Knotty pine - too many knots!!

 Hello all;

We've just installed an entire wall of kitchen cabinets in knotty pine
(couldn't find any other type of pine, and hardwood prices are out of
this world).

When you look at it from the corner of your eye, it feels like the wall
is covered with a giant leopard skin.  NOT the look we were after.

Is there a way to mask SOME of the knots before we varnish the whole
thing in natural or honey-pine finish?

Thanks.

LD

 
ldancausse@hotmail.com wrote:

No.  Your only alternative now is to paint them.  If you do, BE SURE
you use a stain killer primer (like Kilz) first or the knots will bleed
through the paint.

Bob

 

I see we have another Bob S. fresh to the group....;-)

Actually, there is something besides painting that he can do with stains to
lessen the effect.  It's a bit of work but you can use some gel stains
and/or a mixture of artists paints (acrylics) to "reduce" the knot from
standing out so much by blending in some colors and "feathering" it to make
them appear smaller and less obtrusive.  It will take some practice to get
the colors mixed right and then practice the blending.  You're only staining
the knot - not the surrounding wood so you'll be trying to make it lighter
looking (less obtrusive to the eye) and not painting it out entirely.

(the original),

Bob S.

 BobS:

Good idea, if the knots will take any stain. There are people who paint
fake woodgrain, why not paint out knots.

What about bleaching the knots? He could try a thinned down bleach or
peroxide on just the knots. Test it on scrap first.

I know someone who has a knotty (not naughty) cedar wall and it looks
great. The OP might want to give it a few weeks and see if he grows to
like the knots.
--
Mac Cool

 

Well, you COULD rout out the knots, and put in dutchman patches.
That would be less obtrusive than the knots.    But I agree that
a coat of shellac and then paint is probably the best bet.
Although I'm not sure how knotty pine will stand up to the
humidity cycles in a kitchen.  You may end up having to
patch the knots over the years as they pop out, anyway.