Protecting pine table top (Kitchen table). Is that even possible?

[MaxInLondon]

Looking for expert advice.

I dyed and protected this pine tabletop with three layers of polyurethane (link here).

Unfortunately, soon after we started using it, scratches began to appear. Even light pressure from a pen on paper leaves imprints in the wood. The photos show the tabletop after six months of use.

I'm at a loss-should I just accept that pine isn't suitable for a kitchen table? Or is there a super-durable finish that could make it significantly more resistant?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Pine is a very soft faced wood, any sharp pressure will naturally dent and mark it.

 

[foxhole]

A two part resin coat would create hard surface , but as mentioned pines not great for tables , oil finish is better , maybe top oil from Osmo, afraid your choice was about worst possible.

 

[MaxInLondon]

Thanks for your response foxhole. Can you tell me more about the two part resin coat? (i.e.product you'd recommend). How would it work the oil from Osmo?

 

[slawit]

I am a French Polisher / Sprayer by trade and have repolished hundreds of these. Foxhole is correct in saying a two pack is the way to go. This can be either a acid-catalyst lacquer or a 2 pack Polyethene. The problem is most of these products are designed to be spray applied and would look terrible if brushed on. Although I wouldn’t normally advise the use of Oils or waxes, (It’s just a personal thing) in your situation if you want to do it yourself an oil might be your best bet. I would look at this company https://rubiomonocoat.co.uk/.

 

[MaxInLondon]

Thanks Slawit. Problem is that I try to use hard wax oil like this one from Osmo first, and table was still prone to scratch and dent, that why I decided to start over and use polyurethane, thinking it would be more efficient...but you saw the results at the top of the thread unfortunately.

Maybe I should start again with Hardwax Oil followed by a Polyurethane Topcoat ? Do you have products to recommend for each so I don't end up making the wrong choice again ?

 

[slawit]

The osmo and polyurethane are incompatible and can’t be used one on top of the other. Because the hard was oil is made of oils and not resins it is entirely possible the wax oil could be preventing the Polyurethane from curing properly, hence why it’s marking easily. You need to chemically strip the finish back to bare wood, then take a good layer of the surface back to completely fresh new timber. I would start with 40 grit paper and work up to 220. Unfortunately, I don’t know of any suitable product you can brush apply. (which is one of the reasons Osmo and hard wax oils are so popular). As I said in my original post, I am not a fan of oils etc but if you don’t have access to spray equipment your options are limited. You do also have the issue that pine is a soft timber therefore I would still consider the Monocoat if nothing else it won’t show any scathes as bad as a lacquer and it can be easily touch up if it does scratch.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

We've had a glass top on our dinning table for decades, it's the same size as the table and stays in place with about a dozen of those clear rubber knob things around the perimeter, it's been fine though but the glass should have been replaced by now as it's a bit scratched and the rubber knobs need replacing every now and then. The table top is pretty much still like it came out the factory except around the edges where the gap is where the kids got it mucky when they were younger.