Expert: Jamie Yocono - 12/31/2011

Question
I am looking for a varnish for my new plywood work benches.  I was thinking about Behlen RockHard.  Don't know anything about it but it's in my Klingspor catalog.  

Is this the best protector or is there a better one?

I live in Las Vegas.

Answer
Hi Richard,

I'll be honest, I've never heard of Garage Work Bench Varnish. But I have heard of companies that rename their products, and then charge a lot more for the "new and improved" product. So I am hesitant to give you an answer specifically about the amazing "new" Garage Work Bench Varnish. LOL

That said, I'll tell you what I use. When I need protection on a workbench, i use an oil, rather than a varnish. See - there are two kinds of finishes - penetrating and surface finishes. They do pretty much what their name suggests. But - you can definitely scratch surface finish, and it will do two possible things - first of all, it will look bad, once it's scratched. Besides that, it can flake off, and infiltrate into a clean wooden surface. So I am not a huge fan or any surface finish, like varnish, lacquer, shellac, and so on.

OTOH, penetrating finishes accomplish a few things. First - if you scratch it, repairs are simple. Just grab a little more oil and some fine sandpaper, wet sanding out the blemish. It won't flake off, so... nice.  And finally, it repels anything tsat drips on your bench, like adhesives, other finishes, etc. If something sticks to it, a chisel will scrape it off quite easily. Oil finishes are the bomb on a workbench top.

So... to answer your question - I wouldn't use that Garage Work Bench Varnish. You would be better off with a two coats of boiled linseed oil, which is cheap will repel anything. Plus - it adds moisture and conditioning to the wood, so it will keep it from checking (splitting on the ends) in our harsh summers.

OK, hope this helps. If not, write back and I'll try to clarify anything that didn't make sense. Good luck with your workbench!

Jamie in LV


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Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com
My woodworking blog: www.wooditis.blogspot.com