Clear coat advice needed for tabletop.

[kenbartos]

I'm about to oil paint a hardwood dining table but I want to protect the painted top from being scratched by plates and cutlery. Does anyone have any recommendations for a really solid clear coat?

I'm happy to pour something on if it'll give me a thick, tough finish. It's an upcycled tabletop so I'm looking for durability over luxury.

TIA

[Fergiz01]

Waterbased CFP floor poly would give you a tough top coat.

[mic-d]

Ubeaut Hard Shellac gets a good rap

[havabeer69]

4 or so coats of a water based poly would be my suggestion

the pour on stuff you're talking about is a 2 part epoxy which while tough, and gives that thick glass look, will be harder to repair scratch wise


we currently use odies oil on our blackbutt slab dining table but i really don't reapply it as often as I should (as in once ever 2 or 3 years when it should be 6 monthly), but it doesn't really show any scratches

[kenbartos]

Thanks for the advice. So you recommend water based poly over oil based? I understand water based is more transparent (which I want) but isn't it also not as durable as oil based?

TIA

John

[Avondale]

realise you're covering a painted surface but share following

I used this CFP Water Based Floor Finish | Cabot'''s matt finish, on a Tasmanian Blackwood dining table I made.
I debated, mulled over my "traditional" for me, spray lacquer, but that meant taking it to the person plus I don’t really enjoy it as a finish.
I talked to Cabot, Dulux, who at first didn't recommend but as we talked he gleaned I had a modicum of knowledge of wood and suggested it would be very suitable.
He was initially concerned for how I'd apply it and what I'd do with the surface.

I can't speak more highly of it.
The greatest thing for me was the actual look. It didn't sit on the wood and was very transparent and gave a superbly smooth finish.
It gave a rich look to the timber and didn't darken the already natural dark blackwood.
I rolled it on and useda quality brush to even out at table edges.
I let each coat dry 2 days, sand ever so lightly with 320 grit, let it stand another day to allow more hardening of the varnish.
Put on 3 coats.
It's seen 6 months constant use.
Caveat. We use cloth place mats, and boards when putting hot items on the table.
We treat it as any decent furniture deserves.

Water based doesn't yellow with age he said so hoping it'll keep that beautiful clear look into the future.

I did some tests on a myrtle board and gave that a bit of a scuffing and rough treatment. Everything one would expect a floor to get.
Very pleasing outcome with no noticeable degradation.

I was so impressed I'm coating a small blackwood shelf I've made for my daughter.

[yvan]

.... "we currently use odies oil on our blackbutt slab dining table but i really don't reapply it as often as I should (as in once ever 2 or 3 years when it should be 6 monthly), but it doesn't really show any scratches

I had never heard of Odies oil. So, I consulted Prof Googles who advises that a 266ml jar of Universal Finish is worth a modest $130. Is this oil worth it?

Cheers,
Yvan

[Mr Brush]

Water based doesn't yellow with age he said so hoping it'll keep that beautiful clear look into the future.

Interested in this, as I'm looking for a finish for hall tables I have planned for some nice blackheart sassafras which I've acquired. I've noticed that the very light portions (almost white) fade to a yellow/brown several months after sanding just with expsosure to light - what is the best finish to try and preserve the colours and contrast of this spectacular timber? I had read somewhere that water-based is a better option for this, and I prefer matt/satin finishes anyway.

Cheers

[EagerBeaver71]

+1 Ubeaut Hard Shellac.

[GraemeCook]

Toughest clear finish that I know is two-pot polyurethane such as Wattyl Estapol 7008.

Not sure if it can be applied over a paint finish though.

[havabeer69]

I had never heard of Odies oil. So, I consulted Prof Googles who advises that a 266ml jar of Universal Finish is worth a modest $130. Is this oil worth it?

Cheers,
Yvan

Compared to other hard wax oils out there... probably not. A little does go a long way though

[Avondale]

Interested in this, as I'm looking for a finish for hall tables I have planned for some nice blackheart sassafras which I've acquired. I've noticed that the very light portions (almost white) fade to a yellow/brown several months after sanding just with expsosure to light - what is the best finish to try and preserve the colours and contrast of this spectacular timber? I had read somewhere that water-based is a better option for this, and I prefer matt/satin finishes anyway.

Cheers

I wouldn't guarantee it would save sassy from doing its usual.
I've worked with a lot of sassafras and its disappointing how it changes.

Being hall it won't get harsh light I imagine.

Below photo shows top and underside of a small table I made about 20 years ago.
It's lived away from direct sun but hasn't been mollycoddled.Sassafras table.jpg
Finish is sprayed lacquer. Whatever furniture manufacturers used. I had a bloke who did such and left him to it.
It wasn't gloss but also not matt.
It shows how the top has mellowed

That's the blackwood table with the floor varnish the upside-down table is resting on.

Apologies. Just realised I've probably digressed off course

[Mr Brush]

Thanks for the post and photos - that's pretty much what my timber looks like unsanded. It looks as though the striking contrast of blackheart sassafras doesn't last; the whites go yellow, and it looks like the blacks fade to dark brown too

I'll only use it for pieces that won't be in the sun too much, but even normal levels of UV seem to affect it badly. I had read somewhere that water-based finishes were better for UV protection than oils, but it seems there's a limit to what you can do.