I've got two NMRA benches built and ready to install in my shop. They are currently in the raw. What would be the best finish to apply, or should I finish them at all? Varnish? Paint? Rag-on like Min-Wax or tung oil?

Thanks!

I like polyurathane finishes designed for hardwood floors, easy to apply and tough. Makes the wood look good and resists most everything you can spill on it.

I also recommend Polyurethane. Oil finishes will not seal the wood. I just finished a new workbench with three coats of Minwax clear satin polyurethane. It drys to touch and lightly sand after 6-8 hours. Sand lightly after the first coat with something like 320 and you will have a smooth durable finish. I little paste wax is a nice final touch.

My bench is also finished in polyurethane. It's a hard protective finish. As was said it seals the wood against spills or oil. If you give it a nice final finish it is really easy to clean up with a cloth or hand broom should you spill some powder or whatever.

If I had it to do over again I would have left the wood under the finish unstained as it makes for a lighter background that makes it easier to see small items on the surface.

If it be me, I would get that poly that goes on superthick, I think it is supposed to be equal to like 50 coats of varnish, check at lowes or home depot.

Can you put polyurethane on top of a painted surface? I painted my reloading bench because the plywood top was discolored but I like the poly finish like on my other benches better.

You can get Polyurethane paint and pait over it.

What is a NMRA bench?

You can get Polyurethane paint and pait over it.

What is a NMRA bench?
It's a bench design published by National Reloading Manufacturer's Association (I misspelled the abbreviation).

I designed and build my own bench from a basic workbench design I saw in an old woodworking magazine. The main bench surface is layers of 3/4" MDF, and I tried a finish product out for the finish that has worked spectacularly. I was debating polyurethane (but I hate that stuff cuz it looks so fake), and also laying down a sheet of acrylic on top. I decided to comprimise and use PolyCrylic by Minwax. I ued the Satin fishish. after 2 or 3 layers, even on MDF, the finish looks incredibly even, low gloss (unobtrusive), is very durable, and protects great against dents (I have a pine border around my bench that has withstood a ton of metal tool drops without problem). You an kinda see my bench in the "lee classic cast" thread under this category. If you want more detailed pics let me know.

I went with paint. My bench top is CDX plywood so I primed with two coats and finished with one coat of battle ship gray. Barbara does think much of it but I it goes nice with the white walls.

Funny how the womens don't like gray, isn't it

Why is that Terry. I don't understand. I think grey is great for a shop bench and power tools. My casting and lubing bench is in the main part of the basement so she painted it a couple colors I can't even see. HEE HEE

Dunno, Lynn. Susan much prefers white and brighter colors. I have managed to keep her paint brush away from my bench though. Mine is natural unfinished wood

As you can see mine is unfinished except for a little paint and stains here and there. And by the way, it stays a big mess most of the time. I have a little space cleared right now as I load some 44s.

Ok, you've recieved a bunch of great advice here, and I'm going to add my recommendation...
I used poly. on my bench, but if I had it to do over again, I would put formica (SP?) on the bench top surface, and poly. the rest. Formica is very easy to apply. Some come pre glued and you only need a hot clothes iron to apply. Just a thought.

Two thumbs up for the formica I just finished a new bench and I used formica for the tops. It cleans up easy comes in god knows how many colors or patterens and is pretty tuff stuff. It would be my first choice for a finish for the top.

Hoeram :D

JR454 I like your thought. I'll build new benches once I move and plan to do just this.

A friend of mine just went down to the iron shop and had a piece of thin steel cut to the right size, screwed it to the top of his bench and painted it white. Sure makes a tough bench top.