I bought this table on craigslist yesterday. It's the perfect size for my kitchen, where I have "antique" benches and 2 wood chairs. The table was recently stained and looks nice, it just doesn't feel that durable to me. I have 3 small kids - and lots of additional kids over all the time - and it's in the kitchen so will be used constantly. Should I just use varathene (sp?) or is there something else I should do to preserve the finish. As you can see, the finish on my last table is nonexistent.
I also need to do something with the chairs. I'm considering painting them white or staining them to match the table. I think stain will hold up better, but I'm wondering how it will look against my hardwood, which is more red.
Any opinions welcome!
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Stays Clear adds a shine to the finish, even the satin has a shine to it. I used the satin for my old bathroom countertop and was dissappointed with how shiny it was.
Food safe finishes are recommended for butcher block counters because the assumption is that you are going to actually cut food on the counter, meaning you will be breaking into the finish with the knife and inevitably then picking up that finish on your food. this is why primarily mineral oil finishes are used for butcher block and wooden cutting boards. Never finish a wood salad bowl, cutting board or functional butcher block with non-food grade finishes. Wood counters that are not being cut on, and tables in general do not require food safe finishes - unless you plan to chop veggies directly on the table top surface, which I would not recommend.
Would you consider having a piece of glass cut to put on the top of the table?
Wow, great find. What a nice table.
I would be careful if I were you. That is an eating table so inevitably someone is going to rest food on it, a piece of bread or something. What you need is a 'food safe' finish. I don't think varathane is considered 'food safe'. I'd ask at places like Lee Valley or stores that know furniture finishing and I bet they can recommend a good product for you. Ikea makes one ([url]http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/50070378[/url]) for their wood countertops that is an oil (I used it on my butcher block) and you just need to reapply a product like that when needed to bring back the nice wood tones and it's food safe. What you would need to know is what is on the table top now. If it's just a stain, an oil finish would still soak in but if it has a lacquer or something on top, it wouldn't work (it would just stay sticky oily).
As for the chairs, I think you can go with just about anything making them match the banquet or the table base or something else you like.
You could get Stay's Clear from BM it just brushes on and gives a tough surface and makes it easy to wipeoff. It come sin both satin and High gloss.
great new find!
I love your eating area in the kitchen. It's exactly what I'd like, but my kitchen is small and space is a problem. The new table will work very well with the pedestal base-so much easier for getting seated there. (no table legs in the way)
I would go with paint because I think it's easier to touch up as needed when normal wear takes its toll. If memory serves correct, I remember a Vancouver home in a H&H issue about a year ago which had a home featured I remember quite well. The owner had small children and said that she found her white-painted table easy to keep looking nice because she would just do a light sanding and add another coat or two of paint when it needed it. A good primer, appropriate paint sheen for durability, and allowing ample drying time between coats should do the trick.
I'd use the table as-is for now, and paint when the weather warms up. In time if you wish to add more to this space, maybe seat cushions in a patterned fabric would be fun to try.
I hate regular poly. Its hard to put on (well) and usually ends up looking like a plastic coating. I always use the rub-on poly. I think its by Mixwax, but it could be by Varathane. They sell it at HD. It comes in a rectuangular sort of can with a screw cap that sort of looks like a paint remover can or something. I use the satin finish only. You rub in on with a cloth. I usually do about 4 coats, and I rub it out very lightly with about 800 grit black sandpaper in between coats. You get a finish that is almost impossible to tell from a factory finish. I find it quite durable - I used it on a beautiful pine entertainment unit, the coffee table that is the kids play table in the basement, the dining table and kitchen counters at my cottage. All still look great after many years of use.