How to protect top coat for tall boy?

melell2209

I’m very new to furniture restoring and have just finished restoring an old solid timber tallboy.

I’ve used porters eggshell paint for the frame and left the top, sides and drawer faces natural wood. I find the paint scratches easily when vacuuming etc. Is there anything you would suggest to use as a final coat to protect the wood from scratches or chipped paint.

Also what would you suggest for the natural wood, an oil as a light protectant? What are the options and pros and cons of each? Thanks in advance :)

JacobZ

Hi @melell2209,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.

The reason you are having issues with your paint is that Porter's eggshell paints are wall paints, which are softer than other options like enamel paint, due to the lower wear that is typical with walls. While eggshell paints look lovely on furniture, simply put, they are not hard enough for the wear that is likely to happen with furniture. The simplest solution is to just be careful around them because the paint will come off if hit.

Porter's do not have a clear coat that they recommend for use over their eggshell paint. If you wanted to have a higher wear level, you could try applying clear coat, but there are no guarantees it would last long term.

The best option, is to sand back the paint and replace it with an enamel paint such as Dulux Aquanamel, which is much harder and better suited to this application.

For the raw timber, there are 3 main options I would recommend: wax, oil or varnish.

Wax provides a soft, natural looking finish that enhances the timber without dramatically changing its colour. It gives a smooth touch and a low sheen appearance, but it offers only light protection against scratches, water and wear. Wax is best suited to pieces with gentle use, and it requires occasional reapplication to maintain its protective qualities.

Oils, such as Danish oil or tung oil penetrate into the timber rather than sitting on top, enriching the grain and giving a warm, natural look. They are easy to apply and simple to refresh, making them beginner friendly. However, oil provides moderate protection at best and can be vulnerable to water marks and surface wear over time.

Varnish forms a clear protective film over the timber, creating a durable barrier against scratches, moisture and everyday wear. It offers the highest level of protection out of the three options and is well suited to surfaces that receive regular use. The trade-off is that it can slightly alter the natural feel of the wood and may add more sheen than wax or oil, depending on the product chosen.

Of the three, I would go with wax because it is the lightest coating and the raw timber looks so lovely as it is, but the choice is entirely up to you.

I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob