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How to finish the top of a D.I.Y. home office desk?

Hi Folks,

I'm a newbie DIY'er here 🙂

I'm looking to make a relatively simple WFH desk. For this I've zeroed in on this Beech Laminated Panel from Bunnings. I'll b using 4 simple Ikea Adils legs, which can be screwed on the panel. Now, I'm kind of lost as to how to polish/varnish/oil the surface of the table top. I definitely don't want to paint it over - love to expose the natural grain of the panel. I've been looking online at the various types of wood treatments and honestly, seems a bit overwhelming 😀

Can anyone please suggest a good, easy way to polish/varnish/oil the desk top? I'm looking for something that will protect from beverage stains (yes there will some coffee spills :P) and relatively light in colour.

The next step after I do the desk will be to build a chest of drawers on castors which will slide in under the desk. Any suggestions on this also welcome 🙂

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Comments

EricL

Hello @vr_syd

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's wonderful to have you join us, and thank you for sharing your question about your home office desk.

I highly recommend looking at this step-by-step guide - How to restore wooden furniture. In the video, you'll see how the team member sands the table flat using different grit levels of sandpaper. The trick is to start with a low grit numbered sandpaper to remove any major imperfections on the top. Next, you start going up the grit number until you reach 300 or 400 grit. At this grit number, you're actually removing the splinters in the wood.

The benchtop should be smooth and silky to the touch after sanding it with 400 grit sandpaper. I recommend using Cabot's 1L Water Based Matt Cabothane Clear Polyurethane Varnish. The key to the entire exercise is to use a good quality brush. Many projects have I seen ruined because they used a cheap brush.

Timber being a natural product does not always behave the way we expect it to. Some timbers when exposed to a paint product sometimes produce a darkening effect, this often happens when untreated timber gets wet. In order for you to find out the effect of the sealer, I suggest testing the sealer on a small hidden part at the bottom of the table. This will immediately tell you if the timber will react to the Cabot's sealer.

Just keep in mind that if you wish to use another product or finish to test it first on the bottom of the table.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

vr_syd

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/19283#Comment_19283

Hi @EricL ,

Thanks so much for that handy guide. This will be my project this long weekend. Will post pics and updates as it progresses 🙂

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/72290#Comment_72290

Please do keep us updated @vr_syd, as we'll all be waiting in anticipation to see the finished result. The community loves a good desk project.

Mitchell

vr_syd

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/99494#Comment_99494

Hi @EricL & @MitchellMc ,

Going by some other DIY projects, I've decided to use Bondall 500ml Monocel Timber Bench Top Oil suggested by a Team Member in store, instead of Cabot's 1L Water Based Matt Cabothane Clear Polyurethane Varnish

I bought both and tested them out on one of the off cut pieces of the beech panel - I do like the slight darkness the Bondall oil gives the panel. Can I use the Cabbots PU Varnish as a clear coat over this? I'm guessing maybe not, as Bondall is oil based and the Cabbots is water based, but just wanted to check with the experts 🙂

EricL

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/116559#Comment_116559

Hello @vr_syd

Thanks for giving us an update about your home office desk project. You're absolutely correct the Cabbots clear coat will not work on the benchtop oil. The Bondall 500ml Monocel Timber Bench Top Oil is one of the best sealers you can use for your desk. Not only does it provide protection for your desk, but it's food safe as well.

I recommend using a wax sealer such as Gilly's 200ml Clear Carnauba Polish. Please be aware that the benchtop oil must be fully cured before applying the wax seal. Make sure to test a small area at the bottom of the table to see the sealing effects that it has on the wood.

Please keep us updated with your progress, we look forward to seeing your home office desk ready for use.

Eric

vr_syd

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/126351#Comment_126351

Hi @EricL & @MitchellMc ,

Finally done this project 🙂 Thanks so much for your inputs.

Detailed post about it here : My Simple DIY Desk

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