Can I clear coat this sanded table without staining/painting it?
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Looks like pine plywood stained to look like oak. Three coats of a water based polyurethane, lightly sanding in between coats would work. If you put on a clearcoat as is the grain will really pop. If you want a more subtle look use a wood conditioner. It is solvent based and clear. It gets absorbed into the loose grains more and less into the tight grain to even out the grain. Let it soak in, wipe off the excess, and dry. Then apply your clearcoat.
Pine has a very pronounced irregular grain as your table top. Hardwoods have a tight smoother straight grain. With any clearcoat, you want to lightly sand in between coats so the next coat will bond to the previous. I use a green Scotch Bright pad. Also use a foam brush to apply the clearcoat to get a smooth finish and no brush marks. If you choose to stain apply a wood conditioner first, I use Minwax, otherwise the stain will look blotchy, darker in some areas, and lighter in others.
Good luck! Share pics when you're finished!
You will still see the wood grain if you decide to stain it. There will just not be as big of a contrast in the two colors. Pine really does look nice stained when you apply the wood conditioner first. Ask a lot of questions at a store that sells only paint and home finishing products. Their advice has always worked out for me. They may even have samples of stained pine with and without the wood conditioner.
I have done just that with stunning results! I either use poly or a kit that is sold just about in every hardware store. It's used on bars, but the uses are endless.
Even if you dont stain it, just varnish, it will darken with age. Its not oak, looks like pine. I prefer pine myself. You sure did an excellent job with the paint/stain removal. Thats a big job.