I have to agree with Sitka. Finishes are absolutely different and some are simply better than others. Having spent a few years making custom furniture I know a little about wood finishes, though I readily admit I'm no expert in this field. One word of caution: read the label. What you think you're buying may not always be what you are in fact buying. Formby's Tung Oil finish is a popular finish for do-it-yourselfers and is a good example. This is not a tung oil finish at all. It is a highly thinned varnish. Now it may in fact contain tung oil (but I'm not sure it does), since varnish consists of oil and resin, but it is not a true tung oil finish. For the most part I would say that most finishes are properly labeled, but some are simply not. You may see some simply labeled "Clear Wood Finish". In this case you can find out what it is by determining what it is that is used to thin it or to clean it up. If it requires mineral spirits, naptha, turpentine, paint thinner, etc.., it is probably a varnish. If it calls for acetone or other alcohol based thinners it is more than likely lacquer.
