Craft table

[Greg Wieskamp]

My 2 youngest grand daughters are both 7 years old. They have out grown their present craft table that's in one of our spare bedrooms. I want to make them a new one. The top will be a combination of ash and maple. ( my wife chose the wood ) They use markers, paints, crayons, glue, and an assortment of anything they can get their hands on. What would make the most durable, and cleanable, finish for this new table top?

Thanks Greg

[George Yetka]

I would add a roll of brown paper at one end that can be pulled over to protect it. I would think a buildup of poly would be most protective and easily fixable over the years. A laquer would be even easier to fix but I dont think would protect as well. The one my 5 year old is on is from pottery barn I believe and its some kind of enamel and it cleans up pretty easily. The one she shares with her sister, who is 2, takes a lot more beating and its 3 coats of WOP over an oak veneer. What about a laminate top that you could replace in a decade or so?

[Stan Calow]

I made one out of melamine top, 2x2s and plywood. The grandkids destroyed it in one season. I don't think of these as potential heirloom furniture.

[Thomas McCurnin]

Either (1) Use nice wood, and make an MDF Cover for it, perhaps covered with Formica or other Laminate; (2) Make the top out of MDF and Laminate; or (3) Multiple, like 5-10, coats of Poly. Pick one.

[Patrick Kane]

My first thought was laminate too. glue wont adhere to it and you can use acetone etc. to remove any unwanted marker scribbles. Or, go black/dark and dont worry about the pen marks.

[Gary Ragatz]

A clear epoxy would be resilient, and would let you see the wood. But it's going to look like a plastic-coated tabletop (because it is).

Multiple coats of poly, as Tom McCurnin suggests, would probably be sufficient as long as you don't let spilled stuff sit on it too long.

[Jamie Buxton]

Formica is more ding resistant than wood, but it does look like Formica. I’d use hardwood. The dents and stains are evidence that the table was well-used and loved. For finish, consider several coats of floor finish.

[Pat Germain]

For younger kids I would also recommend a cheap, Formica countertop from a big box store. Consider it sacrificial. When the kids have destroyed it, throw it away and attach another.

I'm reminded of a dresser my neighbor gave me years ago. She bought it and her husband promised to refinish it. Of course, after years of sitting, Husband never got around to it, so she gave it to me. It was a really well-crafted dresser with dovetailed drawers and dust dividers. It was made from solid wood, maybe poplar, with mahogany veneer. Unfortunately, that dresser had been in a little kid's room. He carved "Ozzie Ozborne" into the veneer top using a pocket knife. But I was able to clean up and refinish that dresser to get it pretty spiffy. It looked so good, when my neighbor saw it, she said, "I'm going to kick my husband's ass for never refinishing that dresser like he promised!". Whoops...

So anyway, never underestimate the destructive power of little kids when it comes to furniture.

[Jack Frederick]

I would use a melamine for the top. I did that for my 8 yr old and she just beats that thing. I used the good wood for the desk she wanted in her room. Taht is as neat as a pin.