Making a Workbench: Experimenting with Finishes

Hi!

I'm at the stage where I can start to experiment with finishes. For the top of the workbench I want a finish that is pretty rugged and hardens up, but is not slippery. My go-to finish right now is Tung Oil, a finish that penetrates voids and dries a little on the glossy side. Since I have mostly done benches and furniture, I've only worried about the look of the finish, and haven't spent much time assessing it's slipperiness.

 Here's a picture of the top with a partial coat of Tung Oil ...... Be sure to wipe off the excess 5 minutes after application or you will have a sticky mess on your hands! The oil goes down into the cracks and solidifies, making it unlikely that dust and dirt will penetrate the top, and it should also stop the cracking process from getting worse.

I put on a coat, wipe it, and sand it off, then repeat the process 3 times, as recommended on the can. More than 3 coats and the oil won't penetrate.

I'm going to sand off the oil completely each application because I don't want a glossy finish. As a last step, I'll probably put on a coat of water based acrylic, which dries to a clear, satin, hard coat that can be repaired pretty easily.

I tried some Tung Oil over the crack filler putty and it turned out badly. The putty can says it'll take stain readily, but it won't take oil; it stays a putty color rather than going to the rich brown the oil causes on the bare wood. So, no or only a small amount of putty for the top. Probably only crack fill on the knots.

CHEERS!

Phil