Whilst not exactly rustic, this slightly industrial design we made a while ago ended up with a 30% satin lacquer on the jarrah. Initially we use a 10% "flat " finish, however as soon a a plate or knife was moved on the surface, a "shiny " mark occurred. I think it really depends on how much use the piece actually gets, if its ornamental then flat looks really cool. If its actually to be used on a daily basis I would advise beefing up the gloss just a little.

What sort of timber do you have ? Have you considered oiling ? It gives you a matte finish, smells so fresh and clean, and feels like timber underfoot (not plastic), and best bit- never sand again!!...just re-oil. Our floor guy hates liming. Said the results are too unpredictable. Depending on the species of timber, some are rich in tannins can cause liming to yellow over time. He told me about a place he did which had an extension out back with all same timber-species. But the older timber reacted differently to the newer timber so they ended up with a very odd result. I had semi-gloss polyeurothane previously. Never again!.

Thank-you, that looks good!

Hi Magi, I am not aware of two pack Polyurethane having a problem with staining from day to day kitchen use. There is however a cheaper Pre-Catalysed Two Pack (a two part mix) paint on the market that does not perform as well as Polyurethane 2-pack, which some kitchen manufacturers use and call "two-pack". So if you ensure to specify the type of 2-pack used for your kitchen, then you should not have any problems. I don't know if it is any help to you; but on our site we have two pages which each discuss the pros and cons of Vinyl on one and of Polyurethane Two Pack on the other, with details that may help you decide which type of these finishing material is right for you. Hope this helps, Malcolm.