re: finishes

Behlen Rockhard( &Behlens Rock Hard Table Top Reducer for this finial refinishing) like Waterlox Original-is made using phenolic resin. Phenolic resin is quite a bit darker or more amber than alkyd or urethane resins. Alkyd and urethane, or a combination of both, are the most common resins used in varnishes. They produce a lighter less amber finishing product. The advantage to phenolic resin is its hardness when fully cured. Both Waterlox Original and Behlen’s Rockhard produce very hard finishes. To carry this to the end, Waterlox uses tung oil as its drying oil and Behlen’s uses linseed oil. The linseed oil is slightly more amber and the tung oil is slightly more water resistant. If a light colored varnish is desired, Pratt & Lambert #38 is made with alkyd resin and soya oil. This product looks nice on light colored woods like maple and birch.

Because of their hardness when fully cured, both finishes can be “rubbed” to a high gloss. Let them fully cure for 3-4 weeks and then rub them out to whatever degree of sheen you like.

Wipe-on finishes, whether a home brew or a commercial product, produce a thinner film finish per application. To end up with the same film thickness as a brushed on finish, addtional coats must be applied. In addition to being a thinned product, Minwax Wipe On contains some other chemicals to “bulk it up”. These chemicals tend to produce a less durable finish.