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How To Refinish Your Dining Room Table
November 16, 2016 03:22:54pm
The dining room table gets a lot of use. It’s the place to have family meals and dinner parties, but it’s also often the place to do homework, play board games, and more. Scratches, scuffs, and water rings eventually appear throughout all of this, and before long, the dining room table will need to be refinished. If you’re doing the refinishing yourself, we have the tips to help you!
What you’ll need:
- Sandpaper (100-, 150-, and 220-grit)
- Tack cloth
- Microfiber cloth (or other clean, soft cloth)
- Protective gloves
- Stripper of choice
- Plastic putty knife
- Stain of choice
- Brushes (for applying stain)
- Finish of choice
A few tips before you start:
- Always be sure to thoroughly read all labels, instructions, and warnings on all materials you use, including the stripper, the stain, and the finish. Abide by all safety instructions, wait times, etc. in order to stay safe and end with a finished product you love!
- Remove any hardware that you can and cover any other exposed metal with painter’s tape. You don’t want these areas to be damaged during your refinishing process.
Step 1: The table may have a finish coating that you’ll need to remove. To do so, use a paintbrush to apply an even coat of stripper to the wood surface. Once you apply the stripper, allow it to sit on the surface, according to the timeline on the manufacturer’s label (usually approximately 15-20 minutes). Allow it to sit for the full amount of time, otherwise it may be harder to remove. Use your putty knife to gently scrape away the softened finish. Be sure to use a plastic putty knife (or other type of scraper) rather than a metal one, which could damage the underlying wood.
Step 2: Sand the table. Sand in the direction of the grain, beginning with the coarsest grit, and ending with the finest grit.
Step 3: Wipe down the table with your tack cloth to remove all sanding dust.
Step 4: Apply your stain of choice. Use either a high quality paintbrush or a soft, clean cloth to apply it (check the label or the manufacturer’s website and use what is recommended). Be sure to wear plastic or nylon gloves to protect your hands from the stain. Apply the stain liberally and allow several minutes for it to soak into the newly sanded wood. Use a clean cloth to wipe away the excess stain. You may need or want to apply several coats of the stain, depending on the finished look you want. In between each coat, lightly sand the surface with the finest-grit sandpaper, and then wipe it down with tack cloth. Note that the longer stain sits on the wood before being wiped away, the darker and richer the final color will be.
Step 5: When the final coat of stain has thoroughly dried, apply your finish of choice, whether that be oil, wax, or polyurethane. Apply it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Note that if you’re using polyurethane, you’ll want to apply two or more coats. If you only use your dining room furniture occasionally, you can probably apply two-to-three coats. If your dining room table receives a lot of use, however, you may want to apply up to four coats.
Step 6: Allow the final coat of polyurethane to dry for a minimum of 24 hours. Once it has dried completely, you’ll be able to return any tablecloths, centerpieces, candlesticks, etc.
Do-it-yourself furniture refinishing can be a very satisfying (and occasionally fun) project. Most homeowners, however, prefer to find the best furniture refinishers in the area and trust the work to the professionals. Jax Furniture Refinishing & Upholstering is the best furniture refinishing company Jacksonville FL residents call on for their furniture care. Our teams of craftsmen specialize in antique restoration, upholstery services, and wood refinishing projects of all kinds. Your dining room table and chairs, overstuffed sofa, antique armoire, and upholstered headboard are no problem for our craftsmen to refinish in the fabric or finish you’ve been dreaming of. Fine furniture is our passion, and we’d love the chance to make your tired or damaged furniture look beautiful again. Join our countless clients throughout Mandarin, Riverside, Ortega, and downtown Jacksonville and call today!
