4 ms·

I was at Home Depot to get a 6 foot butcher block countertop for this purpose, but then a 12 foot butcher block countertop caught my eye... and that's how I end

I was at Home Depot to get a 6 foot butcher block countertop for this purpose, but then a 12 foot butcher block countertop caught my eye... and that's how I ended up with a 12 foot desk. Huge pain to transport. Takes up too much room. I have no regrets. If you get a butcher block countertop from a big box home improvement store, make sure to finish[1] it right away, since they are moisture sensitive and the plastic wrap job is usually somewhat damaged by the time you get it, due to the vagaries of transport. [1]: (finish == woodworking term meaning to apply a protective coating)

shermanm 3y ago
What sort of finish do you recommend for a desk? I used some sort of polyurethane for my current desk and it’s gotten gummy and gross from my hands and wrists (I’m assuming).
- blamazon 3y ago
  I like polyurethane most, since I dislike the repeat maintenance of other options, and like the resilience of polyurethane, but I find it's a pain to get it right - I usually have an algorithm of try, wait, sand it down to bare wood, try again, wait more, sand more, repeat a couple times until I'm satisfied. If you're okay with periodically re-applying, and don't need the durability of poly, something like tung oil is a great choice - wipes on super easy and looks fabulous. Sibling comment has great recommendations in this domain. On gumminess - it sounds like it didn't cure correctly? Could be environmental factors, (temp/humidity) could be uneven application, etc. I also find I have to leave polyurethane alone for a looooong time for it to cure properly - I try not to touch the final coat for a week or more. I try to do very thin coats, sanding between each coat, for 2-3 coats, then for the final coat I use a spray polyurethane which seems to lie flat a bit better.
  - shermanm 3y ago
    I definitely applied it in my garage in the summer and only let it sit for a day or so.
- IgorPartola 3y ago
  Danish oil is great for this. It is half polyurethane and half oil. You can get it in clear or tinted. Takes about 72 hours before you can use it. Until it soaks in, the piece is tacky. If you aren’t looking for something do heavy duty, plain mineral oil from the laxative aisle at Walmart is $2 a bottle. If you want to make that more heavy duty, mix it 50/50 with beeswax and heat until wax dissolves. Then let cool and you’ll have what looks like candle paraffin. Work that into the wood and you’ll have it sealed. You will need to reapply it every so often (probably once a year but depends on use). Not a permanent seal but no harsh chemicals used and you get to keep caring for your special piece of furniture which some people find satisfying.

shermanm 3y ago

What sort of finish do you recommend for a desk? I used some sort of polyurethane for my current desk and it’s gotten gummy and gross from my hands and wrists (I’m assuming).

blamazon 3y ago
I like polyurethane most, since I dislike the repeat maintenance of other options, and like the resilience of polyurethane, but I find it's a pain to get it right - I usually have an algorithm of try, wait, sand it down to bare wood, try again, wait more, sand more, repeat a couple times until I'm satisfied. If you're okay with periodically re-applying, and don't need the durability of poly, something like tung oil is a great choice - wipes on super easy and looks fabulous. Sibling comment has great recommendations in this domain. On gumminess - it sounds like it didn't cure correctly? Could be environmental factors, (temp/humidity) could be uneven application, etc. I also find I have to leave polyurethane alone for a looooong time for it to cure properly - I try not to touch the final coat for a week or more. I try to do very thin coats, sanding between each coat, for 2-3 coats, then for the final coat I use a spray polyurethane which seems to lie flat a bit better.
- shermanm 3y ago
  I definitely applied it in my garage in the summer and only let it sit for a day or so.
IgorPartola 3y ago
Danish oil is great for this. It is half polyurethane and half oil. You can get it in clear or tinted. Takes about 72 hours before you can use it. Until it soaks in, the piece is tacky. If you aren’t looking for something do heavy duty, plain mineral oil from the laxative aisle at Walmart is $2 a bottle. If you want to make that more heavy duty, mix it 50/50 with beeswax and heat until wax dissolves. Then let cool and you’ll have what looks like candle paraffin. Work that into the wood and you’ll have it sealed. You will need to reapply it every so often (probably once a year but depends on use). Not a permanent seal but no harsh chemicals used and you get to keep caring for your special piece of furniture which some people find satisfying.