My wife does embroidery and makes wreaths. Recently she found a design for a craft table made with two Ikea shelf units mounted on a low platform with a butcher block top. I found the 1.5″ thick birch top at Home Depot, cut it down to the right dimensions, sanded and finished it with spray on lacquer. I used the spray can lacquer, satin finish. I probably put 5 coats or more on.
This table is used for many things – to cut and iron fabric, clip ribbon and flowers. She tries to use a thick pad when ironing. It might get the occasional overspray of water, scratched by fake flower stems, and the shot of steam if the thick pad is out of position.
After several months of regular use, she’s noticing some “shadows” on the top. These are lighter-color shapes that were clearly caused by her activities.
My question is what is the best finish for this top? Poly? Some type of spar product?
Thanks for the help.
John
Replies
Well .... first, that isn't a butcher block top but a normal long-grain top. A butcher block is made of several small sections of wood with their end grain facing up (and down). I mention this as a butcher block of the end-grain-up kind is a great deal tougher and resistant to marking than is a long grain top. They are good for work that has the potential to damage wood, as end grain damages much less easily. That's why butchers use one - them with their bluddy cleavers!
But this to the side.
For a long grain work table such as yourn, that's going to have to put up with many potentially damaging activities from liquid spillages to hammer blows or knife cuts, it may be best to not finish the top at all. Just leave it as bare wood and periodically give it a scrub with water and maybe some mild soap if it gets oil or other mucks on it.
In some ways, a work-marked table top is a decorative motif of its own. Would you, for example, try to refinish your woodworking bench to avoid marking it with chisels, saws, glue and a dozen other dingers or markers inevitable as wood is worked? Some do but find they have to refinish the bench at the end of every day. :-)
Lataxe
Regarding the butcher block term, I agree with your technical definition. However, in general - i.e. non-woodworker - use and the HD website, this long grain table top is referred to as "butcher block".
Concerning the 'leave it bare and let it get marked up' strategy, I don't dispute that either. However, this is my wife's craft table, not mine. And she wants it finished.
Water based finishes are hard and tough, especially on a hardwood top such as yours. I would give it 3 coats of General Finishes high performance poly semi gloss or similar product, their site compares the finishes hardness and wear resistance so you can pick the most appropriate.
I don't finish with anything but oils. My customers know beforehand & find they like the results. So, I'm partial to penetrating oil. That's what I'd use.
Oil finishes don't chip or crack and it only takes a little oil for touch-ups.
That being said, Lat & Gulfstar have good ideas. IMHO, you should choose which you like best and go with that.
Mikaol
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