Thread: Kitchen island bench top finish

Do you have any experience of lacquer being used on benchtops?

Would be interested to know because I've got one to do some time soon and I'm favouring an oil finish at the moment.

I don't see any great advantage in using lacquer to do a bench top.

It doesn't go as hard as the two pack polyurethanes.

It requires lots more coats ( 3 coats lacquer = 1 coat poly)

It will probably need extra work (Buffing polishing) to get a gloss equal to poly.

As you would have to spray the lacquer it may be a problem for some to do. ( poly can be brushed and will come out great if enough care is taken.)

But I think there is one solution which has been mentioned which is better again.

And thats cyco's - automotive 2 pack acrylic urethane clear.

Its as hard as the poly and can be repaired easier.

It is meant to be exposed to sunlight without yellowing and its crystal clear not yellow toned as a product.

best of all you can get a super scratch resistant version which is used on the top of the line vehicles (BMW, Mercedes,etc) which is designed to prevent the problem of the 20c scratch down the side of the car. Costs lots more but its another choise if you need it.

Hi, new to this forum but finding it informative. I have used 6 coats of Wattyl Estapol Easyfloor Clear Gloss on a highly used table that is cleaned every day with household cleaners. It has been two years now and it is as good as when first done except that it is on macrocarpa which is a soft wood. Consequently the kids writing on paper have made indents. Not sure if it is due to the soft wood or the Estapol finish used.

That product is not available by that name in Australia, according to the Wattyl website, and it only turns up on NZ sites in a Google search. However I think it is the same product that is sold here as Water Based Gloss Floor Finish.

OK. It does say made in NZ. Thought Wattyl was Australian made. Choose the Easyfloor thinking it would be hard wearing which it appears to be. Was very easy to apply. Am interested in using the Estapol 7008 you mentioned earlier this time on an American Oak flitch. I will be doing some cast resin in some areas and wondered if you know whether the Estapol will bond ok to the cast resin areas?Cheers

I think they sometimes 'rebrand' products for different markets because the name might be too much like an existing product, or for some other reason.

I have used Norglass casting resin but unfortunately not under 7008. Normal Estapol gloss sticks to it fine. I guess the best thing would be to try a test piece and see how it goes. I would be surprised if it doesn't stick but it's probably best to try it on something that doesn't matter, unless someone else here has experience with it.

Silent C

I have now finished the bench and I used a product called Intergrain Floorseal (Satin). It is water based and should protect the colour integrity of the wood and is recommended for use in high wear areas like benchtops. It was very easy to use, but I guess the proof will be in the long term wear.

Thanks for the update gilbo. I saw that Intergrain product down at Mitre10 when I was looking for something else once. Must say I like the idea of water-based finishes but as you say it remains to be seen if they are up to the job in the long run. Maybe I'll check back with you in 12 months, by which time I might be ready to make mine.

I asked up at Bristol Paints in Highway Trade there past the tennis courts about lacquers and so on. They are now stocking some automotive lacquers, so I was going to look into those as an alternative, but I think you need spray gear to do a good job of it.