# Protect unfinished pine table



## ygillard (May 10, 2012)

Hello,

My wife and I bought the following table (http://www.restorationhardware.com/...jsp?productId=prod370026&categoryId=cat500016) and did not think of the fact that not only pine is a soft wood but that the table had no finish.

How do you protect such table from spills, marks, etc..The shop recommend furniture wax but I am not sure that it would work well.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks,

Yves.


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## gideon (May 26, 2010)

There are some oils you can use but that wood is so rough that it'll blotch and turn very dark in some places.

And, did I read that price correctly? $995 to $1495??? Really? For an unfinished pine table? :blink:


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I wouldn't recommend any oils or waxs for the table. I would use a spar urethane or marine grade varnish. These finishes would work if you left the table outside in the rain.


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## Longknife (Oct 25, 2010)

A table like that shouldn't have any finish at all. It's supposed to be a replica of a french bakery table and they never had any finish on their tables. (Would affect the pastry). These tables are obviously made to have a "worn" look and with use they will have more nicks and dings. When it gets dirty just scrub it off with soft soap.

And of course this is a table intended for indoor use.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Longknife said:


> A table like that shouldn't have any finish at all. It's supposed to be a replica of a french bakery table and they never had any finish on their tables. (Would affect the pastry). These tables are obviously made to have a "worn" look and with use they will have more nicks and dings. When it gets dirty just scrub it off with soft soap.
> 
> And of course this is a table intended for indoor use.


+1. :yes: I agree to an extent. It depends on the look you want. That type of a table could look like an old farmhouse table, by using it unfinished. If it's pine, and light, you may want to just stain it dark. If you want to put a finish on it, any film finish will work, but not providing an absolutely flat look. You could use waterbase polyurethane, or oil base varnish, or oil base polyurethane, or lacquer. If the shine is objectional, it can be rubbed out with a synthetic microfiber pad, like ScotchBrite pads.

I would not use any oils or wax.










 







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## ygillard (May 10, 2012)

gideon said:


> There are some oils you can use but that wood is so rough that it'll blotch and turn very dark in some places.
> 
> And, did I read that price correctly? $995 to $1495??? Really? For an unfinished pine table? :blink:


We are buying the table from someone (He probably paid that price)


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## ygillard (May 10, 2012)

Some one recommended that I use some paste varnish (http://www.old-village.com/prod_paste_stain.html
) 

Apparently it will not add much shine if I put just one coat. What do you think?


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