04-06-2021, 09:19 PM
(04-06-2021, 11:28 AM)Cooler Wrote: My other test was field testing.
I refinished the tables at a local Starbucks. Less than one year after their remodel the factory finish was failing.
I sanded down to bare wood and applied four coats of Minwax oil-based (over Baltic birch).
Nine years later the tops were still in excellent condition. They clean with a sanitizing cleaner many times per day.
The key element was to allow 7 days (200 hours) before I returned the tops for use. That way it was fully (or nearly fully) cured before putting into service.
That is a pretty harsh test, and it passed with flying colors.
I would note that the 9-year-old finish was objectively harder than the 2-week old finish. Enough proof for me to conclude that 200 hours is not quite a 100% cure time. But probably 80% - 90%, and "hard enough" for service.
That's pretty impressive. I would love to hear some similar stories about WB poly. I gave my daughter and grandson desks last summer with Varathane WB finishes. It's too soon to tell how it is going to hold up. However, it should be a pretty good test as neither has a good track record of taking care of stuff.