Farmhouse table PAINT vs STAIN

11 years ago

We have SEVEN children under 7 years old by adoption and birth, some with special needs. We are having a farmhouse table built for us and it needs to have a surface that can handle our abuse. I UNDERSTAND that part of the charm here is the worn patina a farmhouse table will take, so I am really asking which one of these will "wear" better in terms of heat marks, dings, and general abuse. Which will look "charmingly" worn in a few years and which will look terrible?

The builder will use three coats of ARM R SEAL on top of one of the following - all legs will be chalk painted and waxed:

Option 1: combo of paint and stain grey color. My concerns are for water stains and how durable paint can be on a table that often encounters sitting water or dings? I wonder if straight up stain (option 2) is more durable?

Option 2: straight up ebony stain, obviously my concern here is white heat marks?

I asked this question on the polls area but realized this is more of a finishing, woodworking question than a design one.

Thanks for looking, here is us: Www.roepnack.blogspot.com

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Comments (2)

Debbie Downer
11 years ago
Id choose #1 gray stain with a flatter low sheen finish - for the reasons you mention. White paint and glossy dark color will show up every little scratch and ding, and not in a nice way. I think when the time came to refinish #1 it would be an easier job than #2

Not sure I understand - is your concern that #1 is a combination of paint and stain on the top, and #2 is all stain? I don't think there's much difference there as far as durability - the Arm R Seal top coat will be the same, no? Basically, a pigmented stain *IS* paint - kinda, sorta - and it looks like they're using paint here more like a thick stain getting it into the grain than a surface film that can scratch, chip or peel off.

Id be interested to know in more detail how your builder is planning to achieve no. 1 - specific products/colors? I'm contemplating a weathered gray kitchen floor. Hope its not a trade secret or anything!
Melissa Silva
11 years ago
I would personally go with a medium brown stain on the top, a little lighter than the ebony stain. My reasoning - ebony will show everything. I can picture a more "natural" looking stain, like a special walnut or an early american, that would age nicely and get that authentic "farmhouse" look with knicks and scratches, etc. I have not seen a grey stained table age, so I'm not sure how it would look, but I imagine it looking more warn and not get that patina. I don't know if I'm making sense at all, if not I appologize! And wow.. 7 kids under 7.. that is amazing! :)
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