# Advice for finishing end grain table top



## Curly3000 (Feb 11, 2018)

Hi, 
I had some spare oak planks and decided to make an end grain coffee table with end grain walnut border (roughly 30x30 inches -see pictures).
Pretty new to woodworking and have no idea how to finish it! I will be sanding it down to 400 grit.
Ideally it would appear as is after finishing, although pretty sure this is unrealistic. I would like it to stay as light as possible and would prefer a matt finish rather than gloss. I am terrified of applying finish to one side causing it to distort or crack (its quite thin). Do I need to treat both sides at the same time? Should I seal it and then apply some kind of matt finish? Would a sealant and a bit of sanding be enough of a finish? Can anyone recommend some good products? 
I have some spare bits I can test on. Any guidance would be much appreciated!

Thanks,
Chris


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

The only finish I can think of that will change the appearance as little as possible is a water based polyurethane. In order to keep the appearance you might limit the finish to a couple coats. The only problem with limiting the finish to two coats is the finished table won't be as water resistant. When using the table you would have to use coasters to insure the top was kept dry. 

As far as finishing both sides you don't have to do it immediately but should be done as soon as possible. Sometimes to save time I will take some scrap wood and drive some nails through it and set it were I'm finishing and do the underside first and lay it on the nails and then finish the top side. The nails will allow air to get to the underside and not stick to where you sit it with the wet finish.


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## Gary Beasley (Jan 21, 2009)

Looks great but I suspect glued up endgrain is not as strong as long grain. Do you plan on having any extra supports under it when finished? Steve do you know how well this beautiful slab would hold up under daily abuse? I would love to make a table like that myself.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

I would use Watco Danish Oil finish on it. It will bring out the grain but not give a shiny finish.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Gary Beasley said:


> Looks great but I suspect glued up endgrain is not as strong as long grain. Do you plan on having any extra supports under it when finished? Steve do you know how well this beautiful slab would hold up under daily abuse? I would love to make a table like that myself.


The biggest problem with a top like that is wood movement. The individual pieces will shrink different causing cracks. Going skimpy with the finish may hasten this phenomenon.


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

Steve Neul said:


> The biggest problem with a top like that is wood movement. The individual pieces will shrink different causing cracks. Going skimpy with the finish may hasten this phenomenon.


I have plans to build a similar cutting board, fairly large, to span a farmhouse sink. I had originally thought about supporting it from underneath with battens in dado grooves. Now I am not sure how to do it.

How would you build it from the start, to compensate for movement, so that it won't crack or come apart over time? (The question applies to the end grain tabletop above, as well as my proposed end grain cutting board, made similarly.)


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Tool Agnostic said:


> I have plans to build a similar cutting board, fairly large, to span a farmhouse sink. I had originally thought about supporting it from underneath with battens in dado grooves. Now I am not sure how to do it.
> 
> How would you build it from the start, to compensate for movement, so that it won't crack or come apart over time? (The question applies to the end grain tabletop above, as well as my proposed end grain cutting board, made similarly.)


No matter what you do it's going to be a gamble. You might end up with a few little cracks here and there or you could have a major break, there is just no way to know. It's also the reason you don't see that done on a large panel. The larger the panel the bigger the risk. If it were me I would make the end grain sections around a foot square or so and insert it in a tongue and groove frame not gluing the end grain sections. That way if there is any shrinkage you could just fill the gaps between end grain and the frame.


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## P89DC (Sep 25, 2017)

What's done is done, time to mitigate. I wood seal it up tight with 3-4 coats of poly-varnish and mount it on a sheet of plywood/MDF.


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## Gary Beasley (Jan 21, 2009)

P89DC said:


> What's done is done, time to mitigate. I wood seal it up tight with 3-4 coats of poly-varnish and mount it on a sheet of plywood/MDF.


I would do both top and bottom to slow the moisture movement, that what you’re thinking? Wonder if that Minwax wood hardener would be an advantage to minimise wood movement?


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## P89DC (Sep 25, 2017)

Gary Beasley said:


> I would do both top and bottom to slow the moisture movement, that what you’re thinking?...


Yes, seal top, bottom and sides to minimize movement. Back-in-the-day I made a few boxes with simple butt joints. Glued then sealed with poly-varnish and they're still together after 20 years.


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