Equal parts BLO, mineral spirits and either varnish or poly...
Got a little ahead of myself last night, this is what I’ll be using.
Skip the BLO. Hardware store BLO is low grade garbage. It will soften your finish, inhibit drying, add nothing positive, and reduce waterproofness.
Mineral spirits do not improve penetration. It is easy to test for that. A very small amount will improve flowing, but it should not be used unless needed.
Water-Based urethanes are harder than regular oil-based and non-yellowing. They would be an excellent choice for a bench top.
