Bamboo Bike #2

Step 12 Bamboo finishing

I'm quite happy with the current look of the frame.  In other words, I don't really want to change the look of the bamboo and go really high gloss like last time.  I like the kind of low luster natural finely sanded bamboo look.  I am going to experiment on some extra pieces I have left laying around to see if I can't keep this look while giving the bamboo some surface protection from the elements - water, sun, sweat, and bumps/nicks. 

After doing some research I found out that most matte or low luster wood finishes start out life as high gloss finishes.  This is because, if you add several coats of a low luster clear finish, you end up with a miky look.  You want your base coats - at least 3, to be high gloss.  Your topcoat or final coat is the one with the finished look...

That said, I hit the bamboo with a stain - a paste stain, dark teak colored, a reddish brown hue.  The bamboo takes a stain, but not too much.  Then hit it with a couple coats of the tung oil finish.  After that was dry, I came back with 600 grit paper, then with  a matte polyurethane coat.  Just one coat was enough.  Let dry and it was time to build the frame up...