Since it is open pore and not slathered in plastic, is the wood strip going to hold up baking in the sun day after day? What products are recommended to keep it protected and looking new?
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Wood strip maintenance?
- Thread starter insaneoctane
- Start date
Pkmmte
Le meow
jelloslug
Active Member
Thomas Edison
Active Member
TaoJones
Beyond Driven
Once every 6 car washes (so every 12 weeks), I give the figured ash in my S a dose of old school lemon oil.
Anti-lemon voodoo, if you will.
Wipe on, wipe off.
If I had a 3, I’d do the same. Haven’t found anything better for grained veneers than lemon oil.
I liked the unvarnished obeche in the last car, missed out on the lacewood, and am pleased that there are still options for exposed wood that do not involve their glossy overcoats.
There’s a theme there somewhere.
Anti-lemon voodoo, if you will.
Wipe on, wipe off.
If I had a 3, I’d do the same. Haven’t found anything better for grained veneers than lemon oil.
I liked the unvarnished obeche in the last car, missed out on the lacewood, and am pleased that there are still options for exposed wood that do not involve their glossy overcoats.
There’s a theme there somewhere.
nogajim
Member
Shellac is pretty but not very hardy. It can be damaged by alcohol, water, oils, and probably sun. For a finish, you might need to go urethane or tung oil (but I don’t know much about it). I’m considering the lemon oil. It has worked for years on an unfinished chest of drawers.
davedavedave
Member
I don’t think that it would need and protection, but if you did I would use a matte wipe-on polyurethane. beware that even a clear urethane will most likely darken the panel a bit.
For cleaning, naphtha is the pro’s choice for untreated, open-grain wood, and won’t harm polyurethane or vinyl either.
That said, I have no idea if there’s any treatment on the veneered dash panel, but I wouldn’t hesitate to test it on one of the ends by the a-pillars.
For cleaning, naphtha is the pro’s choice for untreated, open-grain wood, and won’t harm polyurethane or vinyl either.
That said, I have no idea if there’s any treatment on the veneered dash panel, but I wouldn’t hesitate to test it on one of the ends by the a-pillars.
If you look at the pleated corners on the Model 3's wood dash, the wood appears to be paper thin. I'd be afraid that any wood treatment would penetrate the wood, dissolve the adhesive, and cause the wood to delaminate.
gilscales
Banned
Do NOT use a polyurethane as this is for interior use.
I used to build custom cabinets back in the day and used many different types of finishes in the past, if you choose to do this I would use something that is a marine grade product, matte finish for sure and has to have UV inhibitors, check out this one, very good rep, some of the other finishes I have used in the past that are the most durable contained some tung oil.
https://www.amazon.com/Epifanes-Wood-Finish-Matte-1000/dp/B005ADX8XI/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1549529427&sr=1-2&keywords=epifanes+matte&th=1&psc=1
If you really want to do a crazy good job then get the high gloss and the thiner as well as the matte, take the unit out and give it a light sand down to at least 320, thin the gloss 50/50 with the thinner and put several very thin coats (5 or 6) sanding very lightly with the 320 in between coats, follow up with a couple of coats of the matte thinned maybe 25% thinner to 75% matte. should look like Buddah when done.
I used to build custom cabinets back in the day and used many different types of finishes in the past, if you choose to do this I would use something that is a marine grade product, matte finish for sure and has to have UV inhibitors, check out this one, very good rep, some of the other finishes I have used in the past that are the most durable contained some tung oil.
https://www.amazon.com/Epifanes-Wood-Finish-Matte-1000/dp/B005ADX8XI/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1549529427&sr=1-2&keywords=epifanes+matte&th=1&psc=1
If you really want to do a crazy good job then get the high gloss and the thiner as well as the matte, take the unit out and give it a light sand down to at least 320, thin the gloss 50/50 with the thinner and put several very thin coats (5 or 6) sanding very lightly with the 320 in between coats, follow up with a couple of coats of the matte thinned maybe 25% thinner to 75% matte. should look like Buddah when done.
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We recently purchased a 2020 MX with dark Ash Wood Trim. I like the look and would like to add a piece of Veneer Ash wood to the FLIP door on the center console (T Sport.... offers this option for $800). I have a nice piece of matching veneer wood but cannot seem to get the exact color stain match. If anyone has any expertise on this please help. Here is my project so far. I need a darker stain.
Attachments
goldengate
Member
I took a test drive in a Model 3. Two things irritated me...No gauges in the dash and the unfinished wood veneer. Perhaps 50 years in the Furniture business doesn't like unfinished wood.
For the same price as a new 3, I purchased a 2016 Model S from Tesla (because of the warranty 4 year/50,000 miles from date of delivery). I'm very happy with my choice.
For the same price as a new 3, I purchased a 2016 Model S from Tesla (because of the warranty 4 year/50,000 miles from date of delivery). I'm very happy with my choice.
No experience with lemon oil....does it have a strong lemon scent? While I love the smell of lemons, I don't want my TM3 to smell like a lemon....
Wait a minute - It's real wood? I had assumed it is a very good plastic fake...................
