Finish for a bathroom vanity

Hi all,

I'm building a bathroom vanity out of the old studs from our house renovation. So they are 60 year old hardwood, likely oak or ash I think.

I've sampled some dewaxed blonde shellac and like the finish appearance it gives, just deepens the colour with out changing it particularly. But I know I need a top finish that will be durable to water, humidity and heat, possibly from my better half's mug of tea that follows her around perpetually (although that might change with the new vanity). I'm probably thinking a satin finish level.

What would people recommend that will fit this criterion? I was thinking about a wipe on poly and the other option mentioned at the big box store is an actual floor finish that will hold up well. Or should I be looking down a completely route and avoiding the dewaxed blonde shellac?

Many thanks from an inexperienced finisher!

G'day Robot,

You could use Organoil Hard Burnishing Oil. If you do a search on organoil or Hard Burnishing Oil, you should find recent information.

Regards,

Rob

If you like the look of the shellac you could consider UBeaut's Hard Shellac. It is very similar to the blond dewaxed but crosslinks and becomes heat and water resistant after about 3 weeks (or earlier in warm weather). I use it for timber coasters and food platters as it is also food-safe. I have no affiliation with the supplier, just a user!
Regards
David

Maybe test a scrap of the timber with some dirty soapy water on it?
Also try a few steel items like bobby pins or scissors, wet them to see if the timber has a tannic reaction .
I used Jarrah in the bathroom vanities and Tas Oak for the kitchen and an oil based finish.
Has been a disaster my wife and daughter just don't get it so they all have black tannic reaction stains and I am always finding a soap scum around the edge of the sink edges which is also turning the timber black.
My next efforts will be stainless or plastic coated.
H.

Vanities and kitchen surrounds are about the hardest wearing areas to finish.
They get showered with water, and bad attitude endlessly.
If I was me I would not use oil full stop. Unless you were after a finish that was good for a day or week or two.
Some single pac finishes like wattyl estapol work quite well and are hard to beat.
You might get more mileage from a 2 pac finsh but they are dearer to buy and more complicacted to use.

if you have spray equipment two pack poly as used in the boating industry is great, of course you pay more for something that is going to do the job.
If you have sprayed with laquer this is just as easy to use
cheers macca