Our wood dyes are formulated to penetrate the wood so it is important to completely sand the table back to the raw wood state, to a point where you're creating fine dust. After sanding, please avoid the use of white spirit to clean the table, it is recommended to just vacuum off the dust and wipe it over with a damp cloth.  If you wish to create an aged appearance for your project then we would recommend using our Antique Stripped Pine or Dark Pine colours, as these will achieve that appearance.   A good finish for a coffee table after staining is the Superior Worktop Oil. The oil will seal in the colour and is very resistant to spillages. We'd recommend applying several thin coats of oil, as this should be sufficient enough to protect the surface and retain a natural appearance. You could then apply a wax polish over the oil to produce a soft sheen. The table can then be maintained by further wax polishing occasionally.  We always recommend producing a tester piece first. The dyes will appear quite dull when dry - but will show their true colour when oiled, waxed or varnished. If you would prefer a varnished finish then any varnish will be ok.