I'm about to embark on what I hope will be a very interesting study.
I run a side business mostly focused on slabs (my day job is a software manager), and I have a few finishes that I've been using successfully -
My go-to durable finish is Behlen Rockhard - it's stood the test of time both with my own bar slabs & tables tops along with my customers. This is only what I put on for kitchen & dining tables and bar tops. The problem is that this is a 4 week commitment - 1 week to apply, 3 week wait and then a day to rub out.
For other tops, I use either a french polish, or the 1/3 BLO, Varnish & mineral spirits - these are great for desks, coffee tables and bed frames.
I've been using a catalyzed varnished for casework and am wondering how it might hold up to a table top.
So, this is a great experiment to see if I can find another finish that compares to Behlen but has a much faster application time.
As luck will have it, I have been friends / customers of a restaurant for 25 years, and I approached the sisters that own it & asked if they'd be up to having free tables in their main dining area, provided each table has a different finish - realizing they all won't quite look the same, and that I would monitor these throughout the year, and for failed finishes, I'd re-coat them at the end of the year. I figure this is a win-win. They get free tables and I get the motherload of a test bed.
So, I did a bit of reading and have come up with the following candidates. I'd appreciate any feedback or advice on these as I have never finished with them. I have a FUJI Pro HVLP or will brush on depending upon the instructions. I'd like to thin / shoot where possible so if you've shot these, let me know the thinning you did (if any) or any special things I might consider.
I have 9 tables, so can add one more. I'd like another lacquer if possible. Thoughts?
1. Behlen rockhard table finish (got to have my benchmark)
2. BLO/Urethane varnish / mineral spirit home-made mix (I've wondered how durable this would be as it really is the nicest "true to the wood" finish.
3. Sherwin Williams Sherwood catalyzed Varnish (I use this on casework, it doesn't rub out well, but seems pretty durable)
4. Waterlox
5. Miniwax Poly-urethane
6. Qualalacq Lacquer
7. Varathane oil based polyurethane (floor finish)
8. Waterlox Original satin finish (using their sealer) - Is the sealer necessary?
9. General Finishes Arm-R-Seal
I run a side business mostly focused on slabs (my day job is a software manager), and I have a few finishes that I've been using successfully -
My go-to durable finish is Behlen Rockhard - it's stood the test of time both with my own bar slabs & tables tops along with my customers. This is only what I put on for kitchen & dining tables and bar tops. The problem is that this is a 4 week commitment - 1 week to apply, 3 week wait and then a day to rub out.
For other tops, I use either a french polish, or the 1/3 BLO, Varnish & mineral spirits - these are great for desks, coffee tables and bed frames.
I've been using a catalyzed varnished for casework and am wondering how it might hold up to a table top.
So, this is a great experiment to see if I can find another finish that compares to Behlen but has a much faster application time.
As luck will have it, I have been friends / customers of a restaurant for 25 years, and I approached the sisters that own it & asked if they'd be up to having free tables in their main dining area, provided each table has a different finish - realizing they all won't quite look the same, and that I would monitor these throughout the year, and for failed finishes, I'd re-coat them at the end of the year. I figure this is a win-win. They get free tables and I get the motherload of a test bed.
So, I did a bit of reading and have come up with the following candidates. I'd appreciate any feedback or advice on these as I have never finished with them. I have a FUJI Pro HVLP or will brush on depending upon the instructions. I'd like to thin / shoot where possible so if you've shot these, let me know the thinning you did (if any) or any special things I might consider.
I have 9 tables, so can add one more. I'd like another lacquer if possible. Thoughts?
1. Behlen rockhard table finish (got to have my benchmark)
2. BLO/Urethane varnish / mineral spirit home-made mix (I've wondered how durable this would be as it really is the nicest "true to the wood" finish.
3. Sherwin Williams Sherwood catalyzed Varnish (I use this on casework, it doesn't rub out well, but seems pretty durable)
4. Waterlox
5. Miniwax Poly-urethane
6. Qualalacq Lacquer
7. Varathane oil based polyurethane (floor finish)
8. Waterlox Original satin finish (using their sealer) - Is the sealer necessary?
9. General Finishes Arm-R-Seal
Thurman
Portland, OR
Portland, OR