Owen Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 You are all my wood experts. I am aware that this is stretching the purpose of this sub-forum. I need a new kitchen table. I can get some chunky legs here https://www.thehairpinlegcompany.co.uk/products/box-section-trapizum?variant=31350000877702&gclid=CjwKCAjwyo36BRAXEiwA24CwGXc_Oi6fX0Doj4FnZPX1iQHAVqcF3TLxqkvkxr4Nl4fCZKSRfPFCYxoC_FoQAvD_BwE. This means I could get a top made of some nice wood. Not sure what yet. In a perfect world I would have a table which would be completely waterproof so that we would not have to faff with mats and stuff. Heatproof would be beyond fabulous but I suspect that is not to be. Is there anything I can put on it which will not make it look like plastic but will protect it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard R Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 The benches in a lab I once worked in were made of afromosia. It's a tropical hardwood, as far as I can tell was indestructible. Chemical burns, soldering iron burns, occasional frustrated fists, nothing touched it. When the labs were refurbished we bagged the benches. The stuff was also impossible to saw and denser than a white dwarf. Waterproof to me automatically suggests yacht varnish or an exterior grade varnish. They're probably heat proof for typical plates, maybe not boiling jam. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 Depending on what finish you want I would recommend Danish oil, I’ve used it on hardwood kitchen worktops, it’s really hard wearing and it protects against water, but like most finishes it will mark with something very hot , you can also build up the depth with more coats 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardH Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 Afromosia will be tricky/pricey to get hold of I suspect nowadays. Iroko is very hard wearing but will be £££££. A friend of mine who makes bespoke kitchens uses utile for worktops - that could be worth a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazBeen Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 You could also impregnate with epoxy. Get something you like and make it hard as a rock with epoxy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si600 Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 Does it have to be wood? Corian is pretty much all of the things you want and you may be able to get a big enough lump out of a skip behind a kitchen fitters business. Ask first obvs! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted August 27, 2020 Author Share Posted August 27, 2020 Thanks everyone. I could do Danish Oil. I have actually done a bass in Danish Oil so I know what I am doing. This is unusual for me. Utile looks like it could be nice but depending on the plank (like all wood I guess). I have some Sapele (similar apparently) planks for handrails and they are a bit bland. Dunno. But I do appreciate the input though. The Epoxy thing looks interesting but for a 6ft table top it looks like a pretty specialist thing to do given the heating needed (according to YT) etc. Corian is nice, but it is not wood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet Posted August 27, 2020 Share Posted August 27, 2020 For a kitchen table I would use anti-bacterial worktop oil. It is water resistant but wears off through use eventually so normally needs an annual treatment, or whenever liquids stop beading on the surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted August 27, 2020 Share Posted August 27, 2020 Oak has a very nice grain and is very hard wearing, and it has a fairly neutral colour so it matches most colour schemes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted August 27, 2020 Author Share Posted August 27, 2020 Our kitchen is oak so that would be an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshy Posted August 27, 2020 Share Posted August 27, 2020 (edited) Tables use Osmo Polyx Oil. Get a semi gloss, wipes on and off and it’s perfect. We use it on all tables, restaurants, hard traffic areas when we do full refurbs and designs. Only wipe down with warm soapy water though, no detergents and it’ll be grand. Scandinavians use this stuff on everything wooden, it’s brilliant! Re coat every year or so ( or when the colour lightens up) and it’ll be fine. Danish oil will feed but not protect from stains or heat rings. We used it for Hugh at River Cottage and they cook, bake and eat off the surfaces and it gets mega hammer! Ive used iroco Science Lab worktops before, they are proper heavy duty. Hope this helps? Edited August 27, 2020 by walshy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted August 27, 2020 Author Share Posted August 27, 2020 Basschat. It does not have the answers to everything, but it has answers to lots of things 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted August 30, 2021 Author Share Posted August 30, 2021 I am a timber kind of bloke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henrythe8 Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 I'll try with acrylic/epoxy. https://www.driftwoodworks.ca/tables Stunning. And the guys makes basses too, so I'ts still related 🙂 (Yes, not on the right side of the pond, but I'm pretty sure someone in the UK is able to do this). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 Make sure you buy the wood in 8’ lengths. That way when you’ve finished making the table you’ll stand back and say ‘Well would you look at that? I have two pieces of wood left , each the size of a blank for a bass body….’ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted August 31, 2021 Author Share Posted August 31, 2021 5 hours ago, Jabba_the_gut said: Make sure you buy the wood in 8’ lengths. That way when you’ve finished making the table you’ll stand back and say ‘Well would you look at that? I have two pieces of wood left , each the size of a blank for a bass body….’ Have you seen my rate of progress as a luthier......................... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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