How Do You Varnish a Dining Table?

A well varnished dining table can look better than a factory finish, but only if the preparation is taken seriously. This guide explains how to choose between water based and oil based polyurethane, why satin hides wear better than gloss, and why decorators varnish has no place on an eating surface. It walks through sanding in the correct grit order, raising the grain before the final pass, and the cleaning stage that ruins more finishes than any other when skipped. There is clear advice on thinning the first coat, brushing along the grain without going back over setting varnish, and sanding lightly between layers with 320 grit. It also covers curing, why touch dry is not the same as hard, what to keep off the surface in the first week, and how to deal with brush marks, bubbles, dust nibs and sticky patches. Finally, it is honest about when a table is simply not worth refinishing at all....