I need to refinish the top of our dining room table (the FW has mentioned it more times than I can count). It’s solid oak, and we have kids, so I need it to be durable. What’s a go-to finish? I realize that spraying would be best, but that’s not going to happen, so it’ll be brushed on.
Thanks!
There are quite a few ways to skin this cat. If this isn’t a table that’s worth 10s of thousands of dollars and is just being used as a standard kitchen table with kids, I’d take the steps below.
1. Sand down your top. Start with rougher paper and then work your way into a fine grit for a smooth surface.
2. Thoroughly clean the area. Wipe everything down with a slightly damp cloth multiple times. Let it dry.
3. Apply a wood conditioner. Follow the steps listed on the bottle.
4. Apply a coat of stain and let it sit for 2 full days despite what the can of stain may say for a shorter drying time. If the grain raises or things seem rough, do a light sanding. Add another coat of stain and let it dry.
5. Apply urethane (I prefer Arm-R-Seal for something with this much use). Follow the directions. I would use a minimum of 3 separate coats with a light sanding in between considering it’s a table top.
***I’m not a furniture expert, this is just what I’d do***
What color is it currently?
Oil vs water depending on color imo.
I have some commercial grade floor finish I’ve used on countertops you could have.
What color is it currently?
Like a golden oak–typical ’90s finish. Whatever I use, it’ll be oil-based.
I should mention that I have worked in a custom cabinet shop, so this isn’t new to me. It’s just been a long time, and I don’t have access to a TimeSaver sander, sprayer, and booth anymore. 
I’ve used a 2 part epoxy on my maple countertops. It wears like iron, but is a bit pricey.
I’ve used a 2 part epoxy on my maple countertops.
Yeah, that’s a bit excessive for this application.
I finally got around to this task, and thank you @buckybadger for the Arm-R-Seal recommendation.
I came at it with a random orbit sander (80-grit, 120-grit), followed by a finishing sander (120-grit, 150-grit), followed by hand sanding (150-grit). Cleaned it up with compressed air, applied a sealer, then stained. I put on 4 coats of satin Arm-R-Seal using the wipe-on method and gave it a light 400-grit sanding between coats (followed by a tack-cloth wipe-down).
It turn out awesome! The table is in the neighborhood of 30 years old but now looks as good or better than new.
I’ll get a pic, but it’s currently in the basement till the Floor Whisperer refinishes our floors next week (not tackling that job myself). 
May be too simple but try Howard’s Furniture Restorer.
May be too simple but try Howard’s Furniture Restorer.
Well, the project is done, and I literally had quarter-sized spots of raw wood where the finish had chipped off, so…
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