sanded my dining room table. want to match ot up to the chairs. the chairs look like they are only finished in oil,no clear.

I want a durable finish so what should I use? tru oil or poly?or something else??

tag for the experts



sidenote:  I've used semi-gloss tung oil and it comes out nice (and durable so far for indoor use)

Go polyurethane.  Tru-oil is fine on a rifle stock but it's a bit soft to hold up to the wear a kitchen table will get.

I don't like the two-in-one Polys on furniture.  Some guys do, so it's just my opinion, but I get better results from using an oil or stain to set the wood tone, and then buffing it lightly, and then putting on 4-6 or more coats of self leveling laquer (I use Deft.  There may be better on the market these days but I am too lazy to look while it still works).  I find separate oil and protection steps/products gets you a better, deeper look, and stands up better over time.  On a table top surface, esp dining table, I would use more coats of laquer for protection.

Just my $0.02.

Don't use two in one polys, they suck.

If you want / need to change the color to match the chairs, I'd recommend a good gel stain. Theyr'e the easiest thing to use and get a consistent look to the finish.

Now, on your finish coat. I'd probably do a poly because the surface will get plenty of wear. At least 3 coats, maybe more. I usually use minwax wipe on poly (mainly because it's the easist to use). Do a coat, let dry for a day, sand to knock it down, clean with a tack cloth, and then put on another coat. Repeat until thick enough.

And the most important step if you want a professional look:

After you are done with the last poly coat, let it sit for 30 days. It needs this time to cure.  Then after that time passes, use a very fine steel wool pad on the table. Then apply a finishing wax and buff it out. That will give you a very smooth, shiny professional grade look to your table.

A book I can't recommend enough is "understanding wood finishing" by Bob Flexner. It is the bible of wood finishing. Get it and read it before you start.

Quoted: sanded my dining room table. want to match ot up to the chairs. the chairs look like they are only finished in oil,no clear. I want a durable finish so what should I use? tru oil or poly?or something else?? www.hunt101.com/img/384136.jpg www.hunt101.com/img/384137.jpg

What grit did you take it down to in the final sanding 220, 320, 420?


I like tung oil for an indoor application.
It looks like it will match the chairs pretty well if the chairs are of the same species of wood.

 

Don't forget after you do the first and some subsequent coats to knock the grain back down with 000 or 0000 steal wool.

It will make the finish like glass, smooth to the touch.

By all means, stain the wood first with a pure stain.   That's getting damn tough nowadays since everyone seems to want to lump in a finish with the stain, but you can find them if you look.  

Once you have the wood stained to the correct color, then finish with a clear polyurethane.  

And avoid Minwax anything, they are the crappiest finish products out there.  They work fine if you want to slather something on a pine tater & onion bin, but that's about it.   Their stain is about the only thing of theirs I'd use, and it's more like paint than stain.

Since dining room tables must endure moisture and spills I would go with poly.  I like the Minwax hand rubbed poly.  If you want the table to match the chairs use the satin finish.  I would also do a thin coat of BLO (boiled linseed oil) or dewaxed blond shellac to "pop" the grain on the table before putting on three coats of hand rubbed poly.  Shellac will dry very quickly but allow the BLO to dry completely (24-48 hours) before applying the poly.  Between coats of poly, use a gray or green refinishing pad or 0000 steel wool to polish the surface and prepare for next coat.  

If you don't like satin poly, you could try about 3-4 coats of straight tung oil.

ETA: As other have said don't forget the tack cloth between coats and try to do your finishing in a warm, dry, dust free area.

www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?Cat=

Quoted: And avoid Minwax anything,

Minwax wipe on satin poly was rated the best in Fine Woodworking magazines test of wipe on finishes.  I've used it on cherry and was very pleased with the results I got.

Dining room table = water, coffee, cold drinks, gravy, with spills… heat and cold

Poly.

Quoted: Quoted: And avoid Minwax anything, Minwax wipe on satin poly was rated the best in Fine Woodworking magazines test of wipe on finishes.  I've used it on cherry and was very pleased with the results I got.

That's what I use as well (mainly because I have a bunch sitting around and it's easy) and it's worked better than other finish coats I've tried.

The two in one polys are atrocious. Gel stains are ok, but I've had much better luck with bartley's gel stains.

Another vote here for the Poly satin (not gloss) finish.

I've used Minwax Poly both the satin and the gloss with great results, I would only use the gloss if you want that very shiny acrylic look.

Quoted: Quoted: And avoid Minwax anything, Minwax wipe on satin poly was rated the best in Fine Woodworking magazines test of wipe on finishes.  I've used it on cherry and was very pleased with the results I got.

+1

Quoted: That's what I use as well (mainly because I have a bunch sitting around and it's easy) and it's worked better than other finish coats I've tried. The two in one polys are atrocious. Gel stains are ok, but I've had much better luck with bartley's gel stains.

I've had good luck with their straight polyurethane, but their finish + stain is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.  The first and last time I used it I swore never to give them another dime.  Of course these days, finding anything else in the hardware store can be a real challenge.

so far i ahve sanded it with 120. the reason I am refinisghing it is because the surface became really sticky. I think it was just a oil finish. If I poly it can poly be sprayed from a gun?

Also which it easier to touch up?

Thanks for the help

Quoted: Quoted: That's what I use as well (mainly because I have a bunch sitting around and it's easy) and it's worked better than other finish coats I've tried. The two in one polys are atrocious. Gel stains are ok, but I've had much better luck with bartley's gel stains. I've had good luck with their straight polyurethane, but their finish + stain is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.  The first and last time I used it I swore never to give them another dime.  Of course these days, finding anything else in the hardware store can be a real challenge.

Selections at many hardware stores suck. The only semi decent selection I've seen at a large hardware store has been menards.

If I want something out of the ordinary, I go to either rockler or the woodworker's store.

Go with a hand-rubbed Tung oil finish.  You will end up with a very durable and satin looking finish.  I hate poly finishes.

Quoted: so far i ahve sanded it with 120. the reason I am refinisghing it is because the surface became really sticky. I think it was just a oil finish. If I poly it can poly be sprayed from a gun? Also which it easier to touch up? Thanks for the help

You'll need to take it at the very minimum to 220.
If it were mine I would take it all the way to 420.

The thing about sanding is you never really get the scratches out.
By increasing the grit number you make the scratches less and less visible to the naked eye.

Once you get to 320 or so you really can't see the scratches even though they are there.

Marine Varnish.  That stuff is the best.