Some people that know me might call me in-decisive, or over-analytical, leading to more indecisiveness.
So it was with the finish for this coffee table. I first went out and got a can of Deft Danish oil, and had the intention of using this for the table. The legs were ready to go before the top, so I decided I would put a coat of Deft on all four legs (I have a back up leg). Putting on the Deft oil could not be easier: rub it on, leave it say 5 mins and wipe it off with a clean rag. I must say, once that oil hit the walnut, it just came to life, so nice! Anyway, the first coat of deft oil looked great. I have been accustomed to poly based products in the past with the odd experience with pure tung oil. So when the danish oil Deft went on, it was a new experience for me, it stayed "in-the-wood" as they say. Kind of like wiping the legs with mineral spirits, but never having the spirits evaporate, that's the best way I can describe it. I was very happy, almost blown away.... but then came the second guessing. As much as I loved the Deft finish, I started to get concerned it would not be durable enough for a table top. This coffee table will see a lot of abuse (my son being the first concern), and I was also worried about cold drinks being set on it etc. So I did some more research and talked to a few people. That's when I heard about Waterlox. Seemed every where I looked people could not say enough good things about this product. It was durable, easy to apply, easy to repair and an oil-based (tung oil) finish. Sounded like Deft, but better. The only real downside it seemed was the price which was 33% more than the Deft. But, I thought with all the effort I put into the table, and the concerns I had about the heavy use it would see, it deserves the best finish.
So, off I go to A&M Wood and get me a litre of Original Waterlox Sealer/Finish. It said medium sheen on the can. I figured regardless of which finish I was going to use I would need to brush it onto the live edge of the slab because one of the corners has a jagged broken off part (the is actually a nice aesthetic feature), and would use a rag for the rest of the table (like I did for the Deft). However, after I get home and read the application instructions, and it says to brush it on. Funny. I do some more internet searches and realize you shouldn't wipe it on wipe it off because it is more like a traditional varnish then a danish oil (I'm learning there are many flavors of Danish oil, my favourite line I read was a blogger wondering if they make it by squeezing Danes.) So, the next question was, what about the legs? Can I put Waterlox over the Deft oil? And should I? I decided to try it out on my spare leg at the same time that I put the Waterlox on the bare table top.
I follow the instructions on the can and foam brush the top and bottom and bristle brush the edges of the spalted maple. It is a nice product to work with, very forgiving and the wood really came to life. I waited over night and then put on a second coat. I'm kind of undecided right now as to if I like it. It is definitely different than the Deft Oil (which also claims to be Tung oil based, but I have my doubts), as it seems to be developing a film, and is not "in-the-wood". The slab is absorbing the finish at different rates over its top, but there are definitely areas that appear glossy where the wood is less absorbent. I assume this will be what the final coat might look like (I'm guessing 5 coats total might be needed). I will be sanding between the 2nd and 3rd coats and again between the 4th and 5th, but I'm not sure this will fix the gloss/film. The leg also looks much different with the Waterlox over the Deft. No issues with adhesion or what have you, but it really looks more like a glossy film then "in the wood". That said, I'm not totally against the glossy look. I hope it turns out to be a bit more satin then gloss in the end (it is medium sheen after all), but for a piece like a coffee table, I think that look can be appropriate and if super durable, so much the better, just so long as it is doesn't look plasticy like poly. I seems to have a lot of opinions with little experience. Only a few coats of each product so far, maybe I'll just hold judgement until the end (it all part of the over-analytical thing). I guess I'm just surprised how much the Waterlox reminds me of a regular old poly finish at this point, maybe I'll be surprised when I'm done with the coats, and maybe a couple of coats of wax will go a long way. (But then again Waterlox doesn't recommend wax over their product, makes it harder to maintain in the long term, hmmmm.....).
So. I'm looking for some feedback. Any of you out there use Waterlox? I heard at the IP it was used a fair bit, although not straight out of the can. When used as part of a blend of other products, is it applied by hand or by brush? Do you wipe it off after each application? Does it end up giving a film or glossy like finish or is it "in-the-wood". Anything you'd recommend I do different?
Right now my plan is to lightly sand the second coat with 320 grit, and then apply the 3rd coat with a rag. It'll be a thinner coat so we'll see how that goes, maybe less gloss. Finally, I still really dig that Deft oil. I haven't done anymore to the remaining 3 legs, but I assume I'll Waterlox them just so they match the rest of the table. As it stands now though, in the future I think I'll use the Deft on any low-wear furniture I make like a wall cabinet and stick with the Waterlox for the high-traffic stuff. I wonder if the Deft is really that bad in terms of wear resistance?
Sorry for the long rambling post, if you got this far thanks for sticking it out.
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