Water resistance...

[peter slamp]

What do you consider the best finish for water resistance. Hoping for something that is glossy but natural. Thanks!

[Jesse Thornton]

This spar urethane has held up well against the elements on some outdoor furniture I built:
http://www.minwax.com/products/protective/helmsman.cfm
But it would be overkill for interior projects - what are you building?

[Nancy Laird]

Two or three coats of clear lacquer. I have it on kitchen cabinets and it is holding up very well after 6 years - just wipe it down with a damp cloth to clean, and water just beads up on flat surfaces like end tables, coffee table, etc. The nice thing about lacquer is that if it gets scratched, just rough it up a little with some fine sandpaper and spray another coat--looks like new.

Nancy

[Steve Schoene]

Before specifying a finish I would want to know something more about the intended use of the item. Water resistence is fairly easy--any oil based varnish applied with a reasonable film thickness--three coats of brushed on finish, or about 8-9 coats of wipe on finish.) Good ones are Behlen Rockhard, Pratt & Lambert 38 and McCloskey Heirloom, but this isn't a comprehensive list. (Polyurethane doesn't offer advantages here. Spar varnish isn't particularly more water resistent, but is more flexible so it can cope with the wider temperature and moisture ranges of exterior use. It's also pretty soft, so don't use spar unless you actually need the flexibility.

But if the item has to live in direct sun light, just being spar varnish isn't nearly enough. It must be a high quality, marine spar--not Minwax or any other finish you can pick up for $12 a quart in the big box stores. There are three acceptable marine spar varnishes that have passed the test of time. They are Interlux Schooner, Pettit Captain's, and (possibly the best, albeit a bit dark) Epifanes Gloss Varnish. The best prices I've seen for these range between $23 and $25 per quart (liter for the Epifanes). For use in the sun expect to apply 6 coats, and to scuff sand and add an additional coat about every year. (And, I should add that paint will outlast any clear finish by a large margin.)

[peter slamp]

This is going to be a coffee table top. I have a three year old though. The piece of wood I'm using is so beautiful I really want to protect it well. Thanks!

[Joe Chritz]

If it was mine I would spray on a coat of sealcoat and three coats of Target USL.

It isn't as durable as a conversion varnish or some of the other Target offerings but it is not bad at all. Plus the easy ability to repair similar to laquer is a big bonus.

If you don't have spray abilities then my other go to is Waterlox. Wipe on 5 or 6 coats and you are good to go. Waterlox was originally used for gym floors so it is pretty durable.

Joe