Summer, what a cute table, chairs and setting. LOve the wall colors, the big red star and the wood tone of the railing with the rustic table and red chairs. Very neat! The first thing I thought of when you said your children eat off the table is how old is it? Could it have been painted with led paint? That would be my first concern. If it's latex paint then no worries. You said you like the rustic look of it and poly coating would take that look away permanently. I'd head to my nearest fabric source and get some very thick clear vinyl (sold on rolls at the end of most Wal Mart cutting tables) to use as a table cloth while the children are eating or you could premanently attach it by stapling it under the top. Either way makes for a very easy clean up without damaging the peeled paint look. Even stapled, if you ever want repurpose it, just remove the vinyl and you've got your perfectly old peeled paint table back.

99% of new furniture is finished with some type of lacquer. Only if it was done in someone's garage by a DIY would it be poly. Poly would not be a good coat for this. I had a job a number of years ago where the woman bought a new dining table and thought it should have a different sheen, so she "put on some poly." By the time I got there, nearly 1/4 of the top had peeled off. It was disaster to refinish. I had to sand off some of the poly to even get it to strip. Most lacquers will "blush" when subjected to water, exacerbated by heat. It normally takes some effort to get this to happen. Just take care and I think you'll be OK. You risk more damage by trying to prevent something by putting on poly than by just using it, IMO.

This old has been from a different era is just fine thank you and can still do elementary math. 4 inches of limestone + 2 inches of gravel = 6 inches total going back into the 6 to 8 inch trench you just dug leave's drive up to 2 inches lower than where you began. Only an engineer / comp sci guy -that has been an independent consultant for many years would charge a fee to go on site to figure that out and that's a fact. Let's talk about reasons for removing all the rock that has been there 10 years,might it have rotted and become unsuitable? I feel these questions should be answered since everyone agree's except the one holding himself out as an engineer / comp sci guy -that has been an independent consultant for many years.

now I am left with the question of how to find a good installer?! contractor #1 fails because of the acclimation issue and because the quote I received today is for engineered floor: "glue down of Hallmark Alta Vista Collection - color Caramel Oak." I requested 3 1/4 inch wide unfinished hardwood with stain color TBD! Glue down flooring and engineered flooring was never discussed! I can't even tell what the heck this wood is - engineered or hardwood! Alta Vista website says it's hardwood; contractor #2 is probably going to fail because he said pine flooring could be refinished by him, yet it appears it has been refinished before and is at the upper 1/3rd of the tongue and groove AND he did not include the underlayment paper in his quote for materials. I could be wrong but I think this is required to lay on top of the plywood and below the hardwood; contractor #3 Home Depot said they drop the wood at your house and install on the 5th day. I asked about the moisture reading and they said they take it when they come to measure your house. They said it isn't necessary beyond that for additional readings. This sounded ridiculous to me after what you all have said! This is super exhausting trying to find someone reliable. The first two contractors were referrals. Home Depot was the go to for big box store, figuring they would stand behind their work.