Last coat on a coffee table

Coffee table? Food safe?
Any finish will be food safe after it has cured (just my WASO). Use a wiping varnish or wiping poly (Old Masters gel). Let it cure FULLY. Use the table.
Bill

-- bill@magraphics.us

To expand on the above – almost any finish is ‘food safe’ once all the solvents have evaporated.

Note that this can take as much as a month or longer depending on your finish.

I would finish it with clear satin polyurethane.

-- Wayne - Plymouth MN

I would use some sand and seal or a 2 pound cut of shellac, 2 coats. Sand between the coats with 400 grit. Then seal it with 3 coats of lacquer. You do not have to sand between the coats of lacquer.
any of the suggested finishes after FULLY dried are fine. Most all kitchen tables sold are lacquer or poly. Its the solvent they are broke down with that is harmful.
The question you need to ask is how hard of a surface do you want. And the ease of application.
oil
shellac
poly
lacquer
IMHO

-- Superdav "No matter where you go - there you are." http://chiselandforge.com

Thanks for all of the advice guys.

@Bill, I meant by “food safe” because I have three kids and if they are snacking on it, I will feel comfortable with them dropping something on the table and picking it back up and eating it.

-- Chris-Woodstock, Illinois