Recommended Table Top Finish

Darren Wright

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My wife's uncle is wanting a recommendation for a table top finish. He used a lacquer finish on a table and he says that anything warm sticks to the table top. I recommended using trivets but he said those stuck as well.

Is there another type of finish he can put on the table that will be more heat resistant (warm, not hot dishes) and that objects wont stick to? Or would waxing the top or something like that help?

Thanks...
 
I've used Behlen's "Rock Hard" and also General Finish's "Arm-R-Seal" on dining table tops with good results.

The Arm-R-Seal is a lot easier to use, but for durability I'd lean more towards the Rock Hard.

The Rock Hard definitely lives up to its name when it comes time to rub it out, though. It's what's on my current DR table, and it's been on there for about 12, maybe even 15, years and is just now starting to show some signs of wear. We don't use tablecloths, but do generally use placemats and trivets, so the finish certainly hasn't been 'babied' over the years.
 
My BIL uses Catalized Lacquer on all his table tops...my coffee table top he made for us has held up for 6-8 years with only minor wear.
 
So... one caveat... I know noooothing - I'm just repeating what I heard the man in WS Jenkins say, when askling him about lacquers for my furniture...

All of these lacquers use nitrocellulose solvent.

There is pre-catalysed lacquer, which has the catalyst already inside, this is the least durable. The bar top lacquer is a bit more durable to alcohol and moisture - but the most durable is "acid cat" which I am sure is what you mean by catalysed lacquer (not a moggie that has been fed LSD I'm guessing).

The acid cat goes off more quickly when it is mixed, is slightly more expensive, and an additional step in the prep.

And... I am told to thin all of the lacquers by 10% with thinners.
 
gavin I use one of the top lacquer on the market, never heard of acid lacquer but I know that Mag-Na Max ML Cambles is the best and the hardest of all Lacquers, comparable to a conversion varnish. As far as bar top finishes that where they belong on bar tops. :rofl:
Conversion varnishes are a different monster, they are harder then granite and have a very distinct look, Plastic. So people get a charge out of that look but the majority of my customers would not call me back if I use a conversion varnish.
 
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