How To Build A Custom Wood RV Dinette Table Top - DIY

I have never cared for the dinette table in my RV. It was a type of vinyl wrapped MDF board and quite frankly just ugly. I wanted a custom wood table top but did not want to break the bank by using hardwood. I decided to purchase three construction grade pieces of lumber. I determined I needed three pieces 2"x 6"x 8'. The first step was to mill the boards to the thickness I needed. After milling I cut the boards to the correct length.

Now the exact size will be different for every RV but the norm for the typical RV dinette booth is around 24"x 40". A few biscuits, glue and clamps and I had a table top. Since this was construction grade lumber it had its share of knots. Any knots that were loose or cracking were stabilized with some clear epoxy. I used a small 1/4" round over to ease the edges. Then it was on to sanding. I started with 80 grit and worked up to 220 grit for a nice smooth surface.

To finish the table I used a three part process. Since this was soft wood, stain tends to take to the wood in a blotchy appearance. To minimize that effect I used Minwax Stain Conditioner. It applies easily with a rag. I followed up with Minwax Stain, (Red Mahogany), and allowed it to dry 24 hours. The final and longest part was applying Minwax Wipe On Poly. I did six coats in total sanding lightly between each one. After the last coat I let the finish cure for 24 hours before installing the top in the RV.