Epoxy/lacquer to protect table top?

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

I just had a table top made and it already has superficial scratches all over that I can feel with my finger nail. I have kids and we live at the beach so kids + sand = scratches. I want to protect the table but already have glass on top of a nearby coffee table so don't want to be the house of glass. I'm thinking of adding some thick epoxy resin to the top. Any recommendations on a particular type, or other recommendations? TIA!

Featured Answer

klem1

9 years ago

You should ask the person that built table because the most important consideration is "WHATS ON TOP NOW". You have to know what the new finish need's to adheare to. From the style of table I would think the top should be high pressure laminate and painting it should most definatly be left to pros. The breathing apparatus required isn't something you want to buy for one time use. If it's paint,the builder will identify it and paint store will sell you the right finish.

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Comments (7)

dan1888
9 years ago
Here's one finishing option
nancyj thanked dan1888
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dan1888
9 years ago
Here's another

The finish is available on Amazon.
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nancyj
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you for the replies. The top is painted oak and the builder said he used a commercial grade lacquer. I just asked him the name of it so I can try to determine the right type of finish. Dan1888, I really like the finish in that second video, it's exactly what I have in mind - thanks very much!
nancyj
Original Author
9 years ago
What type of topcoat do you think is on this table and would that be more impervious to scratches?
klem1
9 years ago
"What type of topcoat do you think is on this table and would that be more impervious to scratches?"

Look's like PPG Claritage Extra anti-scratch topcoat on that table top. Yea that stuff is almost indistructable.
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bobismyuncle
9 years ago
Well I can tell you a couple of things from experience (as a furniture repair technician)

* Had a customer that "put on some poly" By the time she called me, about 20% of it was peeling off and the rest was a real pain to strip off. (She put it on because she wanted to change the sheen. What could have been a 30 minute rub-out job cost her hours of work of her and my time.) Poly has poor adhesion, but not unsurmountable with a proper bonding coat (e.g., shellac). It is more resistant to scratches, but less ability to be repaired when it does get scratched.

* I went to a class on epoxy finishes. Enough experience, I'm not doing one. A professional custom furniture maker friend of mine took a job to do an epoxy finish on a bar top with embedded articles, I think it was tickets to race tracks, ball games or something like that. He ended up putting on three coats to get it to look good. He swore (at it) and said he'd never do another. There's always an issue with bubbles that don't come to the surface and it takes some special techniques to get them out. My instructor used a blow torch gently over the wet epoxy to get them to surface. You also have to do something special with the edges and corners. I've also repaired an epoxy finish that was scratched. Not fun. Rubbed it out but with a whole lot of effort. And if you even want to strip and refinish, good luck with an epoxy finish.

* I've worked on some super tough catalyzed finishes. One that I recall got a chip in it. All the products and techniques that I use for touch up repairs did not work. The top coats just sat on top and the burn-in repairs did not bond. So it's not quite indestructible and definitely not repairable.

* If you can live with cottage chic, maybe something like (pseudo) milk paint (lots of videos to watch on this site)
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