Behlen Table Top Finish

[Matt Woessner]

Hey guys I have attached some pictures for you to see how the tables turned out! Thanks for all the help the first one turned out great!

[Caren Cowie]

I like Behlen Rockhard. It does need thinning--10% is a good starting place. Once that is done it flows well and cures to be quite hard (it's a phenolic resin varnish) and durable. Use a good brush, not the 8.95 special (this helps with all varnishes.)

I use the Reducer sold to go with it, though I'm not at all sure than ordinary mineral spirits wouldn't work OK. It is a gloss varnish, but if you let it cure for a while you can rub it out to just about any sheen, from high gloss to the low end of flat.

I am also using Behlen's Rockhard Table Top varnish on a dining room table - cherry.
Do you sand between coats in order to insure adhesion of subsequent coats. If so, with what?
Caren Cowie

[Steve Schoene]

Yes, as with all brush on varnishes, it should be sanded between coats. I use 320 grit sand paper most of the time on a padded block.

[Caren Cowie]

Yes, as with all brush on varnishes, it should be sanded between coats. I use 320 grit sand paper most of the time on a padded block.

Thanks. Should I assume a light touch, just enough to smooth it?

[Steve Schoene]

Yes, a light touch. You want to level if possible without cutting through to stain or dye. The sanding is to provide mechanical "tooth" for the next coat to adhere, to remove defects in application, and to level the finish if the first coat or two penetrates more in some places than in others.

[Caren Cowie]

The finish on my cherry dining room table is dry and ready for rubbing out. I worked on one of the insert extensions first. Dry sandpaper is definately not the way to go. I began with 600 and progressed to 1200, followed by pumice with parafin oil.

The surface is exceptionally smooth and clear, showing consistent, fine scratches and glossy small spots that I assume the sanding did not reach.

Before I try the second extension would someone tell me if my next idea might work? - too rub out with 1200 followed by the pumice and oil. I want a satin finish.

[Matt Woessner]

When I am refinishing the Behlen Table Top Varnish. I start with a 600 dry if the gloss surface looks pretty good (few dust particles, hair, etc..) Then I use a 600 wet, then 800 wet, 1200 wet and finally 1500 wet. Once that is complete I use a coarse then a fine pumice with the felt block and oil. This results in a satin surface. The wet sanding is more efficient than dry.

[Caren Cowie]

Why am I seeing fine scratches at the bottom of my finish? And why would there be tiny glossy dots?

Does the wet sanding soften the fine scratches? The top is without visible scratches before rubbing out.

[Matt Woessner]

I found with my first table that I rubbed out I had the glossy dots. I found that I did not get into the low spots enough. I would try a coarse pumice and try that one more time to get rid of the glossy spots. If that does not work I would go back to a 1200 or 1500 wet paper to try to knock out those spots out. I use a lot of pressure with my felt block also. I put all my body weight into it. The first initial sanding is the most important.

As far as seeing scratches on the bottom, it sounds like to did not sand the scratches out when you progessed through the grits. This may also be due to the dry sanding. The wet sanding is does not really "soften" scratches the water/soap mix simply acts as a lube for the grit.

I have pasted a link that might help you to rub out the finish. Hope this helps.

http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/htdocs/rubbingout.htm

[Jamie Sarber]

Hello, As a new member here, I finished an Oak dining table this winter with Behlen`s Rock hard myself. This was my first time using this product, and I am impressed! Just follow the instructions on the can! It is that easy. I stopped at 4 coats, one being the initial thinned coat. After 1 month of curing, I sanded with Micro Paper starting at 600 and worked my way up to 12000 grit. Then I used Pumice and then Rottenstone. Followed that up with Paste Wax, all Behlen products. This may have been overkill, but I sure love the way it looks now. Glass like finish that is similar to a Semi- Gloss. Awsome. Hope this helps anyone!

[Kevin Stobb]

I am making a table top for the in-laws. They want a certain color for the top...but want it glassy like the Rock hard offers. Do I just use my minwax stain like normal and put the rock hard on in many coats after...or do I have to tint the Rockhard?

Also, do I treat the bottom of the tabletop with it as well, or would just polyurethane suffice to seal it up?