My new out feed table for my table saw has an MDF top. I am wondering what I should put on the top to seal it? Would shellac or the zinsser bull's eye work?  The sides/front/back will be painted, but I do not want paint to rub off on the wood going through the saw.

 

Thanks for the help!

I have used the Zinsser Shellac before and it works OK. If you use the table for assembly like I did any glue that drips and drys will stick to the shellac and when I scraped it off afterwards it took the shellac and first layer of MDF with it. The only thing I can think of to prevent glue sticking might be p-lam, or maybe some kind of wax.

 

Herb

I was thinking about putting some johnson's paste wax over the zinsser.

I think there are two considerations

1. Abrasion resistance
2. Slipperiness

I think I'd opt for poly and rub out with wax and steel wool when cured.   Sealcoat would be easier to refresh when abraded, so that is probably an OK choice, too (when waxed)

This will stop glue from sticking and protect the surface.

bench finish: equal parts turpentine and BLO , plus egg size (for 16oz) piece of beeswax . It will take a wile for the wax to dissolve but can be speeded up by heating the mixture . NOTE this is flammable so try microwave. Apply liberally wait and repeat if it is still soaking in. Allow a day or two to soak in and buff off. By the way this is a Steve Mickley formula.

high pressure laminate..

While HPL would be my first choice for an outfeed table, my second choice would be the finish Gerald mentioned. I've used it on all the surfaces that don't have HPL. Easy to repair, no film flaking, and glue pops right off. The turpentine smells for several days (at least it did for me) so using MS might do just as well. Also, I found the beeswax needs some help to dissolve, so sitting it in the sun or something will speed that up. The thing about an outfeed table is the constant scuffing it receives, that's why I used HPL  Mine is actually a scrap piece of kitchen counter.

Did water based poly, 3 coats, on mine.  Been, oh, 4 years now?  No wear apparent.  Slick as glass.

All his table if MDF if you start soaking it with BLO and other stuff what will that do to the glue in the MDF?

MDF is a great substrate for formica.  I would use  formica then the same wax you use on the cast iron to keep it slick and clean works on the formica also.  Chips N Dust can you lower your outfeed table so that the formica is flush?

I think formica would be the thing to use...why? cause that's what I have on mine! 

My table saw and out feed table are maybe longer than 8' so this is my work table area.

3 hours ago, Michael Thuman said:

All his table if MDF if you start soaking it with BLO and other stuff what will that do to the glue in the MDF?

MDF is a great substrate for formica.  I would use  formica then the same wax you use on the cast iron to keep it slick and clean works on the formica also.  Chips N Dust can you lower your outfeed table so that the formica is flush?

Michael, I've got several work surfaces that are MDF, and coated with the BLO/Beeswax/MS mix mentioned above. Some of them are over 12 years old...none have ever started to fall apart. I think that aspect is a non issue.

Fred thanks I guess MDF only does not like water.  I will give my first outfeed table a try with MDF and Beeswax.