Maintaining/waxing your wood table? (1 Viewer)

[GenghisKhan]

So I'm the proud owner of a new-to-me BBO poker table. Not a fan of racetracks or cupholders in the table but hey I got a huge deal!

What products if any do you all use on your wood table? This one came with 4 years of dust and needs tlc.

Found a BBO vid on Youtube where they suggest a monthly was using Howard Feed-n-wax wood polish/preserver.

Looking for some feedback before ordering this and trying it. Do you only do the racetrack? Or everything legs and all?
Thanks!

(Now I need armless, stacking chairs. These ones with arms take up too much room, even with a bigger table. 10 people is more comfortable than smaller table I had before, but could still be better)

Pics taken after getting ready for league tournament last night.

 

[Jeff]

I’d only do the racetrack if you were going to wax. Sounds like it might be a lot to wax once a month, though.

 

[GenghisKhan]

Yeah we only play our tourney league every 2 weeks, and usually have a weekly cash game. Max 4 to 6 games per month. So table not gonna see too much use.

Once a month does sound like a lot.
I just don't know anything about wood and making sure it doesn't crack etc.

I'll wing it.
Thanks.

 

[Irish]

Howard Feed-n-wax works very well for a racetrack, just make sure it's clean and dust free before you apply it. Wipe on, wait for it to dry and then buff it out a bit, makes for a nice look. You also want to make sure the poly has fully cured, I usually recommend that folks wait 4-6 weeks before applying it to their racetracks (yours sounds like it's an older table, so it shouldn't be an issue). As long as you keep the table covered, you should only need to re-apply a few times a year.

For the legs, I don't think I'd bother with the wax, or at most I'd do it once and they hit it with some furniture polish like Pledge every now and then.

 

[Poker Zombie]

It will depend on various factors...

• How is the wood currently finished?
• What type of wood is it?
• Do you have players that bring large waterbottles that dont fit in the cupholders, that like to 2-fist their drinks (say a shot and a beer), or have water in addition to their alcoholic beverage?
• Do you have coffee drinkers?

 

[GenghisKhan]

Coffee drinkers yes. 2 fisters no, lol.
The jumbo cups will hold anything, so no drinks on the racetrack.

Solid oak legs & racetrack, finished in a mahogany gloss.

 

[Poker Zombie]

As long as nobody ever sets a hot mug on the track, a simple furniture wax will protect it for years and will be the easiest to apply.

I have 2 tables with wooden rails, and I have re-applied a varnish to one of them after about 6-8 years of use.

 

[GenghisKhan]

Thanks! And will definitely make a new rule to keep the coffee on the side tables.

 

[T_Chan]

Solid oak legs & racetrack, finished in a mahogany gloss.

Sorry but there's a 1% chance the racetrack is solid oak. More likely it's oak plywood, or possibly laminated MDF. I'm not saying those are bad materials to use for a racetrack, but there's almost no chance it's solid wood. So your upkeep may differ but probably not providing it's the same poly finish as the rest of the table, if it's a poly finish. I don't know what BBO uses as a finish but I assume it's probably polyurethane.

 

[GenghisKhan]

I emailed them because their website is confusing and seems to contradict itself.

 

[GenghisKhan]

Here's their reply.

"Thank you for reaching out to us.

We use high density fiber board for our 5in racetrack, finished in a mahogany gloss. (Classic Rockwell)"

I know zilch about wood. HDF? Never even heard of it lol.

That change anything?

 

[Poker Zombie]

Immensely, IMO.

HDF is a fancy way of saying scraps of wood/sawdust glued together. This stuff is terrible if it gets wet. It will swell up and be uneven. I would not even want to use this in a garage or area where humidity would be an issue (though I live in a high humidity state).

Now, the veneer coating on top should keep you safe from the mindless player that just sets their drink down without thinking, so no need to panic (HDF is common in indoor furniture), but it's not anywhere as good as solid wood (but a fraction of the cost).

But don't get it wet or feed it after midnight.

 

[GenghisKhan]

I wonder how many youngins don't get your reference lol.

 

[Poker Zombie]

Nice BBO table:

Same table after getting wet:

Yep, I'm old.

 

[BigSlickTux]

Nice BBO table:

Same table after getting wet:

Yep, I'm old.

Are they little heads-up tables that popped out of the big table?

 

[T_Chan]

MDF = Medium Density Fiberboard. So when they say HDF, it's just MDF that's more dense. The top will be protected by the laminate and the protective gloss coating that's on it. It's the edge that you need to be careful of. If any liquids spill at the seam between the felt and the racetrack, and if the edge of the racetrack isn't protected with some sort of coating, then it could absorb the liquid and swell.

Back on point with maintenance, you would care for it the same as other wood furniture with polish and/or wax.

 

[GenghisKhan]

Thanks Chanman!

 

[BigSlickTux]

I've never waxed my racetrack. I can't wait to do so!