Any insights into the properties and specification of soap treated ash? I have a team that wants to use it as part of an interior architectural woodwork screen wall (but doesn’t know where their sample came from…) and I need to know if there’s a reference standard or an adequate description anywhere for the soap treatment. All I found on Google was Scandinavian furniture for sale. Anyone have any experience (good or bad) or help you can share? Thank you!
For wood turned on a lathe? I think some woodworkers use a soap solution to allow them to machine green stock without drying; it prevents cracking. I’m not sure how or if it changes the eventual finish of the turning.
There’s no mention of a lathe, but that’s good to know. The sample is a flat panel. Thanks.
We know the sample came from a furniture company whose furniture we’re not using, so we hesitate to bug them for their secrets. Does anybody else have any hints?
Why don’t you ask Minwax or some other manufacturer of wood stains? They are used to simulating other finishes, so may know what that terminology means. And might have a different solution.
Try these few links. First few I’ve found referencing soap treatments that are not for bugs, poison ivy, plants, skin-care, or cussing. I enjoy a good info hunt, so I’ll probably keep bird-doggin. Not much out there, even Fine Woodworking mag let me down.
Looks like its a natural mat’l finishing treatment alternate to an oil (tung) treatment; filling pores, raising grain, etc. As such, I’m guessing would require periodic redo.
http://www.canett.dk/html/pdf/aftercareguide_solo.pdf#search=‘soap%20treatment’
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- O.K. description of what a soap finishing treatment is & how to
http://www.sasco.ns.ca/trip_trap.htm - -description of soap treatment for floors
http://www.haslev.com/soaptreatment.htm - - describes soap treatment of wood furniture
http://www.aalborg-massiv.dk/Engelsk/wooduk.htm - - - lye-soap treatment mentioned on some samples
http://www.ak.dk/gammel_uk/vedlige.html - - some discussion of care of soap treated wood
Thank you, Gary! This will be enough to help the client decide whether the finish is truly suitable for the project, and for the woodworker to do some experiments and develop a control sample. I agree, it looks like something that will require periodic retreatments, so knowing enough about it to decide against it may be the best outcome for the client.