Chris,

I checked the old posts and I'm the one responsible for the "not suitable" implication. That post is three years old, so I won't claim to have a clear recollection of my reasoning.

I would suspect I was alluding to two issues. I'm not real keen on finishing rough sawn surfaces. They tend to soak up a lot of finish and get dark without accentuating the grain. They also won't repair very well if somone walks on them with black Vibrum soles at the raising and the "superman" footprints show up the next day. If you sand the offending footprint, it obviously looks different.

Roger Nair's post about light sanding or planing might be the best one. You won't get that unwanted "furniture" look, but will have the option of fixing a smudge without it looking completely out of place.

Sorry for not being more helpful, but I did want to fess up.

Where's Bill Keir when we need his two pence?

Rudy