I was playing with melimine paint over the winter for my router table and its cool stuff. Available at HD, can be tinted to any colour, and drys to a vinyl-like coating. A good way to finish MDF if you don't want to veneer. Stays tacky for two days and requires four days of drying for a hard smooth finish.On the other hand, I just received over 100 sq ft of veneer for $6 on eBay. I'll be spending the weekend veneering anything and everything I can get my hands on.
gar.