# Best table top finishes?



## KadeK (Jan 31, 2013)

So I am building an alder table…I know its a relatively soft wood for a table top…but thats what my friend wants. I have never finished a table top so I would like some advice for the best finish for me. I am not a professional finisher so I am looking for something that is relatively easy to apply yet provides superior protection. I've seen many people use General Finishes Arm-r-Seal. How is that for durability? Thank you for your input


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## Iguana (Jun 22, 2011)

What kind of table?


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## KadeK (Jan 31, 2013)

Ah yes I forgot to mention that it is a dining table


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## Cosmicsniper (Oct 2, 2009)

What style?


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## AJLastra (Apr 19, 2012)

Kade

This is a dining table. You expect that it will have to take some abuse from spills, heat, alcohol, water. Scratches are inevitable and no finish is going to prevent a scratch or dings. What we do is try to get enough of a build so that the scratch or ding is in the FINISH and not in the wood.

the most durable finish you can apply by hand is oil based polyurethane. It weill have a less "plasticky" look than water based. But the oil based will also take longer to dry. I don't know if you have spray equipment or not. It makes a difference. So does the environment you are going to apply your finish in. Is the table going to be finished in place or are you finishing it in an unheated g arage or basement shop?

There are some application specific finishes out there made by very good companies who know their finishes. Behlen makes a "Rock Hard Tabletop Varnish." This is the stuff that could be used for a bartop. What kind of sheen does the friend want? Gloss? Satin? to achieve decent results for these sheens, rubbing out the finish is the traditional way rather than rely on what comes out of the can of finish. But rubbing out is labor intensive and it requires waiting a bit of time to let the finish cure first. some finishes rub out better than others.

Varnish, whether water based or oil based, provides more than adequate protection against water, alcohol, heat and spills. If you are applying by hand, this is what I would recommend. If you are going to rub the finish to a certain sheen, you would need to wait at least two weeks before you'd rub a varnish topcoat. You will need to build this finish on the tabletop. Keep in mind that varnish does not "burn in" to itself with each coat of finish you apply like shellac and lacquer do. If you need more info about applying varnish and rubbing it, let me know. Go luck with your project!!

Drew


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## ClintSearl (Dec 8, 2011)

Waterborne poly floor finish works as well as anything else. If it's tough enough to dance on, it's tough enough to eat off of. Don't waste time with multi-component concoctions.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

I use pre-cat lacquer sprayed with inexensive gravity-feed HVLP guns. Buff it out with Howards Walnut wax, and it will look great. 
The main problem with wipe-on sealers over stain, is you will get some stain lifting off. Spraying eliminates this problem. Also, I think spraying yields the smoothest finish. Off-the-gun finishes are so good these days, that many times they don't even need to be buffed.

Good luck!


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

Pour on Epoxy works great for me


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