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Have just built a table for our Airstream. Walnut, maple, birch, Paduuk. Need direction on a good finish.
Prefer hand applied, grain filling and not high gloss. Would like a satin or semi gloss finish. Would also like it to be durable as we will be eating and playing games on it for many years to come.
Many thanks.
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Location: Lawrence, KS
Epoxy, i.e. bar-top finish would be the only one I can think of as a single step to do all you list. But might be too glossy for your taste.
Otherwise a seal coat of shellac followed by a good grainfiller and then a good brushed coat or two of polyurethane such as GF Enduro-Var.
Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things. -- G. Carlin
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Location: Lewiston, NY
Yes, I think you will need to fill the grain if you want it dead flat. Crystallac WB filler worked really well for me. For a finish I would consider GF's Arm-R-Seal OB wipe on poly. Comes in satin, semi gloss, and gloss. Behlen's Rock Hard Urethane varnish or Waterlox would be good choices, too.
John
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I refinished several tables for the local Starbucks shop with 3 coats of gloss plus a final coat of semi-gloss Minwax oil base. These tables lasted 10 years in that commercial environment and looked excellent when retired. Applied over 4 days with sponge brushes.
Based on that experience I would recommend the same.
P.S.: The local Starbucks just got in new tables last month. They are starting to look like crap already.
No animals were injured or killed in the production of this post.
