Putting a finish on some thin, walnut boards

[dirk martin]

I'm going to be cutting some small walnut boards (9" x 11") that will be backers to menus.
1/8" or 1/16" thick.
To what grit do you folks suggest I sand them, and then what would be a quick and easy finish I could apply?

[Callan Campbell]

Well, they'll get trashed in a hurry if it's for a commercial restaurant, so use a spray finish if you can, so that future touch-ups are also easy. I vote for sanding to 180 to 220, then spray the pieces with either Lacquer or a Water based clear type finish for fast drying. Will you need to color the wood at all with a stain or gel before applying the clear finish? Maybe this thread can get some better/faster answers in the Finishing Section if the Mods want to move it?

[David Hawxhurst]

180 if you spray others wise i would goto 220.

[dirk martin]

I like the idea of sanding to 180, and then spraying with Lacquer. I think that should work.....
You folks agree?

[Mark Rakestraw]

I'm curious. I've never done this but I have a hard time imagining that these would stay flat, regardless of the finish. Is this something you or the restaurant has successfully done in the past?