I recently received an oak coffee table top that has been finished with 4 coats of Minwax Polycrylic (not MAX). My 3- and 5-year-olds still managed to ding and scratch it with toys/play within about 3 hours.
I'm considering trying a coat or two of Ultimate Floor Finish to toughen up the surface a bit more, but I realize it might be a lost cause when going up against preschool-aged boys. I'm also not 100% sure that using a different poly top coat on top of what's there is the right move.
Anyone care to speak to:
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Is using a different water-based poly finish on top of an existing one OK?
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Will using a "floor finish" product on furniture offer any noticeable improvement in durability/protection?
Y'all are great; thank you for your advice!
No amount of wipe on surface treatment will help against child damage because the underlying wood deforms. It's like putting Saran wrap over a chicken breast before pounding it with a mallet- the Saran wrap will be intact.
If keeping it intact is really important, you need a 2 part epoxy to provide a rigid coating.
Otherwise just let the damage build up and sand/refinish after kids are older.
Thanks for the analogy; that makes tons of sense. ๐๐
To build on top of this excellent reply, put some fiberglass on top of the wood if you to the two part epoxy route. It should be transparent when done and you'll get a more ridgid and ding proof surface. That's why many wooden water vehicles have a layer of fiberglass embedded into their epoxy.