Birch plywood - suggestions for polish/paint

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Just completed my 2 sealed subs with Rss390hf-4 15.
I used Russian birch ply for the build.

Painting / polish is pending.
Looking for suggestions / ideas for finishing.

I like the dark cherry and rosenut finish. But not sure if it will come out like I am imagining it :D

My towers have dark cherry finish

This HSU sub has a rosenut finish.

The top of the subs have the plywood layers visible. Not sure what impact that will have on the finishing.
Here is one of my subs...

IMG_20210202_095519565_HDR~01~01.jpg

IMG_20210202_095502162_HDR~01.jpg
 
Just completed my 2 sealed subs with Rss390hf-4 15.
I used Russian birch ply for the build.

Painting / polish is pending.
Looking for suggestions / ideas for finishing.

I like the dark cherry and rosenut finish. But not sure if it will come out like I am imagining it :D

My towers have dark cherry finish

This HSU sub has a rosenut finish.

The top of the subs have the plywood layers visible. Not sure what impact that will have on the finishing.
Here is one of my subs...

View attachment 54763

View attachment 54762
Get the sub covered with wood putty and then paint it, only then the top part will be seamless.
 
Asian paint water based rosewood stain has a pinkish hue.. I mixed a bit of walnut stain to have a brownish finish on pine. I started with a sealant, sanded it lightly with 120 grit before staining. Post staining, I did layers of polish. 2 thins layers and then 220 grit sanding, followed by 2 layers, then 320 grit sanding, followed by 1 layer and then wet sanding with a 1500 grit paper using sand followed by car polish compound and polish with woolen buff.
You would need to mix and arrive at right colour on a test block before stain the main pieces. I started with coffee colour on rear sides of wall unit before arriving at right mix for Rosewood-like colour on the main sides. @sadik has detailed on how to prime before finish.
 
Asian paint water based rosewood stain has a pinkish hue.. I mixed a bit of walnut stain to have a brownish finish on pine. I started with a sealant, sanded it lightly with 120 grit before staining. Post staining, I did layers of polish. 2 thins layers and then 220 grit sanding, followed by 2 layers, then 320 grit sanding, followed by 1 layer and then wet sanding with a 1500 grit paper using sand followed by car polish compound and polish with woolen buff.
You would need to mix and arrive at right colour on a test block before stain the main pieces. I started with coffee colour on rear sides of wall unit before arriving at right mix for Rosewood-like colour on the main sides. @sadik has detailed on how to prime before finish.
Do you have any photos of your finish?
 
Do you have any photos of your finish?
Would give you an idea of colour.. the first one was rosewood stain without mixing with walnut. Second one is final finish. I got lazy with tv rack so it does not a have silken finish but the two shelves in pic are silken smooth to touch
 

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I've used Birch ply to build an Altec bass unit. 220, 600 and maybe 1000 grit with plain varnish brings out the Birch color and grains nicely.
I don't stain as I find the color between batches is always different. Use a simple orbital sander, does wonders.
 
If you are planning for staining the birch dont go for it, Ultimately in the end the screw marks will ruin all your hard work. Instead go for paint that will be easy for you. Fill up all the dents with Putty, Sand it off to make the surface even, then apply a 2 -3 coats of sanding sealer, sand it off with 220 to 320 grit sand paper between the coats. Then 2 coats of wood primer sand it off with 400 grit paper between coats. Now its ready for final paint. Since this will be your first job i would recommend you to go with any matt finish paint. Matt finish will be easy on covering small flaws on surface.

If you are going for vinyl wrap then fill all the dents with putty and sand the complete enclosure with atleast 220 grit sand paper. It will be better as you will get a smooth surface. Then you can apply vinyl on it. I dont have experience in vinyl wrap so i recommend you to take help from youtube.
 
If you are planning for staining the birch dont go for it, Ultimately in the end the screw marks will ruin all your hard work. Instead go for paint that will be easy for you. Fill up all the dents with Putty, Sand it off to make the surface even, then apply a 2 -3 coats of sanding sealer, sand it off with 220 to 320 grit sand paper between the coats. Then 2 coats of wood primer sand it off with 400 grit paper between coats. Now its ready for final paint. Since this will be your first job i would recommend you to go with any matt finish paint. Matt finish will be easy on covering small flaws on surface.

If you are going for vinyl wrap then fill all the dents with putty and sand the complete enclosure with atleast 220 grit sand paper. It will be better as you will get a smooth surface. Then you can apply vinyl on it. I dont have experience in vinyl wrap so i recommend you to take help from youtube.
I was counting on your experience to guide us properly
 
I spoke with a woodworker friend of mine. He mostly works with live edges but Birch ply is his only alternate choice. I am putting his message in verbatim. IMHO, he is pretty well versed in his craft.

"Applying stain on birch ply directly tends to blotch it. More so, if it is applied by hand (ie by cloth or brush or a foam applicator).. To arrest it, the best approach is to first apply a thin coat of sealer, let it dry completely, sand the surface with 320 grit sandpaper, vacuum the dust, and then apply the stain in even strokes.. For best results, the stain should be sprayed.. In the each of the given pics, the top piece is solid wood, bottom piece is stained birch ply - both have got the same stain and same number of coats, using the above method. Last photo is birch ply without any finish (top half) and with a transparent finish (bottom half). Staining obviously will hide most of the grain pattern as is evident from the samples. Hope this helps."
 

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If you are planning for staining the birch dont go for it, Ultimately in the end the screw marks will ruin all your hard work. Instead go for paint that will be easy for you. Fill up all the dents with Putty, Sand it off to make the surface even, then apply a 2 -3 coats of sanding sealer, sand it off with 220 to 320 grit sand paper between the coats. Then 2 coats of wood primer sand it off with 400 grit paper between coats. Now its ready for final paint. Since this will be your first job i would recommend you to go with any matt finish paint. Matt finish will be easy on covering small flaws on surface.

If you are going for vinyl wrap then fill all the dents with putty and sand the complete enclosure with atleast 220 grit sand paper. It will be better as you will get a smooth surface. Then you can apply vinyl on it. I dont have experience in vinyl wrap so i recommend you to take help from youtube.
Will using a mix of saw dust + fevicol mix, saw dust from the same wood work out for staining? I might go with paint itself.

What would be a good paint color that would give me a rose nut kind of color? Do I get this off the shelf?
 
PU paint is good. If you are planning to use PU Paint then, as a base coat use PU primer only. Any other primer will not work with PU paint. For more information you can consult with the color vendor itslef. He will give guide you with paint selection.
 
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