Our 2001 has dark walnut finish. Some of the sills need a little TLC. I was wondering ( Roger) if Foretravel used standard Minwax type stain? Or was it a special brand. Also, any recommendations as to a finish to use ? I lean towards a urethane semi gloss, but am open to suggestions.
Thanks
No stain. It's simply black walnut.
The original finish (per Foretravel) is Sherwin Williams sanding sealer. They did not use poly in those years.
Howard's Feed & Wax (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=38822.msg379493#msg379493)
Walnut Finish (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=30997.msg271175#msg271175)
Somewhere around 2007, when they began experimenting with more unusual species of woods, you'll see the introduction of stain and polyurethane, but prior to that it is the natural wood plus sealer (unless a prior owner used something on it).
Foretravel also recommends Zep Wood Doctor spray to revive the finish. Personally, Howard's Feed n' Wax or an orange oil-based product smells a whole lot better than Wood Doctor.
We used Watco on all the walnut.
Watco and Old English work well. Amazon.com: Old English Scratch Cover, 8 Fl Oz (Pack of 1), Browm : Health &... (https://www.amazon.com/Old-English-Scratch-Cover-Polish/dp/B0063KFJHK) Lots of Watco products here: Watco 66041 Rejuvenating Oil, Quart - Household Wood Stains - Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/Watco-66041-Rejuvenating-Oil-Quart/dp/B00013US44/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=watco+oil&qid=1633897260&s=hpc&sr=1-1)
Pierce
In my opinion a sanding sealer (no matter who makes it) is not suitable as a final finish. These are very soft finishes with a high solids content to fill grain and allow easy sanding to a smooth surface ready for a final finish. All of the 1/4" (6mm) plywood FT used in cabinetwork was prefinished.
The durability of FT cabinetry to hold up over time against moisture and fingers makes me pretty sure they used a spray-on lacquer (maybe catalyzed) finish. For production work it dries quickly and is tough enough to hold up over time. Polyurethanes available 21 years ago (and still) have drying times of 4 hours. This can be accelerated using drying ovens but it doesn't seem likely FT had them.
It appears that there was no stain used either, just the natural color of the wood with the applied finish.
If you want to refinish the window sills I would remove them and sand the flat top surfaces completely starting with 100 or 120 grit and work up to 220 grit. Use steel wool or a 3M Scotch Brite pad do dust up the edge contours and edge. Clean well and spray with a satin lacquer (several coats following instructions) or use a brushable lacquer.
If you want to use polyurethane do the same prep and use a wipe-on satin polyurethane like Minwax. Minwax 40910000 Wipe-On Poly, 1 Pint, Satin - - Amazon.com (https://amazon.com/Minwax-40910000-Wipe-Finish-Clear/dp/B000VZJGPO/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3L86SOOTCK85F&dchild=1&keywords=minwax+polyurethane&qid=1633900717&s=hi&sprefix=Minwax%2Ctools%2C296&sr=1-6) Very thin coats, recoat at 3-4 hour intervals, 3 coats, let dry over night, smooth any dust bits with steel wool or a fine 3M Scotch Brite. Be careful to not be too aggressive on the edge profile and apply 3 more coats. I usually start with the gloss variety for the initial coats and than then go to a satin version. The gloss variety has no solids and dries clearer and harder.
A brushable option that I like is ZAR 33912 Oil Based Polyurethane Wood Finish, QT, Clear - Household Varnishes... (https://amazon.com/gp/product/B0016JE4RO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
Your final result will only be as good as the prep work.
I use Howards Feed'n'Wax, great results.
Just pointing out that is what was OEM as the coaches were built and what the remodel shop uses per several members' discussions with David Flanagan over the years. No other coating; direct from the source at FOT.
The shelf that surrounds our lift-up table in our 1989 coach was really cruddy looking. The original sealer was flaking off and looked like a bunch of scabs.
I sanded the surface down clean and applied a clear sealer. It made the black walnut grain jump out at us. Absolutely beautiful wood!!
I have been using Howard's Feed & Wax with great results.
I don't doubt what Michelle and others heard from David Flanagan. I probably heard it too on the several times I talked to him. I am just not sure we got the whole story.
Sherwin Williams makes a sprayable nitrocellulose lacquer sanding sealer that has high build rates and dries quickly. And then it needs to be sanded (it's a sanding sealer) and top coated with (generally) a lacquer top coat.
In a production environment this is a preferred method, it is fast, can be force dried and a spray lacquer top coat is tough and uniform in sheen just as we have in our Foretravels.
I would have liked to have seen the FT woodworking shops in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
When I rebuilt the cap over the driver's seat I had to make a new piece and I use Walnut veneer. In order to get the same as close as possible I use several different minwax stains I wish I could remember which ones now but one was a dark walnut and I think something a little lighter and then I use the sanding sealer over that and then a clear sealer by Deft. When I first did it of course I noticed a difference but I don't notice it anymore. I took all the sills out of my coach might use them to make a small table.