Table Top Advice

[mom31257]

We bought a new dining table last year, and it is scratching extremely easily. My fingernail scratched it last night. In the sunlight, I can see tiny light scratches in several places. It doesn't look bad yet, but it will before long. I know I can use a table cloth, but I don't want to for playing games and things like that. 

Any advice to protect it yet enjoy the wood? 

This is the table, but it isn't where we bought it from. 

[Dianthus]

Can you touch up the scratches and put a few topcoats on it? Dh put about 8 spray coats of lacquer on our table and it has held up really well. You may need to do a test to see what is on there now to add the right type of top coat. I know some products can't go over others.

Otherwise, get glass cut to fit, but I'd prefer to just beef up the coating.

[Katy]

I bought a piece of tempered glass the same size as an antique table so I could use that instead of a tablecloth. It’s not perfect. Every little kid goes through an annoying phase of shoving stuff (food, butter knives) between the table & glass. It’s heavy so I need help to slide it around to clean. But it’s less annoying than tablecloths IMO. 

Another option would be fabricating a slab of stone or cement to cover the top. 

[Arcadia]

Are the leaves going to be permanently up? If yes, then a custom fit glass piece would work. If not, buff the wood and put a wax/top coat on it. That’s what my aunts did on wooden tables and chairs. 

[Indigo Blue]

I would put glass on that. I think that a glass top would suit that table very nicely. 

[Pawz4me]

I don't love glass tops, but I think that's your best bet.

[Indigo Blue]

2 minutes ago, Pawz4me said:

I don't love glass tops, but I think that's your best bet.

It’s not my first choice, either, and it wouldn’t look very good on MY table (which I have to keep putting coats of varnish on because Dh treats it like a work bench), but I kinda think it would look pretty nice on that style of table with that black top. 

[Pawz4me]

19 minutes ago, Indigo Blue said:

It’s not my first choice, either, and it wouldn’t look very good on MY table (which I have to keep putting coats of varnish on because Dh treats it like a work bench), but I kinda think it would look pretty nice on that style of table with that black top. 

I just don't like trying to keep glass tops looking nice. Seems like every fingerprint and every single speck of dust shows. But they're great for protecting tops.

[Indigo Blue]

7 minutes ago, Pawz4me said:

I just don't like trying to keep glass tops looking nice. Seems like every fingerprint and every single speck of dust shows. But they're great for protecting tops.

Yes, this is true. I did put glass on my office desk. It does get a bit dusty, but it looks nice on the desk. 

[catz]

We keep an oil cloth on ours most of the time.   We spent more for a nice one that matches our decor.  I actually think I had some vintage pattern cut by the yard for ours (our house is over 100 years old).  

[katilac]

6 hours ago, Spirea said:

Can you touch up the scratches and put a few topcoats on it?  

This is the way. 

[Forget-Me-Not]

6 hours ago, Katy said:

I bought a piece of tempered glass the same size as an antique table so I could use that instead of a tablecloth. It’s not perfect. Every little kid goes through an annoying phase of shoving stuff (food, butter knives) between the table & glass. It’s heavy so I need help to slide it around to clean.

And if a liquid spill gets in between the glass and the table, the surface tension makes it almost impossible to pull the glass off. Ask me how I know 😂

[Beth S]

We have the tempered glass.  It works great, protects the wood.  Every supper with 5 kids for 25 years!

[gardenmom5]

I refinished my kitchen table and put five coats of marine spar varnish on the top.  Waterproof - and VERY durable.  I loved it.  (then dudeling "helped" me with painting - and painted on it.  It was dry before I knew about it.  and dh "helped" me by sanding it off so it required refinishing . . . . . . )

just a light sanding coat to rough the surface.  do a coat of marine varnish.  lightly sand with super fine paper, wipe with damp cloth to make sure you have everything.  when dry, do another coat.  repeat until you have as many coats as you want.  I did five because - kitchen.