with the confidence they can warranty it for decades.
Honorable Mention: Add A Little White
This is Minwax's MW423 Whitewash stain that pushes a little more white in tone than the lighter brown hue of unfinished oak. While we're not fans of Minwax's topcoats, their stains are alright to use (stains simply change the color of the wood, and offer no additional protection). We recommend using one of the topcoats mentioned above for best results.
Also worth noting: mixing companies' products will most-likely void any warranty (this is why we're so adamant about people using proper finishers for their cabinets), but completely understand a lot of homeowners are stuck having to figure this all out themselves. "Hire a better finisher" isn't really helpful advice if you don't have access to one. Here's hoping this info can be of value.
The Value Of Expert Advice
After decades in the industry, we completely understand just how overwhelming this all can be. As a recent member said, "the biggest issue I had during my build was not knowing what I did not know, until it was too late". Additionally, while there are a lot of very talented cabinetmakers... there aren't as many talented finishers. Having a partner early in the process to help identify red flags, walk you through what the process should look like, and help vet the other professionals on your project is exactly why we created this community.
We understand that you're not just building a house, you're creating a home, and every detail has to be perfect. Whether it's our blog or free expert advice in our Facebook group, we're here to help you every step of the way!