Reddit mentions of Rust-Oleum Zinsser 854 1-Quart Bulls Eye Sealcoat Universal Sanding Sealer

Needed some more desktop space so I decided to build a new desk (technically a shelf, I know) from a butcher block countertop.

I decided to use an unfinished ash butcher block countertop from Home Depot. 74" x 25" x 1.5"

I sanded it with 220 grit even though it comes out of the packaging with a pretty good finish. I did knock the corners off though.

Finished with 2 coats of Zinsser Sealcoat Universal Sanding Sealer sanding between coats with 220 grit. Then I wiped on 4 coats of 50/50 minreal spirits and a satin finish oil Polyurethane. Followed by brushing on 2 coats of 100% polyurethane. Wiping on the layers was definitely easier and left a nice surface but because this is used as a desk I switched to straight polyurethane for a heavier/more protective layer.

I added 2 Power grommets using a 3-1/8” hole saw and 2 flexible cord grommets Using a 2-3/8” hole saw on each end as well as 2 power strips screwed to the underside. Before I made any holes I mapped out stud/bracket location on the underside to make sure I wouldn’t have any interferences.

For mounting to the wall, I used heavy duty shelf brackets from Rockler fastened to the studs with Spax Lag Screws and fastened the countertop to the brackets with Spax cabinet screws

I am not sure if I need to put another support in the center of the table or not. Any opinions? I am not concerned with the weight necessarily as the brackets are good for 2,920 lbs per Rockler's website. But i am not sure if it will bow overtime if it's not supported.

​

Edit1: Added a center support Bracket: https://imgur.com/gallery/LGl7UT2

Edit2: Picture of working desk. Would love to wall mount the monitor. https://imgur.com/gallery/QfH6M9a

Edit3: I ended up going with a wireless charger grommet that sits pretty flush with the desk surface.

https://imgur.com/KkMJZEp

https://imgur.com/yjPurX6

If I use stain, I'd usually give it a thin coat of shellac before I start poly. If it's an oil based stain, it can get swirled around a bit from the poly (whatever solvent you use). A coat of shellac seals it in, and the poly has no problem adhering to it. A 1-2 lb cut of clear, dewaxed shellac works great. If you don't want to mix your own, this is one you can buy. You can wipe on the shellac. It dries quickly; 30 min. or so. Give a light sanding to knock off any nibs (400 grit), clean off the dust, and poly as usual.

Highly recommend the Mohawk Finisher's Choice clear lacquer. Goes on super nice.

Make sure you let your friend's artwork dries really, really thoroughly and apply a few solid layers of de-waxed shellac over it before the lacquer coat (I like the Bulls-Eye SealCoat stuff). If you don't, you risk the paints interacting badly. It might also be good to lay down a coat of shellac before your friend paints to stop their work soaking into the wood.

I'd suggest letting the art dry for at least 2 weeks. Apply a thin layer of the shellac with a soft brush. Let it dry for a few hours. Apply another coat, but french polish this one (so it's super smooth). Let it dry overnight then apply a third coat (also french polish). Let it dry for 24 hours then gently sand it flat with 320 grit. Then wipe it down with a lightly damp cloth (not with denature alcohol, use water), wait 10 mins, then apply another layer with a french polish technique.

After that's dried for 24 hours, start spraying lacquer! This will mean there's a solid, even layer to lay the lacquer down, and several layers between the lacquer and the art.

I'm a big fan of wax free shellac mixed 1:1 with denatured alcohol. It's idiot proof (that's why I'm a fan). I couldn't find the right type of shellac at the big box stores, so ordered it off Amazon.

shellac

Apply it with an old t-shirt. When you cut it, it's so thin that it dries super fast. Can build up 4 or 5 coats in 30 minutes or so.

I'm sorry, wax free Shellac.

https://www.amazon.com/Rust-Oleum-Zinsser-854-Sealcoat-Universal/dp/B000C02BXW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1525884218&sr=8-3&keywords=dewaxed+shellac

We have had GSD's for the past 20+ years. This is likely our last one. He HATES the nail gun. He isn't very crazy about the garage in general but will sometimes hang out with me or will run in, steal some wood and lay in the driveway making toothpicks.

The Beast:
https://i.imgur.com/2G3YMGh.jpg

I have a Friend/co-worker with a Great Dane and they let her sleep in the bed. I don't know how they do it. He has told me stories of her stretching and pushes him straight off the bed onto the floor.

This is what I use. It's basically just de-waxed shellac. This stuff is alcohol based and has a dry time of about 10 minutes. I will brush it on with a foam brush, wait till dry and then give it a light rub with 320 just to knock down any high spots or dust.

I use wipe-on poly more often than brush on. I have never used water-based though, so I can't speak to how that works. Regular wipe on poly is essentially polyurethane diluted with mineral spirits to get it to a wipe-able consistency. It goes on much thinner than the brush on stuff, but goes on much more even in my opinion and drys much faster. You can re-coat in 2-3 hours. You will need to apply many more coats when compared to brush on, I find it takes about 3-4 coats of wipe on to equal 1 coat of brush on, but you don't get drips or runs or brush marks in your finish so it's worth it to me.