How To Finish a Wooden Countertop by Jon Peters 

Hey Jon! I recently made a kitchen island top out of Sapele and bought Watco Danish Oil in preparation for finishing the piece. I was told to give the top 2 coats within minutes of each other, once to let soak and the next to rewet thirsty areas. Then, to let it cure for a week. Once curing finishes, then 3 coats of an acrylic lacquer (Minwax). I’ve read a lot of forums where people have had terrible experiences with curing issues with Danish Oil. I fully intend on giving each coat more than ample curing time for the sake of not wanting to ruin my labor of love. I am pretty new to woodworking and even newer to finishing itself- I’ve mostly just used polyurethane on a couple of projects here and there. The same guy that told me these instructions works at a cabinet shop and apparently finishes mahoganies a lot using the aforementioned method. Now, trusting him, yet not knowing much about finishes and reading very mixed results from many people, I’ve found myself feeling pretty hesitant as to what I should do. Firstly, is this approach doable (ie danish, then lacquer); secondly, if so, is it durable enough for a island counter top; and thirdly, is there a better option that you might know of for finishing this? Seems like your finish here looks awesome and must be very durable as it's in the kitchen. Does is yellow over time? Any advice would be much appreciated! Many thanks!

Just checked out the finished project it is absolutely beautiful

i have done finnish work for 40 years first time ihear using steel wool i have always used it!! good job!

Really appreciate your level of detail and demonstration of proper PPE.

nice. I'm working on my own, it's almost like an island going from my wall out 6 feet long, 18 inches wide and 42 inches tall. the counter top I'm working on is pine one inch thick not 3/4, and I'll be cutting the ends at 45° instead of a round end, all the rest o my furniture and shelving have the 45° cut corners, sanding it down and clear coating it like yours but with the natural pine look, and wall panels with a light ceramic look on the back and side with white trim. this will provide me a place to eat with guests and face my big screen TV since this will run between my living room and kitchen that's all open other than my couch that runs the same as the counter.

Awesome work Jon!!! I am going for it....and the best thing about it I can always come back to your video for a refresh

This is the easiest explanation ever ... with great 👍🏼 quality finish

Great finishing process... The counter top looks amazing. Thanks for sharing. keep the Vidz coming. Thanks, Michael Frey

Lovely job. Always good to see a professional at work.

Best woodworking projects on the net, IMO. Thanks.

John you are a real master . Tanks for share your experience. !

Thanks for sharing. I've watched several of these videos and yours is the best!

John you are awesome. A real master. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!!!

What a great channel. A little unintended humor with the fumes and face mask, thought you were going down. I've been a life long carpenter and a while back I started with cabinet work. I cant thank you enough for all that you've taught me and others. Been a subscriber for a while. Great stuff!

Beautiful work as always

amazing.. very clear and instructive.. loved it

I saw your video. I like your work. I will install!

Handsome and handy to boot. Your work is amazing!

I hear you there! the good old oil based products do have a proven track record,especially around water, I have been using "Broda" products, from CBR industries, avb. at "eco" stores or alternative finishing stores .

Quick and easy to understand. Thanks!!

Doppelganger for Michael J Fox. Perfect looking finish.

This looks beautiful. I am on budget and I think that the natural wood is a great alternative to solid surface counters and much cheaper, measures three times cut once.....

i learn woodworking from youtube!!!!thanks for sharing!!!!!!!

Hi guy, you have a good work,I would like to Thanks for your Channel and your jobless

Great Videos man, they are simple, concise, and you give us an understanding of what and why you're doing what you're doing. Great instructions! Thanks a lot. People like you help teach us beginners, Keep up the good work! PS: Beautiful Counter top!

I never try flipping it over, or anything after I apply a coat because you don't want to mess up what you just did so I always let it dry first before doing more. after I finished mine I just buffed it with wax and rub it real good, it so far holds a really nice shine. so far, I like an oil-based poly it looks better and seems to be more durable than water-based.

hey jon, thank you so much. this was extremely helpful.

You should try using an automotive microfiber towel to pick up the dust after you wipe the wood down with the paper towel. You will be surprised how much dust/wood particles you missed.

thanks Jon, I just saw your video on how you made the countertop by joining. You're in NJ and I'm in PA just across the Delaware River in Bucks, so Mounteath lumber is not really that far. I didn't realize Sapele wood was harder than Walnut. I guess I could also check our local lumber company to see if they could also supply the wood should we go that way. The current laminate top we have is 1 3/4", so assuming I would have to find the same thickness in Sapele or whatever I use :)

good job Jon!

Very nice and helpful video, thank you.

Looks great!

Appreciate your DIY vids, inspiring ..everyone can learn something--

Good vid. Thanks.

This video is quite old now and still very good but after the last 8 years is there any different products or new ways you've come up with that have changed how you now do this? I doubt you'll see this but asking anyway

beautiful

You shouldn't rest anything on the surface of your project like the can or the applicator tray, as they could mark the surface. This is just good practice, and adds to a professional application. Not to mention the other huge mistakes in this video.

If the counter top will be near a sink, I would recommend using Epoxy as it will endure any impact from water.

Would this same process + materials work for an exterior table? I've never seen such a clearly demonstrated process of doing this until now!

wow! amazing video and really helpful. thanks a lot

Great Information! Thanks

I will be building a top for desk that i need to cut a 22" by 14" square in the center towards the back of the table top could you advise at what step I should make that cut with me following the steps you have taken in this video or the one before it to achieve the finish you have made in this project. Thank you and what a great tutorial.

Looks great! Thanks.

After applying Minwax Wood Finish stain, Ebony colour to oak wood, I wasn't satisfied with the final product. So, I bought Minwax PolyShades, Classic Black, and it turned out better than the Ebony. The problem is that the wood texture has become rough. When I use steel wool to sand it, it become smooth yet dull. I want to add Minwax Polyurethane to it to give it that shine again, but I do not know if it will cause the oak wood to once again, become rough. Any suggestions? Thank you.

You the man !

Hi Mr Peters! I want to finish a countertop that will surround my kitchen sink - can this method be used for a bench that will get wet at the edges?

Jon, nice countertop! Try General Finishes Arm-R-Seal semi gloss...better finish, less toxic.

Well done Jon very helpful though I do wonder how many shirts you get through every week...

You came in part way through the process.... did you thin the first coat or was it straight from the tin ?

Great video thanks!

pretty cool way to finish a big surface. It must now be pure poly though right, you said oil based, so its a oil/varnish/thinner mix ? Or else the pure poly would be drying very quickly and hard to brush i suppose if done in 2 steps like this. nice video as always !

Love the tin foil in the paint tray.

Beautiful result. Is that product alcohol and white water ring resistant. I'm looking for a bar top type finish for my kitchen table.

Hello dear, good evening I'm simple Interior designer & owner of ''Acumen Interior design'' I also view your every video deeply. Its really really good job and help full work for me & all of simple designer ,but I think this is not enough on for me. that's why I want to learn physically. If you've any Process please tell me as soon as possible! Have a good day (Muzibur Rahman from Bangladesh)

Jon this was very helpful !! I noticed the poly has a tint , any particular color that you used ? I love the finish

so what kind of wood are you useing in the counter top. amazing looking. and the thickness of the wood also

When I'm doing a large surface, I don't use a foamy or a brush, but... a paint roller! But DON'T roll it. I screw a handle on (like a paint stirrer stick) and then use it like a brush and gently drag it across. Because it's round, no matter what angle i hold it, it always touches the surface the same. Make it very easy to feather in and out and covers a big area faster. Must be a short hair roller, not medium or long. I got the idea from pro wood floor finishers, who use a 20 or 24 inch long applicator that is round like a roller and can be dragged across the floor at an angle.

You are awesome Jon I bloody love watching your videos :D thankyou for dedicating all the time and effort for us very great full viewer!

I'm wondering why you wouldn't use Waterlox marine sealer on wooden countertops opposed to polyurethane? Thanks for sharing your videos I've gained so much information from you!

Mann lookksss aaamaaaazinngggg

Beautiful!!!!! Deb...

your video is amazing very helpful ... i learned a lot from you ... many thanks please answer me to my questions: can i put hot stuff on it or i will damage the surface? can i paint it after applying the sealer (any color i choose) and then apply the polyurithane? what kind of paint i must use to be suitable for the counter can i do the same steps to MDF? which is better to use the polyurithane or the epoxy resin

Hello. How long did you allow to dry between each of the first 3 coats? Thank you very much for this helpful tutorial.

Thanks for the great video. I will be refinishing existing light maple counter tops in my home so want there to be low fumes and do not want the finish to yellow over time, which I think oil based poly might. Was wondering if there was a water based product that would do the trick. I thought of Bona Traffic for hardwood floors, but was wondering if you knew of a product. Thanks

nice

thanks

Thanks for sharing your videos Jon. I'm currently applying a spar-urethane on a piano job. Been learning a lot. I do have an off the subject question though. I teach music and the bit of song you have playing at the end of this video is a song one of my guitar students is learning. Do you by chance know the name and artist of the song? Thanks in advance!

Btw...the videos are very informative.

Hey Jon, I have a Craftsman 6' workbench w/the butcher block top. Can THIS technique of finishing a wood "counter top" be used to make a butcher block work surface more durable??? Or would you recommend a different technique to make my workbench butcher block more durable? Thanks.

What if you want to use the polyurethane on a kitchen dining table that has been stained and the wood grain starts in the center, goes almost to the outer edge, and then the very edge goes all the way around the outside of the table? The grain is not just running in one direction.

I am a total beginner on wood working, so sorry for my ignorant question(s). I was wondering, what was the reason behind using the "0000" steel wool at the end?

Thanks for the video. I just finished a butcher block counter top using your tips and it looks great. Question, can you tell me what Mohawk product you used to hand rub? I couldn't understand or read the label very well on your can.

I like poly, but I much prefer the look and depth of an oil finish. I make my oil from 1/3 Tung, 1/3 Boiled Linseed, 1/3 Oil Based Rubbing Poly. I put on about 3 coats, then seal with Shellac. I then finish with an Oil Flooring Poly.

Beautiful countertop. Why did you use an oil-based poly instead of water-based low VOC poly or even something like Tung Oil or clear paste wax ? I had an unfinished bedroom set I purchased years ago and I finished it w/tung oil. Came out beautiful and held up so far for 25+ yrs on pine so I can imagine how well it would hold up on a hardwood. I'm wanting to make the counter for my kitchen so the finish has to be non-toxic and food safe.

Jon, did you ever consider spraying on the finish, perhaps with something like General Finishes?

I've seen you use shellac+wax as a finish in some of your picture frame videos. Can you talk a little bit about when you use polyurethane and when you use shellac?

Best video on making solid top. How durable is this finish?

Isn't Sepele an open pore wood that should be filled to prevent the finish from sinking?

Very nice job. Is this polyurethane coating safe for putting and processing food on it?

Nice

did u get lot of bubbles using a foam roller? what kind of brush did you use to make your final past?

Do you just throw away the foam roller and foam brush at the end of each day or how do you wash & re-use them the next day?

After you used the steel wool and the wax, did you give it another coat of poly or was that the finish.

I FINISHED SOME FLOORS , SAND , STAIN, POLYURETHANE, AFTER DRYING A COUPLE OF DAYS, WHEN STEPPING ON THE FLOOR MY SHOE WOULD LEAVE SHOE PRINT ALL OVER MAKING IT LOOK DIRT. ANY SUGGESTIONS WHAT I DID WRONG.

I've just applied my first coat of polyurethane varnish to my oak worktop but it won't cure. It's dry but it I can dint it and scratch it with my fingernail. Any advice?

You really did a beautiful job. I've been contemplating choices for a wood countertop for a built in cabinet that I built for a dining room, and it's proven to be a very tough thing to decide on. Do you ever route more detailed profiles around your countertop perimeters?

If I have an item that was coated with polyurethane and I wanted to put additional coats on it, would that be advisable? I don't know the original product used, it was made in Taiwan. It is a 1 ft x 3/4 ft x 1/6 ft wooden box. that will be exposed to water on the inside quite regularly. Would I just follow your procedure in this video. It contains different pieces of wood glued together so the grain goes in different directions, should I still follow the grain when sanding or just go all in one direction?

Jon, If I were to make a wooden countertop for my RV bathroom, narrow 4 ft long x 2 ft at its widest, with an undermount tiny stainless bar sink in it, how should I seal the edges of wood around the sink? I'm worried about moisture entering open wood grain. Could you also suggest an ideal type of wood? My typical finish is Danish Oil, followed by multiple coats of thinned out oil-based clear Polyurethane. I would soak the open pores really well, and then sand gently and put a Watco Satin wax finish on the poly for the shine. Any better ideas please?

I did a search on Waterlox and found your page. I thought something like Waterlox would work better than poly? I want to put a 36x84 wood counter on my island and figured I needed to buy a butcher block. It looks like your wood was just a solid cut of wood? Thinking of using walnut, what are best places to find solid wood rather than butcher block style?

Jon, I'm thinking about building a wood countertop for a bathroom vanity (to replace ugly laminate). Considering that this will be directly surrounding a sink, would you recommend finishing it the same way that you do in this video? Or do you have a better way for such a wet environment?

Could have used "Tack Cloth" to clean the surface prior to finishing. If the surface will see abuse coat the sanded surface with "Rot Doctor" first. 2 part resin orginally designed to stabilize wood above near rotted wood.

I'm just finishing staining a table black and applying polyurethane to finish it off. After done with the poly you applied a wax on top of it. Is that necessary and why did you do that? Will it give a more finished look to my table?

What brand of respirator are you using? Do you like it? Also, awesome countertop! I hope one day to tackle this project.

How well does the poly hold up to heat? This seems like it would be an issue since it is for kitchen use.

Amazing Job.. Subscribed and your website bookmarked :)

Does this buffing eliminate bubbles and sand particles that dry up in the poly?

Handsome! and a new pair of Levis will make you really look sharp!

Good job, John hey, a question. Why you coated both sides.

Just put a little foam on the top of the screws

I have a wooden countertop in which tile was removed. How do you recommend removing liquid nails and finishing the wood?