toughest clear finish for soft wood

[haight78]

I have just built a bookcase using white pine which is a very soft wood. The case is going to get some rough useage by a youngster. There will be a potential for some nicks and dings. What is the toughest and most durable finish I can use (varnish, poly, shelac, etc) that is also relatively easy to apply? My goal is to reduce the amont of potential damage created by heavy usage. Thanks, Wayne

[jttheclockman]

Well my thoughts on that would be a Poly and do several coats sanding lightly between coats. A top coat is not going to prevent dings it is not armor and the use of soft woods just adds to this but for scratches and things like that poly is the way to go. If you use wipe on poly that will take more coats because it is thinned to help spread. My suggestion is to get a good brush and use brush on poly. If you are good at spraying and have the equipment the spraying is the best way to apply. Good luck.

[Mick Walker]

Wayne, won't make much difference what you apply to the bookcase because it will still be pine underneath the finish and will dent very easily. I agree with JT, poly would be my choice. Mick.

[lucky788scroller]

Wayne,heres what I do when using a softwood for a potentially rough used piece of furniture. Sand it as you would to finish it,then 'rough" it up using nails,screws,any little hammer dings,maybe the edge of coins,or heads of bolts,screws and even by jabbing it with a phillips screwdriver. Then,sand it lightly again,and apply your stain,or brush on poly as you normally would.The dings from normal useage cant be prevented by a coat of finish,but they can blend in to an already dinged piece pretty well. We've done a couple horse saddle stands,and this is what we chose, and had may compliments on them. My 4-H group of kids generally dont have a lot of money to work with,and on larger things I cant supply the wood for,I explain to them why one wood is better suited for somthing,but they usually come with pine,so we make the best of it.Ive even had one of my 4H woodworking kids make a tater bin using this method,and recently I did a trash can cabinet for someone not willing to put out for a hardwood,so I had to use pine and plywood,and she was thrilled with the results. Good luck, Dale

[arbarnhart]

The distressing idea is great. The only kid proof clear finish is 1/2" Lexan

[Neal Moore]

You can also use a short length of #10AWG or #12AWG solid copper wire to simulate worm holes. Just put a couple slight bends in the wire, lay the wire on the wood, and tap the impression in the wood with a light weight hammer. You can also use an awl to poke a few random vertical holes. I did that to an old end table top after sanding off what remained of the original veneer and then stained it chestnut. Looked pretty good after three coats of sanded poly.

[jttheclockman]

This post has been deleted because some have no sense of humor.

[lucky788scroller]

jt,sometimes some people have to make the best with what they can afford,or what they have available.Its fine to throw your table off the back of a truck if that what makes you happy,but if thats the only piece of furniture you could afford,or your proud of your hard work on it,no matter what wood used,what good would throwing it of the back of a truck and whining like a baby because you cant afford hardwood really do? And,how does suggesting Wayne throw the bookcase off a truck help in ANY way to answer the questions he has,or to help out any other onlookers who look to this site for help on a regular basis?Some things should be kept to oneself. Go have a furniture throwing party,and relieve your aggressions, and have a Merry Christmas. Dale

[jttheclockman]

Hey Dale lighten up it was a joke!!!! I know some people can't afford hard woods. Hey some people take expensive hardwood furniture and distress it. It is a look. I do not like the look but I did not tell everyone not to do it. Boy someone stole your Christmas spirit. You can also take a piece of pine furniture and let the kids add their own nicks and scraps and thus have more meaning than doing it yourself. It is like an old desk and the memories of the piece as opposed to hiding it. Just my opinion here so take it easy.

[oaklysawyer]

I agree with Dale about J.T.'s disgusting remarks.
Fred