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A table is protected according to the life it will lead: an oil — Pure Tung Oil, Wood Finishing Oil — for a matt, living top repaired locally with a cloth; Hard Wax Oil Natural for a family table exposed to spills; Quick Dry Varnish Kitchen and Bathroom Satin for a hard, washable film; Special Pale Polish, French polished, for an antique table, with coasters. The oil method, the most common: bare wood sanded to 180, three generous coats 12 to 18 hours apart, the excess wiped off at 20 minutes, a maintenance coat as soon as water stops beading.
Page updated September 2026 · by the Mylands France woodcare specialists
The choice by use
A dining table takes everything: elbows, glasses, hot dishes, wine stains. No finish does everything; the choice is made on use, not on looks.
Oil — Pure Tung Oil, resistant to heat, water, alcohol and acids, or Wood Finishing Oil, the all-purpose oil for tables in constant use — leaves the wood matt and alive, and is repaired with a cloth, locally, without re-sanding the top. Hard Wax Oil Natural adds a wax that hardens at the surface: a spill-proof film, also repairable by area, for the table where the children eat. Quick Dry Varnish Kitchen and Bathroom Satin, a brush-applied water-based varnish, makes a hard, washable film that is repaired by whole coat. Special Pale Polish, shellac applied with a rubber, is the finish of antique table tops: unrivalled depth, but sensitive to heat and alcohol. The method in detail below is the oil route, the most widespread.
The oil method
Three days for three coats of Pure Tung Oil 12 to 18 hours apart, in a temperate room: an oil does not dry in the cold.
An oil only penetrates bare wood, free of any film-forming finish. A waxed table is cleaned with Wax and Polish Remover; a varnished table is sanded down to the wood. Identifying the old finish is covered in Removing old wax and varnish.
Along the grain, without going past 180 grit: finer, the wood burnishes and stops drinking. The top must be below 18% moisture. Vacuum, then tack cloth. On an oily exotic timber, degrease with Cellulose Thinners.
With a clean cotton cloth or a brush, without economy, over the top, the edges and the end grain. Let it soak for 5 to 10 minutes and put more oil where the wood has drunk it all.
With a clean cloth, following the grain, leave only a thin, uniform film. No area should shine more than another.
The critical step: with a dry cloth, wipe away every bit of oil left on the surface. Anything that dried on top would become thick and tacky. The rags go into a bucket of water or flat outside: soaked in oil, they can ignite on their own.
Start again after 12 to 18 hours of drying, same move, same 20-minute rule. Three coats are needed for full durability; the edges and the end grain, which drink more, benefit most.
Wipe spills without waiting. When a drop of water stops beading on the top, clean it and wipe on a thin coat of fresh oil, always wiped at 20 minutes. A scratch: local sanding at 180, a little oil, invisible.
Four tables
01
The matt top you feel under your hand and repair with a cloth. Pure Tung Oil resists heat, water, alcohol and acids, and is suitable for food contact. Three coats, then a maintenance coat when water stops beading.
02
Where you eat three times a day with children: two thin coats 24 hours apart on wood sanded to 180, excess removed at once, 7 to 10 days of cure. Spill proof, and a scratch is recovered by area.
03
For a hard film, washable with a sponge, on a beech or pine table that doubles as a worktop. With a synthetic brush, 2 to 3 coats 3 to 4 hours apart, de-nibbed with 220, in a cool dry room. Light use after 24 hours, full hardness in 7 days.
04
A mahogany or walnut top from the last century is not oiled: it is French polished. Special Pale Polish, a pale shellac made for antique table tops, gives the depth of period furniture. Coasters compulsory; a scratch melts into the next coat.
In one table
| Finish | The look | Resists | Repair and upkeep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pure Tung Oil / Wood Finishing Oil | Matt, bare wood to the touch | Water, heat, alcohol, acids (Pure Tung Oil); daily use | Local sanding at 180 and a little oil; maintenance coat when water stops beading |
| Hard Wax Oil Natural | Matt with a slight sheen, thin film | Spills, UV, family traffic | Light sanding and a dab of oil; a thin coat when the surface dulls; Floor Cleaner or a damp cloth |
| Quick Dry Varnish Satin | Satin, closed film | Washing, scuffing; full hardness in 7 days | De-nib with 220 and a whole coat; soft cloth and mild soap, never a silicone spray |
| Special Pale Polish, French polished | Deep gloss, the warmth of antiques | Little: sensitive to heat and alcohol | New coats melt into the old; coasters, dry microfibre |
To compare the families more widely: Which wood finish to choose. French polishing in detail: French polishing with shellac.
To avoid
Frequently asked
Hard Wax Oil Natural, spill proof and safe for family environments, or Quick Dry Varnish Satin for a film washable with a sponge. Both are cleaned with a damp cloth; the first is repaired by area, the second by whole coat.
Pure Tung Oil resists alcohol, water and acids: a knocked-over glass wipes off without a trace if it does not sit overnight. An old ring is recovered with local sanding at 180 and a coat of oil wiped at 20 minutes.
Oil or Hard Wax Oil: light sanding of the spot, a little product, wipe — invisible. Varnish: de-nib with 220 and a whole coat. French polish: a new coat of shellac melts into the old one, with no join. The detail is in Scratches, white rings and water marks.
Rarely. Furniture Cleaner and Reviver removes old wax, grime, fine scratches and most white rings on a varnish or a French polish; test on a small area. If the finish is truly worn, a rubber of Special Pale Polish melts into the old shellac.
Oil: after the third coat and its 12 to 18 hours of drying, the excess having been wiped at 20 minutes each time. Hard Wax Oil: light use after 24 hours, full cure in 7 to 10 days. Quick Dry Varnish: light use after 24 hours, full hardness in 7 days.
See also
“A table is protected for the life you give it, not for the showroom.”
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