Oil Or Water Based Polyurethane For Dining Table

Water based polyurethane may be preferable if the table is made of light colored wood and you wish to add an absolutely clear finish.

Oil or water based polyurethane for dining table. So why use water based when oil based offers improved protection. Tung oil dries slowly and needs many coats. Oil based poly which dries slower than water based is best for beginners because it allows more working time. This will provide the desired level of smoothness while also giving the most long lasting finish.

Oil based polyurethane looks far better than the water based there s no denying that. It offers great protection has the look of a hand rubbed oil finish and is easy to apply. A table will normally see a lot of hard use and many different things might be spilled on its surface. 8 zar 33912 oil based polyurethane wood finish it s best for interior usage and works well with different types of wood surfaces within your house making it the best polyurethane for table tops.

Pure tung oil hard to find or stuff labelled as tung oil finish wouldn t give enough protection for a dining table. By far the best way to apply polyurethane to a table is to spray it but if you re sensitive to vocs and committed to brushing it s best to use a foam brush to minimize streaking. I ve used it on a number of projects including tables that i built for the new yankee workshop and for my own use. Varnish is not easy to apply and shellac is not durable.

The product cures into a bright finish that does not affect the natural beauty of the wood grain. It s a bit more forgiving application wise and when it dries it forms a hard impenetrable surface that will protect your tabletop from moisture and food stains. Water based poly is absolutely colorless while oil based has an amber tone which can be good or bad depending on the look you want. If we had to pick one option as the best i would recommend an oil based polyurethane product.

They do have a different look i haven t seen a water based that i like better than oil based but that s my own tastes. See the best ways to use either method below. Both color and shine look superior after applying oil based products while water based leaves duller finishes instead. In general a water based polyurethane will not add color to the wood and will preserve the wood s natural tone.

Some woodworkers dislike the yellow cast oil based polyurethane puts on white woods such as maple. Water based or oil based polyurethane although both have their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to picking the best polyurethane for tabletop oil based polyurethane is the way to go. Applying oil based polyurethane guarantees the wood surfaces look exactly how they should look. Oil based polyurethane tends to take on a light amber tint as.

Oil based polyurethane products are available as well but not as commonly sold on shelves. The other important difference is clarity. Polycrylic and other water based finishes and polyurethane will be pretty close as far as wear and tear. That s why for the non pro i d recommend an oil based wipe on polyurethane.