Wooden table tops and furniture are popular for many reasons. Wood comes in a wide range of types and colors, from light to dark and from brown to red and black. These natural qualities make wood attractive even before any treatments are applied.

However, wood can be delicate and easily damaged. Scratches and other surface imperfections can detract from its appearance. To protect wooden furniture, a sealant is typically applied. This coating helps guard the wood against elements that can cause damage, maintaining its beauty and extending its lifespan.

Sealants: Essential Protectors for Wooden Surfaces

Sealants are available in various forms, including oils, polymers, and waxes. Each type offers different levels of protection for wood.

For example, a wax finish can provide some resistance to moisture and minimal protection against scratches. However, it needs to be reapplied more frequently compared to other sealant options.

Common sealants for wood include:

• Wax
• Hardwax oil
• Lacquer (such as pre-catalyzed lacquer)
• Varnish (including oil-based and water-based)
• Polymer coatings (such as polyurethane, epoxy resin)

These categories cover a range of sealants from different brands. Among them, only polymer coatings offer complete protection against common types of damage. Within this group, epoxy resin is the most notable one, for its remarkable durability and ease of application as a wood-surface sealant.

In this article, we'll focus on the use of epoxy as a sealant for wooden table tops.

Can You Apply Epoxy to a Wood Table Top?

Yes, epoxy is a superb sealant for wood table tops. It provides high protection against physical damage, including scratches and dents, as well as moisture-related issues like staining and warping. Additionally, epoxy helps shield the wood from chemical damage caused by solvents, oils, and greases.

Epoxy’s Clarity Highlights Wood’s Natural Beauty

Beyond its protective benefits, epoxy provides a clear surface that splendidly showcases the distinct appearance of any wooden table top.

High-quality epoxy resin cures to a glass-like transparency, allowing the wood grain to remain visible and detailed. This clear finish also enhances the wood’s colors, making them appear richer and more pronounced.

Furthermore, maintaining that beauty is a breeze, as epoxy's smooth, tightknit bond keeps it easy to clean and requires minimal upkeep.

You Can Customize Your Epoxy Finish

Epoxy offers a high degree of customization for wooden table tops. For times when you want to add some flair of your own, epoxy can be tailored not only to protect and highlight the wood but also to change the overall appearance of the table.

This customization is typically achieved by adding colorants to the epoxy mixture or by embedding objects within the resin, or both.

Adding Colorants for Unique Hues and Effects

One of the simplest ways to personalize your epoxy table top is by mixing pigments or dyes into the resin before applying it to the wooden surface. Among colorant options, there are two main types of colorants that typically get used with epoxy resin. These are mica powder pigments and resin dyes.

Mica Powder Pigments

Mica powder pigments are produced from finely ground mica minerals, which naturally reflect light. Available in powder form, they can be incorporated in small quantities to create a subtle shimmer in the epoxy resin.

When added to epoxy, mica powders typically make the resin opaque if used in recommended amounts. Using less can result in a translucent appearance. This type of colorant is commonly used to add color to the epoxy veins in wooden river table tops.

We offer high-quality mica powder pigments from Pigmently in our store.

Resin Dyes

Resin dyes are concentrated liquid colorants that provide vibrant colors without the shimmer that mica powders offer.

Available in a range of solid colors, resin dyes are generally translucent, though increasing the amount used will make their color more opaque. These dyes are designed to be mixed into the epoxy during the mixing stage, ensuring an even distribution and consistent color throughout the resin.

Our store carries premium resin dyes from Pigmently.

Embedding Objects for Personal Touches and Designs

Another common way to customize a wooden epoxy table top is by embedding small items into the epoxy coating.

Personal items like souvenirs and mementos are frequently used for this purpose. Additionally, many users create patterns and designs by embedding various objects such as bottle caps, wine corks, pennies, and more.

Apart from size, there are few restrictions on what can be embedded in epoxy. Organic materials like dried flowers can also be incorporated, provided they are properly prepared beforehand.

Learn more about embedding objects in epoxy here.

Q&A: Wood Epoxy Table Tops

Below are answers to some common questions about applying epoxy to wooden table tops.

Question #1: Should You Sand the Wood Before Applying Epoxy?

Yes, sanding the wood before applying epoxy is advisable. Light sanding creates a better surface for the epoxy to adhere to, improving the bond between the epoxy and the wood.

Learn more about preparing wooden surfaces for epoxy coatings here.

Question #2: Do You Need to Seal the Wood Before Applying Epoxy?

While it's not necessary to use another sealant before epoxy, applying a seal coat of epoxy before the main flood coat is recommended. This involves brushing a thin layer of epoxy onto the wood and allowing it to partially cure. The seal coat fills the wood's pores and removes trapped air, reducing the chance of air bubbles in the final epoxy layer.

Learn about different types of epoxy coatings here.

Question #3: Is Epoxy Food Safe?

Yes, epoxy is food safe, making it suitable for table tops used for dining and other food-related activities. Ensure you use epoxy from reputable sources and avoid low-quality brands that may not meet safety and quality standards.

Learn more about the safety of epoxy in our guide.

Question #4: Will Epoxy Work on Live-Edge Wood?

Yes, epoxy works well on live-edge wood. Its self-leveling properties allow it to flow around the natural shape of the wood, adhering properly and hardening into a solid finish. This makes it suitable for irregular surfaces commonly found in live-edge pieces.

A good table top epoxy will conform to the natural edges of a live-edge piece.

Question #5: Which Epoxy Is Best for Wood Table Tops?

We recommend using Primaloc Bar & Table Top Epoxy for wood table tops. It is strong, self-leveling, and clear, making it ideal for sealing porous materials like wood. This epoxy is also suitable for applying a seal coat, enhancing the durability of your table top.

You can purchase Primaloc Bar & Table Top Epoxy in our store here.

Primaloc Epoxy: Premium Epoxy for Premium Results

With our premium Bar & Table Top Epoxy and our Deep Pour Epoxy, Primaloc gets the job done. Our epoxy resins are premium-grade, with high performance in every category, including:

• Unmatched Strength: A Primaloc finish won't buckle, even under high pressure.
• Long-Lasting Resilience: Primaloc epoxy lasts for many years with minimal care, and can endure high-traffic environments with ease.
• A Crystal-Clear Coating: With its pristine, transparent appearance, looking at a cured Primaloc coating is like peering through a window.

Epoxy resin can be beautiful, strong, and long-lasting—which is why you shouldn't compromise on quality. With Primaloc Epoxy Resin, you get the ultimate finish in durability and visual appeal.

Protect your surfaces by giving them a rock-solid epoxy finish. Choose strong. Choose reliable. Choose Primaloc.