Pretty and low maintenance - is it possible?

[Jesse Cloud]

Next big project for SWMBO/LOML is a dining table. One of her specs is driving me nuts. She wants it to be very attractive, but next to zero maintenance - ala we should be able to put water glasses on it without coasters or placemats.

So I'm thinking maybe wood with a super hard finish or wood with a glass top or a combination of wood and tile/stone/whatever.

Sure would appreciate your thoughts.
Jess

[Richard Wolf]

I think you need to speak to Per Swenson about his bar top finishes.

Richard

[Per Swenson]

Jesse,

Sure its possible.

Actually, its easy. It just takes a real long time.

We are now considering adding West system epoxy in between

the the shellac coats and rock hard coat.

The time between start to finish on the finish to polish

is a good 5 weeks. (allowing for cure)

Take a look here.....http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=17615&highlight=shameless


Per

[Vaughn McMillan]

Sorry I have no suggestions on the table top for you Jesse. (I think whatever works for Per is a good starting point.) However, when I saw the subject line, I thought you were asking about LOML, who is both pretty and (relatively) low-maintenance. :)

- Vaughn

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

How long does she wanna leave wet glasses sitting there?

I've been spraying Sherwin Williams pre-cat lacquer on dining tables for several years...since the time we found a glass full of melted ice cubes on and end table in the showroom that somebody had left there overnight. That episode, and reading the product specs convinced me that poly wasn't worth the extra bother.

SW also sells a conversion varnish that sprays and dries like lacquer...

KC

[Jeff Horton]

Never done this on furniture but what about varnish? I have worked with mahagony runabouts and sail boats and they see water all the time and the wood is just painted inside the hull and varnished on the outside. Needless to say they get wet all day.

Marine Varnish just has UV inhibitors added, so I am told and you don't need that.

[Tom Jones III]

What about spar varnish? I'm pretty sure that would do the trick although LOML is the finish expert in our team.

[Art Davies]

Hello

I build an oak coffee table several years ago and the top finish was envirotec epoxy finish, one coat equals about 50 coats of varnish. It is low maintenance and I was able to rub it out with standard kit using oil and pumice, rottenstone, after it had about a month to cure and was able to get a very glossy finish and you can put anything you want on it and not worry. To get it looking super again just clean with orange oil and it just jumps back to life. It’s not the easy finish to apply, you have to use a torch to get out the bubbles in the finish after it is pored, you don’t use the flame it is the carbon dioxide that gets the bubbles out of the finish. So you don’t make direct contact with the flame and you don’t want to heat it either, again it’s just the carbon dioxide that does the work of releasing the bubbles in the finish, after being poured. The surface has to be level when you pour the finish, as well you may have to tilt the table top some to get it to finish to fully level the finish, but once this is done make sure the table top is level as it cures. But it is one very hard finish and water will not leave marks. It will scratch but they can be rubbed out with a little work. Here is a link to the finish on Amazon.com, last it is not cheap. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BZX0LA/qid=1145365625/sr=8-6/ref=sr_1_6/103-8042040-5244657?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=228013

Hope this helps and maybe someone else will comment on this type of finish that has more experience than I as I have only finished one project with it. Best of luck.
Art