Nontoxic Dining Table Finish.

I tend to like the natural oak color, so most of my works are finished with either an oil based or water based oak varnish, sometimes with a slight bit of golden tint. I've started work on a dining table and thinking about what to finish it with. I'm using oak ply for the center and 6" of solid oak on the trim. I'd like to make sure it's well sealed and hopefully matches the rest of my work. What should I use that will not be harmful to myself, my fiancee, or the little ones when they come around? I'd considered it garenteed that food will be eaten directly off the table in many cases.
Thanks.
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Danny

I think you can pretty well guarantee any commerically available finish is going to be non-toxic once cured - especially living in California :)

I'm not sure many of us Aussies can really advise you much on brands - but the labelling laws there require full discolsure of risks, so if you read the can before you buy you should be fine.

I'd be more worried about durability for a dining table finish than toxicity. I'd go with the same finish you've used elsewhere if the can says it's OK and the stuff is durable enough.

Yeah Darryl is on the money. Its generally thought (and often debated) that all finish's are 'non-toxic' once fully cured. But I don't think there will be many people wanting to peel a finish off and use it as a garnish, but even eating directly off the table top wouldn't mean that you would be ingesting any of the finish.

Cheers!

Hmm I had a good mate when I was young called Danny Chen :eek:

There's a good chance I could be looking at young ones in the near future. Certainly planning for it. So even small amounts of toxins could be bad for a child especially if they are getting them every day.

Yeah true, its always a concern. But being that concerned you really should probably consider installing a bubble to live in cause theres more toxins in the air we breath than what you would receive from eating directly off a table top unless your cleaning the table top with arsnic. ;)

You could do an experiment and let one child eat from the table and the other from a plate every time they come around. When they are about 30yrs old do an assessment on any obvious personality traits and there you will have your conclusive proof. :D

Seriously though, all of the furniture and Danish oils that I use have the words NON TOXIC on the tin (other than taking a drink of the suff of course)and also say that they are safe for worktops. I think you could include table tops as well.

Cheers,
Ray.

Ok thanks everyone, I didn't recall seeing non-toxic explicitly on the cans I had used before. I checked Home Depot this weekend and the minwax polyurethane doesn't say anything about being non-toxic after drying but has all kinds of warnings about if you injest it. I guess I'll check the minwax website in more details and talk to some local shops. Thanks again.

The stuff I am using is called Liberon Finishing Oil.
I suspect that if you can get Rustins Danish oil then you can get this.

It says that it is 'Safe for toys' and is ideal for kitchen worktops, tables and the bathroom.
It gives a similar finish to the Rustins Danish oil.
As mentioned in previous posts, the tin says that it is toxic if ingested etc, but I would expect that since it says it is safe for toys, then it is the kind of oil you are looking for.

Sorry about my Scottish sense of humour in my last post :)

Cheers
Raymond

Dont appologize Smiffy, its good to have a laugh.

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Al