I’m looking for some advise for an up-coming project; a pair of small side tables that will see a lot of use. Ideally I’d like something that has the toughness of polyurethane with the user friendliness of wax. The table will be a combination of oak and elm. Spray application isn’t an option, I don’t have the hardware.
Any suggestions…??
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Perhaps you should try a wipe-on poly. It's almost as easy to do a waxing, but leaves a much tougher finish. It wipes on with a lint-free rag, and generally doesn't leave bubbles that need sanded out.
If you're considering lacquer, I'll throw in a plug for Sherwins Kem Aqua. I've started using it more and more, and you don't have to spray it (though if you're not real savvy with waterbornes practice brushing it a little first). It's a waterborne lacquer, and I'm sold. There's separate sealer coats and top coats, it dries fairly quickly, and when cured it is one durable finish. I've gone to using it exclusively in remodels. I can spray an entire basement without fumigating anyone out of the house or blowing something up. The minimal odor of spraying gallons of the stuff dissipates in about 20 minutes.
My totally unscientific durability test was to spray some scraps of oak and cherry and try to gouge them the next day with my truck keys. I pressed pretty hard. You could see the marks if your eyeball was within a few inches. Downsides? I got some on my glasses almost a month ago and I can't get it off even with acetone. It's not sold in singles, but 5 gallons only. You might see if they are willing to parcel out a 5, otherwise you're buying ten gallons for a 2 quart job. That's about $300.
"The child is grown / The dream is gone / And I have become / Comfortably numb " lyrics by Roger Waters
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