Hardening Soft Pine

[Gary Brown]

Hi,

I am building a table/kitchen island out of soft pine. Is there anything I can do to make the surface harder? I plan on using a sealer/stain and several coats of poly. But that might not add enough dent resistance.

Thanks, Gary

[Phisherman]

I know that Watco penetrates and hardens pine. The polyurethane will help. Even maple, oak and cherry will dent. Dents are fairly easy to fix using a hot iron tip and a wet paper towel, although this may damage a poly finish. In the long run dents can add character to a piece.

[bridgerfafc]

pine is going to dent. if you put a hard finish on it, the dents will crack.

get good with it getting distressed or choose a different wood.

[<marierdj]

I have used the hot iron tip and a wet paper towel method, Some of the dents came out but I have damaged the poly finish. How can I fix the damaged poly finish?

[Just Wondering]

Apply a thin coat of stainless steel, that'll make the surface tough as nails.

[Ferd Farkel]

Worry about the edges and corners. Those, you can band or cap with hard maple or brass. Or you can accept the dents as part of what makes the piece alive.

[Fred the Red Shirt]

There is a clear epoxy finish (I think it's epoxy) used for bars that is applied in a thick layer.

[Steve knight]

make it out of ipe or purpleheart. then when you drop a dish the dish breaks before the table dents.

[Jon]

It gets hard the more you stroke it!.......Just kidding, the pine will dent no matter what type of finish you use, but the harder finishes will crack when applied to pine and it gets dented.

I recommend using Tung Oil or Boiled Linseed oil as a protectant as they are forgiving finishes and can easily to retouched up if there is a problem, it usually can be done without resanding!

Jon

[Ferd Farkel]

Glass dishes make no sense for this one reason. Better to sell them and replace them with stainless steel, like our finer prisons use.