# What kind of finish for work bench?



## Spacehog (Mar 24, 2014)

Ahoy there! I am just getting back into woodworking after a long time away and I have a question about wood finish for my current project. i was told by my shop teacher that you should always use some sort of finish on any wood project. But I don't remember much about it, so I've ordered some books on the topic. In the mean time, I am finishing up a work bench for my garage. I would like to finish it so that it will last longer and such, but I'm not really sure what to use. Although the bench is kind of outside (garage), I don't really plan to have it out in the rain or sun. I'm not concerned as much about looks either. My main concern is durability and longevity of the finish. Well, I suppose saving a bit of money couldn't hurt either.

I have a lot of finishes that I could potentially use from a friend, but I'm just not sure why I should use one over the other. A lot of the work I've done up until this point has needed food safe finishes which is not the case here. I've also worked a fair amount on the lathe and used some finishes that seem to be unique for lathe work (Hut crystal coat, CA wood finish, etc.). I've used stuff like Thompson's Water Seal for outdoor stuff that is in the sun/rain. I suppose a product like Thompson's might be appropriate for my work bench, but I just don't know.

A little information about the bench itself: It's made from pine 2×4s, 2×6s, 4×4s for most of the structure. The top is pine plywood with hardboard as the very top surface.

Any input is welcomed! Thanks in advance!


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## woodchuckerNJ (Dec 4, 2013)

Boiled linseed oil… you can repair it later down the road after.

For a workbench I would avoid any hard finish.


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## Spacehog (Mar 24, 2014)

Yeah, I don't want a hard finish as you say. I'll check the linseed oil out, thanks!


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## ClintSearl (Dec 8, 2011)

Finish? You don't need no stinkin' finish. It serves no purpose. And BLO ain't a finish; it's a fire starter.


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

Using some kind of oil finish is nice on a bench just for cleanup purposes. I agree that you do not want a hard finish. I used diluted BLO for my bench, but if doing it again would probably just use a couple coats of Watco Danish oil.


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## vikingcape (Jan 3, 2013)

I left mine unfinished. Of course mine was made from pallet wood so I didn't care about a finish on that


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Oil is primarily for appearance and doesn't stop moisture, sun, or offer any abrasion resistance; none of which matter on an indoor bench but an outdoor bench will degrade much quicker unless made of rot resistant wood. If not rot resistant I'd use a varnish with UV inhibitors, seal the end grain with extra coats and keep the bottom off the ground. Even better would be to put a moisture barrier below the bench. Whatever you use, apply it evenly to all sides or you'll encourage warping.

edit; I misread the OP and was under the impression it was an outdoor bench. Disregard.


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## RandyinFlorida (Sep 27, 2012)

Leave the work surface raw. Any finish could transfer to a project you're working on.

BTW taking from Rick M. "Statucs show that 100% of people that succeed tried." Think about it.


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## Spacehog (Mar 24, 2014)

I had heard somewhere that leaving wood unfinished can lead to problems down the road. I saw this diagram that showed the range of moisture absorption for wood that has been finished vs. unfinished. It was pretty surprising how much more stable the finished wood was with regard to moisture content. The article I was reading also showed how untreated wood was far more prone to cracking, warping, etc. I'm not looking to make the thing look like a piece of art, but I don't want it to warp or crack either.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Things that cause the most deterioration: moisture gain & loss (the constant expansion and contraction will loosen joints and mechanical fasteners like nails and screws, and warp the wood), bugs, sunlight (UV), and excess moisture which can lead to rot, mold, mildew, etc. How much protection you need is going to depend on the conditions in your garage.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

I like BLO, Spar varnish and mineral spirits, mixed 1/3 of each.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

I used blo for everything but the very top. That I used blo-mineral spirits-varnish mixed with an additional coats of blo as needed every now and then.


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## Spacehog (Mar 24, 2014)

Thanks for the additional info Bondogaposis and Don W. I think I will be doing basically what you describe for the sides and top. I already put BLO on the underside/bottom of the table. I still have the sides and top to do though.


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## cutworm (Oct 2, 2010)

I put 1 coat of tung oil on mine. It does make cleanup easier. I think it was Minwax. I occasionally apply Johnson's paste wax. Makes it easy to clean glue drops, etc.


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