Skip to content

PZC Chatometry

A standard system to measure wood chatoyance

Menu
  • Home
  • What is Chatoyance?
    • Curl
    • Ribbon Stripe
    • Other Figures
    • Flecks
    • Growth Rings
    • Knots
  • The PZC method
    • Scale example 1
    • Scale example 2
    • Scale example 3
    • Scale example 4
  • Woods
    • Summary Table
    • Africa
      • Abura
      • Afrormosia
      • Agba
      • Agba
      • Afzelia
      • Aniegre
      • Avodire
      • Azobe
      • Bilinga
      • Bilinga
      • Bomanga
      • Boire
      • Bubinga
      • Cola
      • Ebiara
      • Ebony, Gaboon
      • Etimoe
      • Faro
      • Faro
      • Framire
      • Guarea
      • Iroko
      • Lati
      • Khaya
      • Kosipo
      • Kotibe
      • Kotibe
      • Koto
      • Limba
      • Limba, Black
      • Makore
      • Mansonia
      • Moabi
      • Movingui
      • Niangon
      • Niove
      • Obeche
      • Ocotea
      • Ocotea
      • Ovangkol
      • Okoume
      • Padouk
      • Purpleheart
      • Ramin
      • Rosewood, African Blackwood
      • Rosewood, African Blackwood
      • Rosewood, Madagascar
      • Sapele
      • Sipo
      • Tali
      • Tiama
      • Wenge
      • Walnut, African
      • Zebrawood
    • Asia
      • Acacia, unspecified
      • Ailanthus
      • Albizia, unspecified
      • Alstonia
      • Artocarpus
      • Ash, Tamo
      • Bintangor
      • Bamboo
      • Camphor
      • Coconut
      • Ebony, Black and White
      • Ebony, Macassar
      • Fig, misc.
      • Kapur
      • Keruing
      • Mango
      • Meranti
      • Merbau
      • Mersawa
      • Narra
      • Paulownia
      • Rosewood, Indian
      • Satinwood
      • Sen
      • Sucupira
      • Teak
    • Europe
      • Alder
      • Apple
      • Ash, European
      • Ash, Olive
      • Beech, European
      • Birch
      • Birch, Karelian Burl
      • Black Locust
      • Bog Oak
      • Cedar, European
      • Cherry, Sweet
      • Chestnut, Horse
      • Chestnut, Sweet
      • Cypress, Mediterranean
      • Elm
      • Fir, European Silver
      • Hawthorn
      • Hazelnut
      • Hornbeam
      • Laburnum
      • Lagerstroemia
      • Larch, European
      • London Plane
      • Lime, European
      • Madrone
      • Maple, European
      • Mulberry
      • Oak, Sessile
      • Olive
      • Olive, Russian
      • Poplar, Yellow
      • Pine, Maritime
      • Pine, Swiss Stone
      • Pine, unspecified
      • Pear
      • Poplar
      • Spruce, Fiemme (Ciresa tonewood)
      • Sumac
      • Walnut, European
      • Yew
    • North America
      • Ash, American White
      • Alder, Red
      • Beech, North American
      • Beech, North American
      • Boxelder
      • Butternut
      • Catalpa
      • Cedar, Eastern Red
      • Cedar, Western Red
      • Cherry, Black
      • Cypress, Bald
      • Cypress, Lawson
      • Desert Ironwood
      • Desert Ironwood
      • Dogwood
      • Fir, Douglas
      • Giant Sequoia
      • Hackberry
      • Hemlock
      • Hickory
      • Holly
      • Honey Locust
      • Juniperus misc.
      • Koa
      • Magnolia
      • Maple, Bigleaf
      • Maple, Bigleaf
      • Maple, Hard
      • Mesquite
      • Mesquite
      • Oak, Red
      • Oak, White
      • Osage Orange
      • Osage Orange, Green
      • Red Gum
      • Pecan
      • Pecan
      • Redwood
      • Sassafras
      • Service Tree
      • Sycamore, American
      • Sycamore, American
      • Walnut, Black
      • Walnut, Claro
      • Walnut, Claro
      • Willow
    • Oceania
      • Agathis
      • Ash, Crow’s
      • Australian Blackwood
      • Black Bean
      • Cedar, Australian Red
      • Eucalyptus, unspecified
      • Ash, Mountain
      • Gum, River Red
      • Oak, Tasmanian
      • Jarrah
      • Maple, Queensland
      • Oak, Northern Silky
      • Oak, Southern Silky
      • Pine, Huon
      • She-Oak, River
      • Spotted Gum
      • Tasmanian Myrtle
      • Walnut, Queensland
    • South and Central America
      • Angelim
      • Araucaria
      • Aspidosperma
      • Bloodwood
      • Bocote
      • Canarywood
      • Carapa
      • Cedar, Spanish
      • Cerejeira
      • Chechen
      • Cumaru
      • Curupixa
      • Freijo
      • Garapa
      • Goncalo Alves
      • Goupie
      • Granadillo
      • Guanacaste
      • Guatambu
      • Imbuia
      • Ipe
      • Jacareuba
      • Jatoba
      • Jequitiba
      • Katalox
      • Leopardwood
      • Lignum Vitae
      • Louro Faia
      • Louro Preto
      • Mahogany, Cuban
      • Mahogany, Honduras
      • Massaranduba
      • Nothofagus
      • Osage Orange, Argentine
      • Pao Rosa
      • Peroba Rosa
      • Piquiarana
      • Podocarpus
      • Primavera
      • Rosewood, Brazilian
      • Rosewood, Cocobolo
      • Rosewood, Honduras
      • Rosewood, Kingwood
      • Rosewood, Santos
      • Tatajuba
      • Timbauba
      • Tineo
      • Tulipwood (Brazilian)
      • Ziricote
  • Case studies
  • Services
  • Shop
  • Credits
  • Contacts

Finishing Blonde European Walnut

What is the best finish for Blonde Walnut wood? Find it out here, a great woodworking resource showing tests for many different finishes.

A set of 12 consecutive veneer sheets (from “A” to “M”) were employed, each split into two samples (“1” and “2”); therefore, all samples ending with “1” are just consecutive layers of the initial log and start from very similar PZC values; the same applies for samples “2”. All samples were sanded to 240-grit.

A special thanks goes to company Veleca for supporting us with finish samples.

We tested these finishes:
Veleca Palkerol (water based anionic polyurethane – floor finish)
Veleca Pinteco (acrylic emulsion – outdoor finish)
Veleca Mobil H (water based acrylic – furniture finish)
Veleca Nitrolux (thinner based ketone resin – classic furniture finish)
Veleca Tampoval (blonde dewaxed shellac – antique furniture finish)
Veleca Olio per Teak (Tung oil based – exotic wood finish)
Boiled Linseed Oil (BLO)
Blonde Dewaxed Shellac “Medium” (2 parts in 13 parts of Alcohol)
Furniture restoring oil
Transparent epoxy resin
Nitrocellulose spray lacquer (NCL)
Acrylic spray lacquer

It was concluded that:
1) chatoyance is increased only by some of these clear coats
2) Nitrolux, Tampoval, Nitrocellulose or Acrylic lacquers provide the best results
3) Some of these “clear” finishes significantly darken the surface

Tables below summarize the results in terms of chatoyance (PZC):

Tables below summarize the results in terms of brightness (fraction of white paper brightness):

Pictures below show the results:

Sanding to 240-grit – no finish (sample J1 – PZC = 7.6)
Sanding to 240-grit + 1 Palkerol coat (sample A1 – PZC = 10.8)
Sanding to 240-grit + 1 Pinteco coat (sample B1 – PZC = 11.1)
Sanding to 240-grit + 1 Mobil H coat (sample C1 – PZC = 11.5)
Sanding to 240-grit + 2 Nitrolux coats (sample D1 – PZC = 16.8)
Sanding to 240-grit + 3 Tampoval coats (sample F1 – PZC = 15.6)
Sanding to 240-grit + 3 Teak Oil coats (sample G1 – PZC = 14.4)
Sanding to 240-grit + 3 BLO coats (PZC = 14.0)
Sanding to 240-grit + 3 Furniture Restoring Oil coats (PZC = 14.3)
Sanding to 240-grit + 3 Nitrocellulose coats (PZC = 16.6)
Sanding to 240-grit + 3 Acrylic spray coats (PZC = 15.3)
Sanding to 240-grit + 3 Medium Shellac coats (PZC = 14.5)
Sanding to 240-grit + 1 Epoxy coat (PZC = 14.1)

Want to know more? Get Woodworker’s Guide to Chatoyance!

Available on Amazon in 12 countries – just click on your flag below…

… and enjoy the read!

Lascia un commento Annulla risposta

Il tuo indirizzo email non sarà pubblicato. I campi obbligatori sono contrassegnati *

PZC Chatometry 2025 . Powered by WordPress