Applying finish to a cherry wear surface.

[John Piwaron]

Normally, I prefer using Waterlox for my projects. It's easy, it provides a warm close to the wood look. But this time, there may be a problem.

I've just completed a cherry Shaker style computer desk. Raised panels, solid wood everything. Pics will be posted upon completion of the finish.

Back to the finish. The top surface and the pull out writing surface are definitely places I'm concerned about wear. Would it be possible to use my can of Behlen's rockhard table top varnish thinned out for use as a wiping varnish or should I just buy a different product to apply to the top surfaces?

What product do you recommend if a tougher surface is actually needed?

Please advise before I spoil all my hard work.

[Don Carkhuff]

I think the Rockhard Varnish would work fine.
5 years ago, I built a cherry kitchen table that will get lots of use. I brushed 3 coats of gloss Defthane (polyurethane) and satin for the last coat. Satin has sterates that can clould the grain so I only used it for the last coat. The result looks like an oil finsh but it is really tough. Even my youngsters can't ruin it. Crayons,egg decorating at Easter, and a zillion other spills have just wiped up fine with no damage.

[Jim Becker]

Any varnish will do nicely and if you thin it and wipe it on, it will give a nice natural look. But...come to think of it, that's exactly what Waterlox is...a phenolic resin wiping varnish with a polymerized tung-oil base. Should work fine.

That said, the cherry desk I made my wife about 6 years ago is finished only with BLO and wax. (Tried and True) Other than a few minor scratches, it looks as good as it did when it was first completed. It's been re-waxed maybe three times in that 6 years. If it were a dining table, this would not have worked, but for a computer/office desk it's been fine.

[Jerry Olexa]

I built a computer desk about a year ago and altho I don't normally like the artificial "look"of poly, I used it on the desktops etc. It has rec'd VERY heavy use/wear and has held up beautifully. I now tho, to provide a more natural look, would probably reco a standard (non poly) varnish such as P&L #38,etc.