Low down and dirty MDF router table

[Galen Nagen]

I am making a very cheap router table with a top out of MDF. I don't want to bother to put laminate on it. What can I put on the mdf for a finish that will dry relatively fast and work well.

Thanks

GN

[Bill Huber]

I have just put Johnson's paste wax on MDF and it works very well, its fast, drys fast and make is very smooth and slick.

[Thomas Canfield]

I like to use thinned shellac to seal MDF. I often will use 2 coats and sand between and after to get a really smooth surface that is slick. You and wax that if wanted. I use the thinned shellac on threads tapped in MDF for jamb chucks for my lathe also to hardened the thread area, again using 2 coats and then rethreading after the 2nd coating to remove any raised surface or trapped dust. For quick low down router table, you could use Melamine coated MDF also if it is available.

[Galen Nagen]

Thanks. I assume Zinnsser Bulls Eye Shellac would work and then wax over that?

GN

[Cyrus Brewster 7]

I used 2 coats of poly (sanded in between) followed by wax. My garage is not climate controlled at the moment so I felt poly was better than shellac. It has held up quite well.

[Myk Rian]

Furniture paste wax.

[glenn bradley]

Shellac and paste wax were used on my old tablesaw extension table that has seen years of use. I was at the current owners house the other day and it still looks fine. It is a table for sliding material across, there is no reason for it to be short lived if not abused.

[Kevin Stricker]

Make sure you seal both sides to keep the top from cupping. Sealcoat works fine, stay away from WB sealers if you can help it as they will absorb unevenly and may cause the MDF to swell.

[Tom Esh]

MDF will soak up a boatload whatever you start with, so might as well go cheap and fast drying. Shellac is perfect for that. Then (optionally) some poly or just wax on top.

[Larry Edgerton]

None of those suggestions will actually make it a better surface, its still MDF. I make patterns out of the stuff, and I need a hard surface for bearings to run on. I soak the edges with West System, and give the top one cote. If I was going to run stock across it, I would first do a soaker coat of epoxy thinned with alcohol so it would sink in deeper. Not too much alcohol or the epoxy will not set, just enough to thin the viscosity a bit. After that cures I would do another coat of epoxy full strength to get a reliable work surface. You are then transforming the top layer of the MDF into a plastic surface, and it will take quite a bit of abuse.

That will be two cents please.......