Finishing Pine T&G Ceiling?

[rwanders]

I am going to have to finish the pine T&G prior to applying it to a 25' tall cathedral ceiling so I only want to do it once (and on the ground if possible)---any suggestions for a natural transparent and soft (non-glossy) finish? Would a wipe-on polyurethane be good? Or perhaps a danish or tung oil finish? I would like to find something that would dry fairly quickly since drying area for about 900 sq ft would be required. Would like to also avoid multiple coats and between coat sanding-----and an egg for my beer also!

[Don_P]

Were using Waterlox satin on one now, probably my favorite. Sorry, it does take 2 coats with a light sand between. We actually sand prior to the first coat, but that's my preference. It is a nice oil based clear coat.

Watco is an easy penetrating oil finish it does darken the wood somewhat and to my eye leaves the wood looking "thirsty". Velvit oil is essentially the same.

We have had an auto body finisher to spray poly before. The homeowners buffed between coats and staged for him. That went well, we had a pole building to stage in though.

[rwanders]

I appreciate your advice. Have you ever used any of the Minwax products? Would like to avoid any darkening stains since I have often read that pine tends to "blotch" if other than a clear or natural tone is used----is that correct?

[Don_P]

Pine does get blotchy if you don't do a washcoat or use stain controller with stains. basically everywhere the grain rises or falls through the plane of the surface it absorbs the stain differently than where the grain is straight. A washcoat plugs the grain uniformly so the stain is absorbed uniformly (hopefully). The minwax is about the same as Watco or Velvit oil.