Finish
You have options. We are happy to apply natural oils, lacquer, varnish, shellac, polyurethane, polycrylic, UV or ceramic finishes. We prefer – and recommend – oil-based lacquer. Here’s why.
Oil-based precatalyzed lacquer is a great finish for solid wood furniture. It’s hard, durable, and scratch resistant. We apply this by spraying 3-4 coats and sanding between each coat to create a near flawless finish.
Let’s be honest – dining room tables take a beating, especially with younger kids. We eat, play, and do homework all around the table and you need something that stands up to the test – our lacquer is what you need.
Here a few of our favorite things about oil-based lacquer:
1) You don’t have to use coasters. You can leave a glass of ice water on the table in the summer and the condensation won’t leave a water ring.
2) Spills wipe right up. Some finishes used on less durable tables would need to be stripped if you spilled something like a can of soda or a glass of Kool-Aid on them.
3) It dries more quickly than most other types of finish (except UV light activated finishes). That means it spends less time in our shop and you get your table sooner.
4) The oil-based lacquer doesn’t need to be reapplied and won’t dry out over time like some finishes.
If something is too hot to hold, you’ll want to put down a hot pad or trivet, like with practically any surface. You can also damage your top if you spill something chemically abrasive on it, like finger nail polish remover. You also don’t want to use hard chemicals to clean your table, as that may wear down the finish over the years. We recommend a wet rag or a wet soapy rag for cleaning – but you can use any cleaning product intended for wood surfaces. (I’m going to avoid going on a rant about Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. Just… don’t do that to your wood table.)
You also have options on the reflectivity of your finish, from glossy to satin or matte. We recommend a satin/low sheen finish by default. We find this low sheen looks the best on real, solid wood furniture and is easier to keep clean and smudge free than higher gloss finishes.