Looking for suggestions on a finish for Camphor Laurel coffee table, grandson proof

[crowie]

I'm looking for suggestions on a finish for Camphor Laurel coffee table, that'd be grandson proof, please..
Thank you in advanced, Cheers, crowie

[rod1949]

Floor polish or/and a sheet of glass.

[ian]

polish with an added bittering agent

[Rod Gilbert]

There isn't one.:oo::D
Regards Rod.

[woodPixel]

Would a 1mm sheet of steel work? Fold over the edges like a BBQ cover.

:)

A more traditional method I enjoy is sprayed nitro.

[Big Shed]

Work on the other end and apply some discipline?

[crowie]

Gents, While I can appreciate some of your replies, I was really hoping for some real constructive advice on produces others have used, thank you...

[Big Shed]

You may need to give us more information as to what damage is likely to be inflicted by said grandson.

Is it mechanicla, ie he loves to hit the table with his toys, does he write on there with a biro, does he write on there with felt tip pens, does he paint on there with whatever he can get his hand son.

If you want to get the most vandal proof finish then I would suggest 2 pack urethane. However this would not stop the timber getting dented by hitting with toys or scratching with biros etc.

Hence my suggestion that prevention is better than cure.

[ian]

Gents, While I can appreciate some of your replies, I was really hoping for some real constructive advice on produces others have used, thank you...
I figured that the potential grandson damage would be of the "taste and chew" variety, hence the suggestion of adding a bittering agent to some furniture polish to produce a finish which would discourage further exploration with his teeth. I recall that there used to be a product designed to discourage kids from chewing their nails which worked on the principle of making the nails taste horrible.

If you're trying to prevent impact damage from kid's toys, then the most effective "finish" is either a fence to prevent access to the table or, as Big Shed suggests, swift and effective retribution should said child commence pounding or sawing the furniture.

I know of no finish which will withstand a determined 3 year old with a hammer like implement.

[woodPixel]

What about Pour On Glass? That stuff is tough beyond belief.

Boat-Coat might be an alternative: Product Information Pages (http://boatcraft.com.au/informationpages/whybotecote.htm) If it can handle the sea.....

[ian]

What about Pour On Glass? That stuff is tough beyond belief.
and so is laminex, but does Crowie really want to hide his camphor laurel table behind plastic ?

[Luke Maddux]

Few coats of danish oil and a few coats of wipe on poly.

[62woollybugger]

I used HBO on our tassie oak one a couple of years ago & it's holding up fine. No little kids, but I'm probably worse, I use it as a foot stool (with & without boots on), put hot plates & mugs on it. When it does need re-doing it should only take a quick sand & re-oil.

[LGS]

Osmo make highly resilient oils, perhaps something there would be useful. I find Hard Burnishing oil highly resistant to wear and tear, but like most other oil products, it wont stop dents and scratches with biros and so forth. HBO is from Organoil, an Australian company and Osmo (another aussie company) are at osmo oils. I know at least one furniture maker who swears by Osmo.

Regards,

Rob

[NCArcher]

Crowie, I used a home made Wipe On Poly recipe on a Bluegum slab and it is very tough. Could have something to do with the slab which was hard as nails but the finish took a bashing from MiniArcher when she was little.
Equal parts polyurethane (Estapol I think it was), boiled linseed oil and turps. Then add another half measure of Poly. Wipe on with a cloth. The oil and turps allow it to self level. Dry overnight then add another coat.
I was really impressed with how durable it was. If I ever get to build anything again I'll use it without hesitation.
This is what I put it on.

408176

[Enfield Guy]

I'm not sure I understand the issue. Aren't those dings and scratches tiny little captured memories, and opportunities to educate the tacker, now, and into the future? ( Remember when you bashed your Tonka truck on my coffee table). I don't think i would sweat it too much, sure I would be annoyed sometimes but I reckon life is a learning and reviewing thing.

Good luck with it all.

[crowie]

Few coats of danish oil and a few coats of wipe on poly.


Crowie, I used a home made Wipe On Poly recipe on a Bluegum slab and it is very tough. Could have something to do with the slab which was hard as nails but the finish took a bashing from MiniArcher when she was little.
Equal parts polyurethane (Estapol I think it was), boiled linseed oil and turps. Then add another half measure of Poly. Wipe on with a cloth. The oil and turps allow it to self level. Dry overnight then add another coat.
I was really impressed with how durable it was. If I ever get to build anything again I'll use it without hesitation.
This is what I put it on.

408176

Gents, would it help to bring the colour & figure of the timber our to do both ideas?? Thank you

[crowie]

I'm not sure I understand the issue. Aren't those dings and scratches tiny little captured memories, and opportunities to educate the tacker, now, and into the future? ( Remember when you bashed your Tonka truck on my coffee table). I don't think i would sweat it too much, sure I would be annoyed sometimes but I reckon life is a learning and reviewing thing.

Good luck with it all.

The wooden toy vehicles already have the "captured memories" of the grandsons enjoyment; I'd like the table to fair a little better....

[crowie]

I found this recipe for "home made wipe on poly" before Tony's reply; any thoughts on which might be the better of the two, thank you..
********************************************************************************************************

Combine your ingredients in a glass jar, working in a well- ventilated area. Keep your mixture stirred as you use it.
With so many wipe-on finishes to choose from, you’ll probably find one you like right off the shelf. But you can easily make your own.
To make an oil/varnish blend, mix equal parts of oil-base varnish, tung or boiled linseed oil, and mineral spirits, as shown.
You can alter the mixture to suit your need.
More oil increases penetration and colour, and slows drying.
Additional mineral spirits speed drying and decrease the thickness of the film.
Increase the quantity of varnish to create a thicker film.
Making a wiping varnish is even simpler.
Just mix conventional varnish with an equal amount of mineral spirits.

[crowie]

One other question please folks...

Do I apply the finish on all sides of the table, including the underneath?? Thank you!!

[Kuffy]

I thought I would be clever a few months ago and made up my own danish oil type stuff. 45% poly, 30% turps, and 25% boiled linseed oil. What I ended up with was glossy patches of poly alongside matt patches of oil. When applying subsequent coats, the glossy patches of poly displayed as witness lines which looked terribad. So I sanded it all back and just used satin poly. I reckon my mix had too much poly.

There are arguments regarding the finishing of the undersides of tops. Mostly based around timber gaining or losing moisture through the end grain only. The counter argument is figured timbers which present a lot of end grain through the faces of the top. Therefore you may as well just finish the top and bottom. Since you can't see the bottom, I slap on a couple of coats and flip it over when wet and do the top and edges. The sticks or pyramids that I rest the wet underside surface on generally will stick to the surface, but you can't see it. And if you can't see it, did it really happen? :D

[NCArcher]

I found this recipe for "home made wipe on poly" before Tony's reply; any thoughts on which might be the better of the two, thank you..
********************************************************************************************************

Combine your ingredients in a glass jar, working in a well- ventilated area. Keep your mixture stirred as you use it.
With so many wipe-on finishes to choose from, you’ll probably find one you like right off the shelf. But you can easily make your own.
To make an oil/varnish blend, mix equal parts of oil-base varnish, tung or boiled linseed oil, and mineral spirits, as shown.
You can alter the mixture to suit your need.
More oil increases penetration and colour, and slows drying.
Additional mineral spirits speed drying and decrease the thickness of the film.
Increase the quantity of varnish to create a thicker film.
Making a wiping varnish is even simpler.
Just mix conventional varnish with an equal amount of mineral spirits.
Pretty much the same thing but using a varnish rather than a poly. I think Poly and Varnish are similar finishes in that they are a surface finish i.e. don't penetrate the timber like oil.
The oil penetrates the timber and polymerizes while the poly/varnish provides a protective coating over the top. The mineral spirits (turps) allows the two to mix and flow. This could be completely wrong but I think that is how it works.
Kuffy's comments about too much poly are interesting. I didn't really play with the mixtures. Mine was probably 30% turps, 30% BLO and 40% poly.
Oh and yes, all sides of the table. Like Kuffy, I'm not too particular about the quality of the underside. The only people who ever see the underside are little kids and what do they know :D

[barnsey]

Mr Archers suggestion I have heard before and reckon that might be the go, I had to repair a parquetry floor a while back and used finishes from Boatcraft. 2 part epoxy and and a 2 part clear over the top. All were water based so no smell. Came up a treat. boatcraft.com.au
They are really helpful too.
Just throwing it in as a thought.

[crowie]

Pretty much the same thing but using a varnish rather than a poly. I think Poly and Varnish are similar finishes in that they are a surface finish i.e. don't penetrate the timber like oil.
The oil penetrates the timber and polymerizes while the poly/varnish provides a protective coating over the top. The mineral spirits (turps) allows the two to mix and flow. This could be completely wrong but I think that is how it works.
Kuffy's comments about too much poly are interesting. I didn't really play with the mixtures. Mine was probably 30% turps, 30% BLO and 40% poly.
Oh and yes, all sides of the table. Like Kuffy, I'm not too particular about the quality of the underside. The only people who ever see the underside are little kids and what do they know :D

Thanks Tony for the confirmation...Used you mix ratio with Satan Finish Poly and Tung Oil.

Another question please:

How many coats do I need to apply....tried 4 times to upload a photo but it won't work!

Cheers, Peter

[NCArcher]

I think i did 3. 2 would be minimum. If you like the look after 2 leave it there. Try additional coats on the underside to see how they look. Poly is a fairly hard and thick coating. It doesn't need to be built up over lots of coats like straight shellac or some of the oil finishes.