What can I use to keep my newly sanded pine table looking pale and interesting?

[Onlyaphase]

DH has spent ages sanding down a standard varnished pine table and it now looks lovely, all pale and matt-looking rather than that gingery varnished look. How can I keep it looking pale and matt?

DH put some so called Natural Stain on one leg, and it turned ginger again. Would some sort of wax be better? Or a diluted coat of white emulsion paint then varnish? Any ideas?

TIA

Dilute emulsion (one part emulsion, three parts water) Do it tenderly and see if you like it when dry, then clear varnish on top. If you want it whiter give it another coat. Did it on our kitchen floor. luvly jubbly.

If it's a kitchen table you might like to oil it (wooden work-top oil, they sell some in ikea I think). It will darken the colour a little but not as much as varnish. You can wax it but IME not as robust - pine is a soft wood. If you are going to wax it, do it with the stuff you can paint on then blast it with a v hot hairdryer or paint stripper (carefully) and polish it up. Saves on the elbow grease.

Don't let your DH near it with anything with any colour in it. It will go orange, yellow or brown.

sorr, meant to say, do the emulsion again before you varnish if you want to make it whiter, obv.

Also, putting the emulsion mix on with a sponge gives a more even colour.

Fabby, will try the emulsion this weekend. Thanks for your help Smamfa