Rich dark mdf look with WB products?

[QuailRider43]

My miter saw bench top is MDF edged with maple, finished with multiple coats of hand rubbed oil varnish mix (equal parts boiled linseed oil + polyurethane + turpentine).  It gives a nice uniform dark look to the MDF, and is very easy to repair.  Very happy with the look, but the big issue is the hassle of hand rubbing multiple coats, and the strong smell.  For next shop MDF-based project, was contemplating a waterborne finish, ideally sprayed.  However, I fear I'll just end up with some plastic looking pale MDF or a blotchy mess instead of the uniform dark look.  Anybody have success with waterborne finishes on MDF that in the end resemble a nice Danish oil look?  Yes, it's only shop furniture, but the man cave deserves the best.

 

[Michael Kellough]

The mdf would have to be thoroughly sealed with a non-water based product before you could apply an aqueous product.

 

[sheperd80]

The mdf would have to be thoroughly sealed with a non-water based product before you could apply an aqueous product.

+1

The mdf will swell and get extremely fuzzy if you hit it straight with WB. Spraying on a washcoat of thinned shellac first can help prevent this.

As far as color, im not sure what the shellac will do to mdf. It may darken it some, like an oil based product but hard to say for sure.

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[huntdupl]

while not water based and still requiring some buffing, I have a can of Osmo TopOil waiting to be applied to my MFT top. For what its worth I'll post pictures of finished product when I get around to it. You may find the smell a little less overpowering. Be interested to hear what people topcoat their MFT with.

 

[bnaboatbuilder]

Boiled linseed oil is all I use. Dries/cures overnight and ready to go. No real reason for much else. Wiping on BLO is quite simple, not sure what the hassle is.

You can spray a few coats of Zinsser Sealcoat, not waxed shellac, no need or any purpose to thin it, it's already "thin". It's sprays easily.

I wouldn't do anything water based on MDF if you want to maintain the 20mm interior hole precision. Stay with oil or other solvent base.

 

[Pnw painter]

Most water based finishes tend to be film based and not penetrating. I’d recommend a penetrating finish for a work bench top or a hard wax finish such as Osmo.

General Finishes has a wide range of water based finishes that may work. You’ll probably need to apply a coat of stain first.

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[bnaboatbuilder]

Milk Paint company makes a dark raw tung oil which can mixed with their citrus solvent to speed up curing.

 

[QuailRider43]

I see more boiled linseed oil in my future.  Thanks for the input.

 

[leakyroof]

I see more boiled linseed oil in my future.  Thanks for the input.

  There's also Polymerized Tung Oil, which dries fast due to the drying agents in it versus raw Tung Oil.  In small, confined spaces, I'm more partial to the smell of it over BLO...... [embarassed] [wink] [wink]