Grabbed an old wood desk off the curb someone had put out. It’s old and actual wood. It’s going to sit on a covered and screened in porch as a TV stand.
Nothing fancy just a single color that will protect against light moisture. Going to build enclosure to mount the TV in to keep the moisture off of it. Won’t ever get hit directly with rain.
It’s just a little on the cheap project for the kiddos to watch TV on the deck.
Looking to spray the thing.

Instead of paint, maybe protect it like a mil-surp. stock and give it a coat or two of tung oil?

Tung oil sounds like the answer

If the wood is actually nice, or "rustic", I'm going with the aforementioned Tung Oil.

A clear Polyurethane would be a second choice.
If not, some sanding, priming and painting.

Back early in my landscaping career, some time in the 70's, I picked up a hat rack that someone had set out for trash. I sanded and stained it, then put a couple of coats of semi-gloss sanding sealer on it. It is still doing yeoman's service keeping various clothing items off the floor, and looks pretty much like it did after the cleanup.

Spar Varnish . They use it on boats , sooo ...