table top varnish

[tom owens]

hi all.
could anyone give me any advice on a good strong varnish to finnish a table top with.
prefrebly one that can be brushed on.

 

[oddsocks]

hi all.
could anyone give me any advice on a good strong varnish to finnish a table top with.
prefrebly one that can be brushed on.

Tom,
I've just completed a TV corner unit and use Ronseal satin diamond hard floor varnish (about £38 for 2.5l in the sheds). it's touch dry in 30mins, recoat in 2 hours and (from my basic tests) is extremely hard. I applied 2 coats by brush, sanded with 240 abranet, applied a third coat and next day lightly sanded with 320 abranet followed by grey webrax on a random orbit sander. This gives an excellent low sheen without darkening the wood.

search for my thread '3 projects at once' and see the finished pics

Dave

 

[Chris Knight]

I second Dave's suggestion if you don't want a very high sheen. For a table top I'd use four or five coats, flattening the finish for the first two or three - usually with a cabinet scraper which is far better than sanding for this purpose as it flattens better (and shows very clearly where the finish is not yet flat).

You can get a higher sheen by a final polishing with a higher grit abrasive - if you use Abralon you can go to 1000 or even 4000 grit.

To apply the finish I use foam brushes which I find give me a smoother result than a bristle brush.

I find the Ronseal is very tough - resistant to heat and stains and easily wiped down with a damp cloth.

 

[Boatfixer]

I'll third the Ronseal floor varnish - I did my kitchen worktops with it 8 years ago and it is still fine after serious culinary abuse.....