table finishing

questro

Junior Member
Sep 21, 2006
7
0
0
Hello everyone. I have a question about how I should finish a simple wooden table I made. It is mostly unfinished wood, but there's some paint and stuff on it. I want to put polyurethane or lacquer on it to make it somewhat durable and somewhat waterproof. What's the best thing to use in this case?

BTW if anyone is interested, it's meant as a beer pong table.
 

amdskip

Lifer
Jan 6, 2001
22,530
13
81
You need to poly that thing with 5+ coats, maybe more. It will get drenched in beer all the time won't it?
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
99,591
17,637
126
first of all you have to sand the sucker down to like 1000 grit, clean it then use a water based polyurethane (tinted or not), put a very thin layer on and let it dry over night (48hrs if you have time). Then wetsand the sucker, let it dry and then apply another coat. Repeat 7 times and you got a very nice finish. If you don't care for the grain, pick a solid colour one and you can achieve that nice glossy piano finish. I used red spraypaint (3 coat) and clear lacquer (7 coat) for a round coffee table for my buddy. Key is temperature, 20C plus would be good.

Do it in the garage with garage door partially open please.
 

bctbct

Diamond Member
Dec 22, 2005
4,868
1
0
Originally posted by: sdifox
first of all you have to sand the sucker down to like 1000 grit, clean it then use a water based polyurethane (tinted or not), put a very thin layer on and let it dry over night (48hrs if you have time). Then wetsand the sucker, let it dry and then apply another coat. Repeat 7 times and you got a very nice finish. If you don't care for the grain, pick a solid colour one and you can achieve that nice glossy piano finish. I used red spraypaint (3 coat) and clear lacquer (7 coat) for a round coffee table for my buddy. Key is temperature, 20C plus would be good.

Do it in the garage with garage door partially open please.



he said homemade table not a car....
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
99,591
17,637
126
Originally posted by: bctbct
Originally posted by: sdifox
first of all you have to sand the sucker down to like 1000 grit, clean it then use a water based polyurethane (tinted or not), put a very thin layer on and let it dry over night (48hrs if you have time). Then wetsand the sucker, let it dry and then apply another coat. Repeat 7 times and you got a very nice finish. If you don't care for the grain, pick a solid colour one and you can achieve that nice glossy piano finish. I used red spraypaint (3 coat) and clear lacquer (7 coat) for a round coffee table for my buddy. Key is temperature, 20C plus would be good.

Do it in the garage with garage door partially open please.



he said homemade table not a car....


He needs a durable finish for beer pong. That is why I am saying many coats of PU.