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this post was submitted on 21 Feb 2026
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If it's going to be in contact with soil in the terrarium there isn't much that will protect it long term without also leeching in to the terrarium environment. I'd probably go with something like pure Tung oil. Make sure it's fully cured though, that could be a few weeks.
If you aren't as concerned about that and want something tough, go with a marine varnish like WaterLox.
It won't be on the soil, it will become the lid. The terrarium will be sealed for water so the bottom will become a paraffin wax which should keep the moisture out. The top will gradually collect dust though and the thin lid ideally shouldn't bend too much.
Tung oil could be nice.
I'm afraid varnish will fill the voids too much and make the tiny cuts fade.
For a sealant, I would use a spray on lacquer. After 5+ coats it is pretty water resistant. I would personally do 7 or 8 coats on that piece.
You can stain and seal the cut-outs first (paint a little lacquer into the cutouts with a fine brush). Then stain the surface a few shades darker to make them pop out.
You can also reverse it and make them darker. Either way the contrast in color will make them more visible.
First staining and then applying a lacquer is a great idea. Will the lacquer not fill the cuts and make them less visible? Or does it keep a depth effect?
Anything in particular to look for in the lacquer? I'd prefer a natural look to fit with the raw wood in the rest of the piece. However, it sits on a glass bowl so I suppose glossy could have its charm on that too.
Lacquer needs to go on in very thin coats. Getting yourself a good spraying setup is a bit expensive but worth it if you do a lot of projects. You can find it in paint spray cans as well. They work very well for small projects.
Just be sure to apply it outside. The fumes from it has a real kick. I generally apply it with all the doors open in the garage plus a spray shield setup around it with some old shower curtains.
Try going with a darker colour. It will bring out the pattern in the cuts
Good idea! Also like the_v said, it could help to contrast the shapes in the cut.
I thought of using a limited tint so it would blend with the other untreated wood nearby, but a darker color could make the shapes stronger. It also tends to make the wood's internal structure stand out more.