About Our Finish
Why every Kendall table is finished with Rubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C
The finish is the part of your table you touch every day. I want it to look like real wood and feel like real wood, and still hold up to family dinners, homework and the occasional spilled drink.
That's why every table I build is finished with Rubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C, a hardwax oil made in Belgium. Here's what that means for you, and how to take care of it.
Most factory furniture is sprayed with a film finish like lacquer or polyurethane, a clear coating that sits on top of the wood. It looks great at first. But when it gets scratched or worn through, it can chip, peel or turn cloudy, and repairing it usually means stripping the whole top.
Rubio works differently. It goes on in a single coat that bonds with the top fibers of the wood at a molecular level, and I wipe off all the excess. Once the wood fibers are bonded, extra coats won't soak in, so there's no thick buildup sitting on the surface.
A clear layer that sits on top of the wood. Scratches and worn spots break through the layer, and repairing it means refinishing the whole surface.
The color and protection live in the wood itself. The grain stays open to the touch, and worn spots can be touched up on their own.
A low, natural sheen instead of a glossy coating. You feel the grain under your hand, not a layer of plastic.
The color and the protection go on together, in a single coat. That means no blotchy stain under a cloudy topcoat.
No solvents and no water. It contains zero volatile organic compounds, so there's no lingering chemical smell in your home.
Once cured, Rubio rates Oil Plus 2C safe for food contact. It's a good fit for a table where kids do homework and everyone eats.
It's built to handle wear, water and heat on surfaces that get used every day, from floors to kitchen tables.
A scratch or worn area can be touched up on its own. You don't have to sand down and refinish the whole table, which is what a film finish usually needs.
A natural, low-luster look. Rubio has a soft, matte-to-satin glow, not a high-gloss shine. If you want a little more sheen, ask me about a maintenance coat.
Protective, not bulletproof. No finish makes wood indestructible. Rubio resists water and heat well, but a puddle left overnight or a hot pan set right on the top can still leave a mark. Coasters, trivets and a quick wipe go a long way.
It wears gracefully. Over years of use, high-traffic spots (like where everyone sits every night) may start to look a little dry. That's normal, and a quick refresh brings them back. More on that below.
Set the table and enjoy it. Just go easy on it.
Most of the finish's strength is there.
The finish is fully water resistant, and you can clean it with water and Surface Care Spray.
For the first 5 days, dust with a dry cloth only, wipe up spills right away, and don't leave tablecloths, placemats or anything wet sitting on the top. On delivery day, I sometimes put a final coat on the top in your home to bring up the sheen. If I do, the table is ready for light use in about 6 to 8 hours.
Refresh: When the top starts to look dry or dull, wipe on a thin coat of Rubio Monocoat Universal Maintenance Oil and buff off the excess. It brings back the color and adds back some of the water resistance. For most families, that's every year or two. A kitchen table that gets heavy daily use may need it more often.
Spot repair: For a scratch or a worn patch, lightly sand just that area by hand, wipe on a little Oil Plus 2C in your color, and buff off the excess. It blends into the surrounding finish, so you don't need to refinish the whole table.
Rubio comes in a range of colors, from a clear natural look to whitewashes, warm browns and deep charcoals. Every color looks different on every species. The same color on red oak, white oak and walnut can look like three different finishes. Screens don't show that well, so the best way to choose is to see the real sample boards.
Read about each species on our Premium Hardwood Options page, then book a shop visit to see the colors side by side.
Ask me anything, from colors to care. I'm the one who finished your table.