Break the rules

"Oil-based varnish tops the durability charts in terms of water-resistance. The secret lies in its synthetic resins which have been bonded to drying oils and mixed with a thinner. (Faster to cure, varnishes that use urethane for their resin—often labeled polyurethane—dominate the modern market and are easier to find.) When the thinner flashes off and the varnish cures, its molecules form long, hard chains that armor-plate the surface of the wood against moisture.

But applying varnish is not easy. It drips. It bubbles. It broadcasts brush strokes. Aha! That's because you've been following the directions, specifically the directive in bold type on the can that says, "DO NOT THIN."

To meet government regulations for lowered volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions limits, manufacturers reduced the amount of thinners in their oil-based varnish, Steve says. The tradeoff: those pesky drips, bubbles and brush strokes.

Break the rule, says Steve. Stir a can of oil-based varnish. In a separate, sealable container combine one part varnish with one part mineral spirits and stir again. Voila! You've made a wiping varnish. Apply as shown below.

https://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-tips/techniques/finishing/water-resistant

Or, get some boards, buy a good natural bristle brush (this will run $30+ for a 2" brush), and spend a few hours practicing laying down varnish out of the can. Once you learn how to do it you'll be a much better painter for the rest of your life and you'll finish your tasks much quicker than putting on many thin coats.

Read Bob Flexner's books on finishing, then work on the techniques until you can do it too. It's a useful skill to build. Two to four hours of focused effort over a couple of days in a no pressure (eg not on your most valuable antique table) situation will do wonders to improve this basic skill.

Folks seem to think you should be able to grab a can and a brush and produce a great finish without spending any time or effort on developing the skills required; to me that seems as impractical as thinking you should be able to just pick up a violin and play it.

In answer to the OP's question I too would suggest an oil-based varnish, either a polyurethane or traditional. (Our kitchen table has oil-base polyurethane on it and has withstood nearly 30 years of daily use virtually unscarred.) Lacquer, unless it of the spray-on catalyzed variety, isn't as tough, requires a lot more care with ventilation and personal protective equipment, and is much more difficult to apply unless you're set up to spray (and have built that skill set). I find water-based polys to be generally ugly, so I don't use them, except on floors.

Thank you! I will look into purchasing an oil based finish, and practice on scrap wood before attempting the actual table.