On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 13:57:13 -0500, "Stephen M"
wrote:

Thanks for the reply,

I did not make the top myself, but it is called "engineered wood".. is
that another word for MDF? It is a rather smooth finish.

Probably. MDF is the same color as cardboard FWIW.

Since there is no point in looking at MDF, particle board or Oriented strand
board, why not just paint it? Not that latex stuff, good old-fasioned
oil-based paint. Not unlike Oil-based poly, it will take a week or more to
approach its final hardness. If it gets beat-up and crappy looking, just
recoat it. White may even make it easier to see what you are working on.

-Steve

I have found that Zinzer's white primers oil or water based coat very
well dry fast and are almost like melamine when cured. I will use
this stuff for final coats to outdoor based wood/mdf cabinets also, it
is almost bullet proof and is easy to wash off if it gets smudged on
the white surface. Joe.