Finish for side table

[stewart]

Hi all
I have finally completed my small oak side table - somewhere to put my cuppa and the latest copy of GW, etc. Some of you may remember this WIP from February....started the table in October last year .....

The top has been glued up since probably January but I finally got round to cutting it to size this week.

It's had three coats of Danish oil but I'm wondering if that is a robust enough finish for a table top - is it a good idea to put a wax on top, something harder than just beeswax. This is what it looks like now......

Any advice gratefully received - the only finish I've ever used apart from paint is Danish oil so please help me in my ignorance :?

Cheers
Stewart

 

[Paul Barrett]

I'm a tradtionalist. So, in my view there's only one finish for oak - beeswax.

And then the not so tradtional kicks in. Before I apply the beeswax I apply a light coat of matt polyurethane to seal the susrface, then take that back with oiled 00 grade paper. Then start to build up the beeswax layers.

I have a 1920's dining table that I stripped and treated in that way. Yes, occasionaly it marks but you can always rub out a scratch with fine wire wool and apply some more wax.

But if that's too much of a chore, you can harden the beeswax with carnauba wax. As it happens I have a thread running (started today) looking for suppliers of carnauba

As it happens

 

[stewart]

Thanks for the reply, Paul.

I assume then that if I want a finish that is as maintenance free as possible I should go with a wax with some carnauba in it?

Cheers
Stewart

 

[Paul Barrett]

I believe so, yes. My only reservation would be that I think you said this was a laptop table. Some laptops generate a lot of downwards heat. Not sure how well any wax treatment would stand up to that?

You might find that the top surface at least would need somethimg more durable, like polyurethnae (or put a table mat under the laptop)

 

[WellsWood]

Hi Stewart,
I usually use danish on Oak as well but if a really durable finish is required you could do worse than Patina, a rub on finish that is virtually bulletproof once a few coats have been applied. See this thread for more details and where to get it.


Mark

 

[WellsWood]

p.s.
I may have jumped the gun slightly as I see you've already put Danish on. You'd have to get back to bare wood to use Patina. Why not stick with the Danish then - since it is so easily repairable.
Looks great by the way.

Incidentally, I'd be careful of using wire wool on Oak since you can end up with black stains due to reaction with tannins in the wood.

Mark

 

[stewart]

Thanks for the clarification, Paul and the advice about Patina, Mark. I think I'll stick with the Danish oil but may well try Patina on my next one. Luckily a paint shop near me stocks it.
Thanks again.
Stewart