Best Finish For a Camphor Laurel Slab Coffee Table ?

[RoyG]

Greetings,

I'm looking for some advice regarding what sort of finish to use on a highly figured Camphor Laurel Slab coffee table that I'm working on.

The finish needs to be moisture resistant (e.g. resistant to the condensation from cold drink glasses), and resistant to the occasional wine or beer spillage. The coffee table will be used indoors. In the past, I've generally used oil or water based PolyU when I've wanted a water and alcohol resistant finish, but the Oil based PolyU that I tried yesterday on a Camphor off-cut has failed to make the grain pop.

I've been turning some of the same batch of Camphor Laurel recently, and have been getting excellent finishing results by sanding to 600 grit, and then applying EEE-UltraShine, followed by Shellawax Cream while the items were still on the lathe. On turned items, that combination of friction polish finishes really highlights the colour, grain and figure in this wood. However, I don't think that the above finish is moisture and alcohol resistant, and anyway, I also don't see how a friction polish type finish, designed to be used on a lathe, could be adapted to use on flat woodwork.

So I need to find a suitable finish that I can use on the coffee table, that will really highlight the colour, grain and figure (in the way that the above UBeaut finishes do), whilst also being resistant to water and the occasional alcohol spill.

Any suggestions ?

Thanks,

RoyG

[Chesand]

Have a look at U-Beaut Hard Shellac. Not sure if it will pop the grain as you would like but it is certainly resistant to moisture etc once it hardens properly.

[soundman]

Yeh go the hard shelac ....... I don't think you will get anything with better optical qualities ....... gona require quite some coats ....... but I don't think you will find better.

cheers

[Chesand]

Nest of Tables.jpg

I should have added that after the Shellac has hardened, it can be rubbed with 0000 steel wool and EEE Ultrashine to remove any small nibs or dust marks that might be in the surface. If you then buff it with a swansdown mop, the finish will be as smooth as the proverbial baby's bottom.

The photo is Messmate finished as I have described.

[george mavridis]

Nest of Tables.jpg

I should have added that after the Shellac has hardened, it can be rubbed with 0000 steel wool and EEE Ultrashine to remove any small nibs or dust marks that might be in the surface. If you then buff it with a swansdown mop, the finish will be as smooth as the proverbial baby's bottom.

The photo is Messmate finished as I have described.

I know this is an old thread but a question regarding buffing the hard shellac. Do you just use the buff or apply wax, tripoli or other compound?

[Chesand]

It was just buffed dry to remove any residue of the EEE