Finish for Kitchen Table

[Kent Reisdorph]

Off topic maybe, but I wanted to post here for the most eyes.

Last summer I ordered a kitchen/dining table and 8 chairs from our local Amish community. I just got word that the order is ready for pickup. The pieces will be unfinished. What would you suggest for a finish? I haven't thought about it a lot yet, but my initial thoughts are I'd use a Danish oil like Watco (as opposed to pure PLO) on the chairs and lower parts of the table, and polyurethane on the table surface. Any advice is appreciated.

Edit: The wood is red oak.

I built this cherry and maple table over 30 years ago. It sat in the garage in Vegas for 20 years before we resurrected it to use temporarily in the new house. I recall using many coats of poly, with the last coats being thinned pretty heavily. I had little experience at the time, and the cherry laminate is coming up in places (don't look too closely). Someday I'll redo it.

 

[hockenbery]

I'd use a Danish oil like Watco (

Waterlox is an alternative to Watco and will build up faster for a little sheen and doesn’t change the color as much as Watco.

I have done a number of turnings using 1 coat of Watco and then multiple coats of Waterlox.
the Watco is thinner and penetrates a bit deeper and will warm the color more than the Waterlox when I want that.

Waterlox doesn’t change the color much.
White oak - I’d probably just go with waterlox
Red oak - I’d use Watco first.

Waterlox is a floor finish so it hold up well and provides some protection for liquid spills.

 

[Ryan Dwyer]

I have a maple countertop finished with Waterlox. I finished the countertop in ~2018. It is in a rental property used by a family of 4. After 6 years of use and abuse, it looks practically the same as the day I finished it.

In my own home, I have white oak countertops finished with Rubio Monocoat (I didn't want a film finish). After 1 year I already need to touch up some spots, plus there is a lot of staining from the tanins in the oak reacting with cans/metal left on the counter.

For a kitchen table you'll use daily, I'd go with Waterlox.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

I have a maple countertop finished with Waterlox. I finished the countertop in ~2018. It is in a rental property used by a family of 4. After 6 years of use and abuse, it looks practically the same as the day I finished it.

In my own home, I have white oak countertops finished with Rubio Monocoat (I didn't want a film finish). After 1 year I already need to touch up some spots, plus there is a lot of staining from the tanins in the oak reacting with cans/metal left on the counter.

For a kitchen table you'll use daily, I'd go with Waterlox.

Interesting. I did read about Rubio. It's terribly expensive so I'm glad you ruled that out for me.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

Waterlox is an alternative to Watco and will build up faster for a little sheen and doesn’t change the color as much as Watco.

I have done a number of turnings using 1 coat of Watco and then multiple coats of Waterlox.
the Watco is thinner and penetrates a bit deeper and will warm the color more than the Waterlox when I want that.

Waterlox doesn’t change the color much.
White oak - I’d probably just go with waterlox
Red oak - I’d use Watco first.

Waterlox is a floor finish so it hold up well and provides some protection for liquid spills.

Sounds like Waterlox is going to be the winner.

 

[Steve Tiedman]

Another vote for Waterlox (Original). I used it on a mahogany dining table almost 20 years ago. I think I wiped on 3 coats, stopping just before it wanted to build a surface film. Gorgeous.

 

[Doug Freeman]

Good ol’ poly can be used for all of it. Do a couple of coats thinned 1:1 and apply like watco - flood, keep wet for ~20-30 min, wipe off. Can add dye into the poly if desired. This will seal all surfaces. More coats will build a bit.

For the top, you can continue with the 1:1 and wipe the finish on, or apply thicker coats with a brush. Recommend semi gloss ply be used - negative grain wont shine like it will with glossy waterlox.

 

[Tom Albrecht]

I have made most of the furniture in our home, including a kitchen table, dining table, living room sofa, coffee table, end table, and a craftsman recliner. It is all in white oak and I finished everything with Waterlox original. I find it way easier to use than poly and it is very durable.

 

[Gabriel Hoff]

You can use Waterlox as the main finish, but try topcoating with N3 Nano. Cam over at Blacktail Studio uses it on his tables and he claims it is resistant to everything from acids to water rings. Disclaimer I have never used it, I just know what others say about it.....

 

[Richard Coers]

Most everyone I know, thins the early coats of a finish with the idea that it penetrates further into the wood. Your choice of finish depends on just how much abuse you expect to see on the table. Kids and grandkids demand a much tougher finish. Something like a catalyzed finish. If I had a red oak table, I would start with a grain filler to fill the huge open pores in that species.

 

[Vincent Vogel]

I would use Sherwin Williams catalized water white clear conversion varnish. You can get it in different sheens, myself, I would go towards flat. I used dull rubbed effect sheen on the end tables I built with three coats. Get on their website as there are different versions of it. It will have to be sprayed and comes in gallons. It won't turn the color of the wood when applied. Red oak will turn orangish over time with some oil or varnish finishes due to uv light. My brother in law refinished a kitchen table with dead flat water based poly and it turned out nice, he sprayed it.

 

[Steve Tiedman]

I suggested Waterlox earlier (still do), but as for surface build, personally I don't care for built film finishes, no matter how simple or complex, or tough or fragile. In my own opinion, I'd rather let the wood take on the character of use over time rather than a built film finish which, again, my opinion, looks worse when its showing age and use/abuse than the character of the wood itself. I also want the tactile experience of the natural wood vs. touching a plastic film layer.

If I picked another finish brand, I'd go with a Tried and True product, probably their varnish oil. It lets the wood look like wood (vs. wood-like plastic laminate), and it is so easy to freshen up in the future with additional coats. With conversion lacquers, thick build varnishes, etc., repair/re-coat/refinish is anything but easy.

Now is the time to grab Flexner's book from the shelf...

 

[Charles Cadenhead]

Interesting. I did read about Rubio. It's terribly expensive so I'm glad you ruled that out for me.

Rubio, Osmo and Odie's oil are all basically the same components just different amounts and different processing.

 

[Kurt Manley]

I did my countertops with Waterlox. One coat of the original sealer/semi gloss finish , then 4 coats of the satin finish. I used the original, high voc version. I let it cure for a few weeks and buffed it down with some wax and 4-0 steel wool. It looks great and is super durable. It does have a bit more build than I would typically prefer but the durability is worth any slight aesthetic compromises. Just personal preference anyways. Handles water great, I don't get water rings and things like spilled coffee are no problem. It's work to get a nice, even coat but worth it. Would definitely recommend.

edit~ definitely work in a very well ventilated area, the stuff is potent

 

[Don Wattenhofer]

This is my dining room table that I made following plans from Fine Woodworking magazine using red oak. The table was completed in 1985 and finished with Watco Oil medium walnut. The table is still in every day use and of course although I have had to reapply the Watco I have never had to strip it or scrape off any surface coat. If you do go with Watco don't pay any attention to the instructions on the modern versions cans. My current home which I finished the entire inside using locally grown Red oak for all of the trim and cabinetry with the same Watco medium walnut DO is still in excellent condition with only a few minor reapplications.
The table was smoked in the early 1990's when I was disturbed when oiling the matching chairs. The problem was that I got a long winded phone call as I was finishing wiping down the second coat and forgot to take the rags out. The next day when no one was home the rags started on fire in the basement but luckily it ran out of fuel before the house burned down. The entire house had smoke damage to the tune of $40,000.00 damage, but the table cleaned up with only a reapplication of oil. So do pay attention to the safety instructions.