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1. 
   woodrae | Mar 27, 2007 04:41pm | #1

   There is no perfect finish that fits all categories for shop fixtures, or even for furniture, for that matter. For a benchtop, I look for durability and ease of renewal. Your bench will get hard knocks, plenty of errant sanding, drops of glue, and the like, so the finish should wear well and resist spills. The finish will also get rubbed away through use, so it should be easy to repair, or renew.

   Two finishes that fit this bill are dewaxed shellac, and a thin coating of varnish. I’ve used shellac for benchtops, which is great because it’s fast and easy to apply and holds up well. I would use a 2-3 lb. cut, and apply three to four coats.

   Currently, both my low assembly bench and my European joiner’s bench have about four coats of a wiping varnish, in this case Waterlox, which is a thin varnish. This stuff wears better than shellac (it’s harder) and is easy to renew by simply cleaning and lightly sanding the surface, and applying another coat. I suggest applying the first coat thinned with about 30% with mineral spirits to get it to really soak into the wood. Follow with two or three coats of the full-strength stuff, sanding between coats. You’ll know you’ve applied enough coats when the surface has an even sheen with no dull areas. Remember to apply a similar amount of coats in the underside of the bench to equalize the finish and prevent warp.

   What I would not do is apply a heavy film finish on my bench, such as multiple coats of varnish, lacquer or polyurethane. These types of finishes will rub off in use (just like any finish) and then your renewal regimen will turn into a nightmare as you’re forced to scrape and aggressively sand the old stuff off before applying fresh coats.

   Be sure to wax your benchtop every now and then. This protects the finish, and keeps the surface slick so stuff won’t stick to it. I use Butcher’s Wax, rubbing it on generously and then buffing it all off with a soft rag.

   Good luck on your bench!

   Andy Rae