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Reclaimed Wood Table Top Finish HELP!!

1501 Views 4 Replies 5 Participants Last post by kdc68, May 16, 2014

jscore08

Discussion Starter · May 16, 2014 (Edited by Moderator)

Hey guys - so I have made a couple table tops out of 120+ year barn wood that was found in the rafters of the barn as extra wood. So theres no holes, no damage, just beautiful patina on this reclaimed wood. I don't want to sand the top or do much to it at all - but my question is - whats the best way to keep the natural look but seal it. The patina is just too beautiful to mess around with - but it is being used as a coffee table and a dining table - so I feel like I need to seal it somehow. I tried a satin polyurethane finish that I rolled on - and it turned out too glossy (no idea why). Any suggestions of a good way to keep this as natural but also as safe from cups/drinks/etc. Any tips or advice is greatly appreciated.

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gfadvm

· #2 · May 16, 2014

You can knock the gloss back where you want with steel wool and wax. Or a gray Scotchbrite pad and wax.

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TheWoodenOyster

· #3 · May 16, 2014

This may just be me, but I don't really feel like barnwood that is rustic in nature needs a totally waterproof and alcohol proof coating such as polyurethane. You could just oil it with Mineral oil or Tung oil. That wouldn't make it totally waterproof, but it would add protection. It is possible that it might get rings on it, but it really depends on the surface of the wood, and a barnwood table doesn't seem like something that needs to be protected from water rings to me. All that said, if you do want a waterproof and foodproof finish, just leave the poly on there and knock the gloss off as gfadvm says above.

Just a heads up after reading over this, oil won't really soak in thru poly, so just leave the poly on and take the gloss off.