It's clear many, many here and in kitchens and baths too have managed to make countertops over the years that have weathered water on and around them.

I have a dresser that I want to turn into a vanity with a bathroom sink in its top. I'd prefer to use an undermount sink that I have and frankly, lift up the wood top, brace underneath and finish the top tighter than a drum and set it back down on the sink.

I see many, many examples of people with wood sountertops set around sinks who are happy with them. But many are not as well. I had someone else finish another dresser for me in this way and it is a rotted mess. And then my neighbor who is a woodworker just shakes his head at this, saying that water and wood don't mix, he's seem too many problems over the years etcc.....

But still I want to try again. My questions: is there one "best-for-water" finish or does it depend on the wood in question? Can this be done on a dresser top that's not all that thick? Can you really lift off the top, place it and refinish it and wind up with a thick-enough top? What is the finish(es) that all these people are using that works so excellently?

Thanks for your information about what finish(es) work so well with water -- and why it sometimes does not, whether that's due to the product used or faulty workmanship, for example?