Sealant for a coffee table?

[Entity]

My g/f and I just painted our coffee table, and were thinking about tossing a coat of some sort of water sealant on it to prevent stains from cups, etc. when people forget to use coasters. Anyone have a recommendation for this job? I've used Thompson's Water Seal before, but only for outdoors stuff.

Rob

 

[Cyberian]

I think quite a few bars and restaurants around here use polyurethane sealer.

 

[Entity]

Hmm...maybe I'll check that out. Anyone else?

 

[thebestMAX]

I also recommed polyurethane.

A few hints:

Get a good brush and the right one for the product or spray if possible. Read the instructions on the can and practice on a scrap piece of wood first.

Make sure you can apply it over your old finish.

Let it dry throughly.

 

[UltraQuiet]

This is the stuff I used for some outdoor furniture. I think it's pretty good stuff Minwax
I used it right on top of the paint and the stain. Worked very well.

Dave

 

[Entity]

Should I sand after sealing it, like you do with painting? Or should I just let it dry? (I'll read the instructions, but they don't always mention stuff like that).

Rob

 

[UltraQuiet]

Rob- I always use 00 or 000 steel wool on poly between coats. Works well for me. Just make sure you clean the surface good after the rub down.



Dave

 

[Therapist928]

Hi. I worked in a paint store for a couple summers, we sold all sorts of products including stains and sealers...

First thing - will the table be outdoors at all? I assume it will only be in your living room. If this is the case, I would recommend NOT using Thompson's water seal at all. It has additives to prevent fugus growth that occurs outdoors, and this is definitely not what you want indoors. The fumes are noxious.

Cyberian is on the money with a polyurethane sealer. Minwax makes excellent sealers; they can be a little on the pricey side, but worth it. Make sure you get a sealer with a glossy finish; it will make cleaning the table and rubbing off water and coffee stains exponentially easier.

Edit: whew, tons of action since I started to post. Spar Urethane is good, but it's mostly for outdoors. Not really necessary when indoors and the temperature and environment are fairly constant. It'll cost a whole lot too... last i remembered that stuff was pushing $50 a gallon. If you're using the poly then make sure you get a brush for latex paints, not oil (don't use a natural hair brush!). Sanding after one coat or not is a question that's best left up to you after you've applied your first coat - usually not necessary, but you can if you feel it needs to have more sheen or needs more protection.

 

[dleiss]

I use the same MinWax recommended by Dave on my garage doors, front door, wooden bird feeders, and on top of all my interior work that could be water stained. Also use steel wool instead of sandpaper. It also comes in spray and has a slightly yellow tint, not completely clear in color. I have heavy string hanging down in my garage that I tie to small nails imbedded into a corner of items that I spray and newspaper on the floor. Takes a LONG time to dry and is relatively expensive, but worth it.

 

[RayH]

Another option to polyurethane is epoxy which I've seen used for bar tops. Just make sure you spread it all out before it sets or you'll be cleaning up with a hammer and chisel.