PU finish

[Froggy]

I noticed that a lot of you use Polyurethane finishes for tables and have been adviced that it is good protection for the table. But having bought some and applied 2 coats to a sample piece of wood I can't see where the protection comes from. It looks as if I've just stained it. I expected to see a finish that looked like it had been varnished. Does the PU alone protect the table or do I have to add wax or varnish and if so what's the difference between PU and ordinary stain?

 

[Crooked Tree]

I used to use one pack PU yacht varnish on a boat (obviously never put hot plates on it). The literature suuggests that it is tougher (harder?) than standard varnish. It sounds like yours is very thin if it looks like a stain rather than leaving a plasticy coating.