Best paint/wax for wooden furniture?

[MackerelOfFact]

I've got a lovely solid pine table and chairs off eBay for £20. We're sanding down the chairs and going to paint these and the table legs in an off-white colour. The tabletop will just be sanded and waxed or oiled for a bit of protection.

I assume wood satin paint would be best for the chairs and table legs? And what would be best for the tabletop - I want to wood to stay quite light so don't really want to put too much on it, but want it to be waterproof and wipe-clean.

Any ideas or suggestions appreciated.

I like to use Osmo wood wax finish clear. I have used it on several tables and the bath panel. FOr a small area a sample pot might be enough. It's not very cheap but it really does give a good waterproof finish. It's a matt finish rather than a shiny varnish, I think you can buff it up a bit on the second coat.

Thanks for that, looks like good stuff. I was worried about it going that horrid orangey colour that varnished pine goes as it ages, I assume the wax keeps it looking more-or-less freshly sanded?

Ooh - I was about to recommend the osmo range. I love it, though the one I used on my floors is not as durable as varnish and does need redoing after a few years. It perhaps doesn't protect from dents and knocks quite so well either. I have it on my pine floors, and it does darken them a little when first applied and it darkens (or the wood does over time), but it is a honey colour rather than orange and looks very natural. Not as toxic and smelly as varnish either as far as I can tell.

PS, the finish of mine which was hardwax oil which if they still do it is satin rather than matt, and you have to remember to wipe each coat down until it is barely there otherwise it doesn't dry as well as it should.

I think they do a UV oil to hold back on the yellowing, but the Osmo oil doesn't have any inherent yellow colour of its own. It will "fire" or bring up the natural grain and colour of the wood, similar colour to if you wet it.

We have a pine desktop about 2 years old that I oiled, it is gradually darkening with exposure to light but not particlarly orange.