How to seal rubberwood with so it does not yellow?

[HandyBird]

I have purchased a havea table top from Bunnings to use as a desk top and I would like to seal/protect it. I however, do not want to lacquer it and have it turn yellow over time. I like the idea that lacquer is hard wearing but not sure what type keeps the natural colour of the wood. I have a water based varnish but not sure if all water based varnishes have this quality. I have read that CAB acrylics are good but can’t find anything that says that that’s what it is??

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @HandyBird. It's wonderful to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about coating timber.

It was typically older oil-based polyurethanes that suffered from severe yellowing due to sun exposure and age. Modern oil-based versions aren’t as affected, but they can still give timber a honey-coloured hue. Water-based polyurethanes, on the other hand, are generally quite clear and resist yellowing over time, so they should meet your criteria.

I’d recommend using Cabot’s Cabothane water-based, as it provides a durable finish while keeping the natural look of the rubberwood. That said, the water-based varnish you already have will likely work as well. I suggest testing it on the underside of the panel first to see how it looks before committing to the whole surface.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell