Oil or varnish to seal a pine table?

[Jacobsmum]

I've just sanded down a pine table top - the old laquer had become patchy and tacky so it seemed the best way to make a new start!

Now I've got the surface - although still need to get a finer/smoother finish... what's the best way to go to seal. A friend suggested I mix some polyurethane with white spirits to seal it before waxing.... another said to use linseed oil. So not sure what the best way to go is....

I'd be grateful for any advice... it's our main dining table - and in the living area - so getting to a finished state quickly would be grand. I expect it's going to take a battering as we have a toddler -so I dont want to be too worried about keeping it pristine and dont want to spend too long on maintaining it - but happy to do a quick refurb in the future. Generally speaking I prefer an aged look.

Thanks in advance.

 

[matz]

a quick fix is as your friend mentioned - polyurethane varnish thinned with white spirit - flood it on the top and mop off ALL the surplus with kitchen towel until there is no residue of varnish visible when looking along the top against the light. THis will give you a thin sealing coatto the wood. Use gloss varnish (it won't finish gloss because you're thinning and wiping off)

and ensure its oil based product ie look at the tin to see what you wash brushes out in - oil based = wash in white spirt