MDF dining table

[yorks99no]

Hi All,
My MDF dining table was starting to look tired. I’ve tried to renew it over the last couple of days but it’s not turned out as expected! I sanded and then applied 2 coats of primer (then sanded again) and then have applied 3 coats of Ronseal walnut varnish. I was hoping for a more consistent, uniform walnut colour! I would appreciate any practical suggestions. Cheers.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Throw it in a skip.

 

[mattylad]

You can get dining tables for free via Freegle/freecycle/facebook.

MDF!
wtf has it come to when dining tables are made of that garbage?

 

[conny]

That looks as though it has just been slap-dashed on with short strokes of the brush.
You need to get it off again and try using long strokes with a full brush. If you have to reload before reaching the other end then do so and carry on to the end of the table. Try to feather the edges so you don't have a hard line. After doing two lines like this make sure the brush is not loaded and very lightly run across the full length in one stroke. You are not trying to put more stain on, just trying to get what looks like an uninterrupted continuous stroke.
Can't guarantee it will work with stain on mdf but this is a standard method when using gloss paint.

 

[fillyboy]

That looks as though it has just been slap-dashed on with short strokes of the brush.
You need to get it off again and try using long strokes with a full brush. If you have to reload before reaching the other end then do so and carry on to the end of the table. Try to feather the edges so you don't have a hard line. After doing two lines like this make sure the brush is not loaded and very lightly run across the full length in one stroke. You are not trying to put more stain on, just trying to get what looks like an uninterrupted continuous stroke.
Can't guarantee it will work with stain on mdf but this is a standard method when using gloss paint.

It's woodstain/varnish which is very opaque and designed to go directly onto 'wood'. Whatever strokes he uses it aint going to look anything on top of white primer.

 

[Ihavenojob]

Go to an auction and get an antique Edwardian/Victorian/Georgian table, and possibly chairs for next to nothing. It will probably last another 100 years, and look better than anything from Ikea.