Wood panelling / to seal or Knot?

[bigroncorbett]

I have put a load up as an understairs cupboard / bannister.
Is quite knotty althouigh small knots mainly.
Been to B&Q and am now lost in a sea of products.
Don't know whether to paint, oil, stain, varnish or wax and whatever I do, do I need to seal with knotting sloution first ?.
Help please.

The wood is pine by the way.

 

[r896neo]

If your going to paint it you need to seal knots with knotting solution if you going to varnish oil or wax them then don't bother. The type of finish you select is based on your own preference, required durability, time avaiable and how easy to use it is.

Stain it a light oak colour varnish it and then give it a coat or two of wax for that nice sheen would be my choice.

If you do try to stain it do not try and go for a radical change to rosewood or walnut as it doesn't work on pine. A light chesnut or oak or maybe cherry is about all you can get away with, and even then results are varied.

 

[JohnD]

if you are goint to paint it, I recommend Aluminium Wood Primer instead of knotting. It dries grey, not silver, but the metallic flakes mesh together to block knots and resin from bleeding through. It is also a very good wood primer.

You just apply it over the whole surface, not just in dabs on the knots, so it is less trouble and gives a smoother finish, and you will not miss any bits.

BTW I don't like the look of varnished knotty pine, to me it looks cheap and tacky.