How to get a Matte finish on a coffee table?

[dennis thompson]

I'm building a coffee table out of white oak, stained with a Minwax gel stain.I usually finish with a Minwax satin polycrylic but my wife would like a matte finish, does anyone know what product I can use for this? Since it's a coffee table I expect it will need some protection from glasses, coffee cups, etc. I don't have the facility to spray a finish.
Thanks
Dennis

[Frank Drew]

Dennis,

Have you tried the finish suppliers (Pratt & Lambert, etc.) to see if they make a no-gloss brush-on (or rub-on) finish? In finishes, gloss is usually decreased by the addition of agents to the clear finish, usually stearates, which break up the reflection, thus reducing gloss. Maybe you could buy the lowest gloss product available, let the can settle for a day or two to allow stearates to settle to the bottom of the can, scoop off the clearest part of the finish for use another time, then use only the concentrated high-stearate portion of the finish.

Alternatively, you can approximate what you want by buffing the cured finish with 0000 steel wool -- the fine scratches will effectively eliminate reflection.

[Mike Cruz]

Here's my view on matte finishes. If you are using something that you apply multiple coats of (poly, laquer, etc), use clear gloss for all but your finish coat. The finish coat should be satin, or whatever. To make these products "matte", they are made slightly opaque. So, after 3 or 4 coats, you loose the depth of the grain and beauty of the wood. Using 2 or 3 coats of clear gloss first allows the grain to still pop...without the shine.

[Peter Quinn]

I agree with Mike,s assessment and have done the same. You can buy matting agents from finishing suppliers to knock your chosen coating down to your desired sheen too. Maybe from Hood Finishing? I know I've seen them recently. And as noted rubbing out with oooo steel wool or synthetic equivalent will have the same effect regardless of the sheen of the product. Practice on some scraps to get the bosses approval first would be my strategy.

If the piece is complicated rubbing out can be difficult, getting into the corners and molding profiles, so refinishing trouble areas might be easier if possible.

Ps: I once used a can of McKloskey's satin varnish and didn't stir the matting agents enough that had settled to the bottom. My first two coats were nearly high gloss. After some head scratching I stirred well and the next coats were duller than satin verging on matte! I guess the quarts worth of stearates were divided over half a quarts worth of remaining varnish? It's a little imprecise but could work with an old school oil varnish that separates easily. The waterbornes I'm using now seem too emulsified for this to work.

[Chuck Harris]

Do your best to level and build you final finish coat. let it stand for at least 7 days after appling the last coat.

Beg, borrow or buy a Festool Rotex 125. Start with the 500 grit sanding pads then go to 1000.

Finish with a automotive compound and buffer.

[Henry Ambrose]

If you make it a really matte build up finish it will wear shiny. This might be something to think about before proceeding.

As others noted, applying only the last coat "flat" will help the finish not go thick or milky looking.

[Scott Holmes]

FYI "stearates" are in sanding sealers to make them sand easiler..

"Flattening agents" are silica, not usually stearates.

To the OP... Use gloss let it cure buff it out with 0000 steelwool.