finishing cherry sofa table

I don't know much about Waterlox but given the specifications I would
use any semi-gloss of satin poly. Mix it 50% with mineral spirits and
wipe on many coats with some light scuff sanding in-between. Spraying
always makes for more gloss and builds up too fast. If you get too many
coats Cherry looks really dead and plastic but poly is pretty much
unbeatable for taking abuse, like dog claws and table top moisture.

Not very repairable but much much less likely to get damaged.

"Andrew Barss" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
> It's been a long while since I had to finish a cherry table top.
> This is an 11" wide sofa table, which will serve as the
> holder of coffee cups, drinks, and a small poodle.
> I'd like a medium glossy finish which would be able to stand up
> to the drinks and moitsure, but not be super glossy.
>
> How does Waterlox rank in terms of this?
>
Short on UV inhibitors, which you might want. "Spar" type varnishes are
longer on oil for flexibility and also have UV inhibitors added. Something
that's going to see direct sun would benefit from both. Use a coaster.

Shine can always be cut back by roughening the slick surface. Some people
also use satin varnish, but the internal scatter doesn't appeal to me.

>
> How does Waterlox rank in terms of this?

Very well. I have done 5 livingroom tables with waterlox over cherry (three
are mine, two for my dad) they have been in service for almost a year. There
are a couple if scrapes, but they appear to be the result of the wood being
compressed not the finish failing. water resistance has been good. I appears
as though it would hold up to the occasional standing water, although I try
not to let that happen. I routinely clean those tables with a damp sponge
with no ill effects.

-Steve