Wood counters. They’re cheap, they’re solid, and good looking, but man they get gross. They started out looking shiny and new (a relief after this). We’ve since used, oiled and waxed them for the last three years, cleaning as we go. And while it’s worked I got fed up with the crud and the dinginess. So I sanded off all the grimy buildup and frankly I don’t want to have to do that again. We don’t cut on them or abuse them, and they doesn’t have to last forever, but I need a lower-maintenance solution. Despite many people finding it an unworthy way to go, this post got me thinking about just varnishing it once and for all. So we did. We first stained with “Special Walnut 224.” I wanted a little contrast since the rest of the room is really light now.
Two coats of stain, then we applied Varathane. I had used it years ago to clear coat veneered plywood for a desk, and it held up under heavy computers and weird art projects for over a decade, so I figured it would be okay for this. I was right. It’s tedious to apply though: evenly spread a coat, dry thoroughly, smooth with very fine sandpaper. Repeat five times. Pow, you’re done! It took a couple of days, but it turned out nice:
Don’t let the dimness of the last photo fool you, that’s just fall on its way. I like them! The color is pretty and they’re so, SO much easier to work on now.