How To Choose the Best Finish for Your Timber Dining Table

Your dining table is the centre of the home, and is used for multiple purposes – which means that it can experience extensive wear and tear over the years. The finish that has been used on your table top is what protects it from all this daily degradation, and so it needs to be reliable and strong to ensure a long-lasting dining table. If you are refinishing your table, or choosing a finish for a new table, then it’s important that you pick the best one. There are a variety of types of finish that you can choose from, including polyester resin, oil, varnish, stain and epoxy resin. With so many choices, it can be difficult to know where to start, so the experts here at Jarrimber have put together a detailed list of all your options, so that you can figure out what is the best finish for your timber dining table.

Lacquer

Single Pac Lacquer Finish

Single pac lacquer performs exceptionally well in terms of durability and strength. The single pac finish includes two coats of sealer to fill the grain and seal the timber, followed by two coats of lacquer which provide a water-resistant finish and the desired gloss level. You should spray the lacquer on in a dust free booth to ensure a perfect finish every time.

Two Pac Lacquer Finish

Two pac lacquer is the recommended choice where a high level of wear and tear is expected – this makes it perfect for homes with young children or where the dining table has multiple uses. The two pac finish includes two coats of sealer followed by two coats of two pac lacquer. As the name suggests, a two pac finish consists of two parts, which when combined react and cause the mix to harden onto a durable surface.

Polyurethane Lacquer Finish

Polyurethane has all the benefits of two pac lacquer in terms of hardness and durability as well as offering the best water resistance available. It’s recommended for commercial use, bathroom vanities and kitchen bench tops where water is likely to come into regular contact with the finish. The polyurethane finish includes two coats of sealer, followed by two coats of polyurethane, and it’s applied in a dust free booth.

Polyester Resin

Polyester resin is often used because it’s cheaper than other types of resin and has a quicker curing time. However it’s also less durable than other types of resin, and is water-permeable, this means it’s fragile and much more susceptible to cracking and peeling. Polyester resin is usually used for making jewellery, or for a temporary fix, rather than for something you want to last for a long time.

Epoxy Resin

Epoxy resin is a reliable, durable finish for a timber dining table, as it can resist the effects of both environmental and chemical degradation. Epoxy has a long shelf life, it’s non-flammable, has hardly any odour, and is extremely water-resistant. The many benefits of this type of finish make it an excellent choice for your table, as it will ensure that your tabletop will remain beautiful for many years to come. Also, the fact that it doesn’t catch fire and doesn’t have a horrible smell makes it a lot more pleasant to work with.

Oils & Stains

Oils and stains are a lovely way to create a natural look for your timber dining chairs and table, as an oil simply enhances the colour of the wood, and a stain can just add a slightly different colour. They are easy to apply, and protect the wood as well by making it resistant to most liquids. However, they aren’t as durable and waterproof as resin or varnish, and so you would have to decide what your priority was – based on how often you use the table and what it’s used for.

Varnish

Using varnish on your timber table top can be tricky, because it takes a while to dry, so you have to be very careful not to touch it. There are several different types of varnish, as it’s made by combining various resins, oil and solvents – so it can be used for different applications depending on what mixture has been used. One benefit of varnish is that it’s UV resistant, which is perfect for outdoor furniture.

Which Gloss Level Should You Choose?

Gloss levels are a personal choice, and do not affect the performance of the finish – however, the higher the gloss finish, the more visible fingermarks and scratches will be. Our most popular choice of gloss finish for dining tables is gloss-satin which is more forgiving than higher gloss finishes in terms of showing up marks. A matt finish offers a great natural look, with the added benefit of hiding any damage that may occur and being easier to touch up. Semi-gloss and high-gloss finishes look stunning and are great in homes where your table is not used very often and you are prepared to protect the surface from the risk of scratches.

Why We Choose Epoxy Resin

The expert timber furniture manufacturers at Jarrimber believe that the best finish for a timber dining table is definitely epoxy resin. We use epoxy on all our high-quality, long-lasting wooden furniture to ensure you will have a beautiful table that will be the centrepiece of your home for years to come.

For more advice on refinishing your table, come into our Osborne Park workshop and showroom to have a chat and check out the best dining tables Perth has to offer. All our furniture is manufactured on-site, and our dining tables can be customised to suit your needs, so you are sure to find something that is perfect for your circumstances.

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